Slow Cooked Beef Ribs with Barbecue Sauce
Beef short ribs rubbed with spices and slow cooked in a tangy homemade barbecue sauce until fall apart tender.
Equipment
- Slow cooker (6 quart)
- Large bowl
- Whisk
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 6 beef short ribs 10 to 12 oz each, about 4 lb in total, patted dry
- 1 tbsp brown sugar for the rub
- 2 tsp paprika for the rub
- 1 tsp garlic powder for the rub
- 1 tsp onion powder for the rub
- ½ tsp ground cumin for the rub
- ¾ tsp mustard powder for the rub
- ½ tsp kosher salt for the rub
- ½ tsp black pepper for the rub
- 2 cloves garlic minced, for the sauce
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar for the sauce
- 1 ½ cup ketchup for the sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar loosely packed, for the sauce
- 2 tsp black pepper for the sauce
- 2 tsp onion powder for the sauce
- 2 tsp mustard powder for the sauce
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper for the sauce, adjust to taste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce for the sauce
- 2 cup water for the sauce
Instructions
Cooking
- Rub. Dry the ribs and massage them with the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, mustard powder, salt and pepper.
- Sauce. Stir together the garlic, vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, spices, Worcestershire and water in a bowl.
- Slow cook. Place the ribs in the slow cooker, pour the sauce over them, cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours until the meat is very tender.
- Rest. Lift out the ribs gently and rest them for a few minutes while you skim the fat from the sauce.
- Thicken. Simmer the sauce on the stove for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened, then spoon it over the ribs.
Notes
Substitutions: Soy sauce replaces Worcestershire, and white sugar replaces brown sugar.
Tips: Rub the ribs the night before for more flavor and thicken the sauce on the stove for a glaze.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.