Recipe A Day #20: Spicy Asian-Style Slow Cooker Spare Ribs

My last recipe experiment with spare ribs in the crock pot was so amazing and so delicious that I simply had to try another. And fortunately, the sale on spare ribs in my local grocery store's circular hadn't yet expired. So, in true Early Retirement Extreme fashion, I took the opportunity once again to exploit a doorbuster sale food item and build an easy meal around it.

This time I created a simple Asian-style rub recipe with both sweet and spicy flavors. You'll love it.

Spicy Asian-Style Slow Cooker Spare Ribs

Wet Rub:
⅓ cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons kosher salt
3 Tablespoons oil (canola, olive, peanut or sesame oil, your choice)
3 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 Tablespoon Chinese five-spice
2 teaspoons Thai chili paste or cayenne pepper

Ingredients:
1/2 to 3/4 cup water or stock
1 large onion, chopped very coarsely
4-5 garlic cloves, chopped coarsely
3-4 pounds spare ribs, cut up
2 Tablespoons vinegar

Directions:
1) Combine wet rub ingredients in a bowl. Coat spare ribs well with rub and set aside.

2) Place water, onions and vinegar in the bottom of crock pot, place spare ribs on top, and place chopped garlic over the meat for a decorative look. Cook for 4-5 hours on your slow cooker’s high setting, or 8-10 hours on low, until meat is done to your liking.

3) Serve over rice. Ladle onions, garlic and liquid from the crockpot over the top of each plate.

Serves 5-6.

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