Recipe This | Slow Cooker Chinese Spare Ribs (2024)

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Slow Cooker Chinese Spare Ribs. Falling off the bone Chinese spare ribs in the slow cooker. Perfect for sharing and the only washing up is the slow cooker. Loaded with your favourite Chinese spare rib flavours including garlic, BBQ sauce and honey.

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Slow Cooker ChineseSpare Ribs

Our Slow Cooker Chinese Spare Ribs were originally published on Recipe This between2015 and 2016. We have expanded on the Chinese spare ribs recipes to make itbetter than ever.

Today aswe publish this update on our Slow CookerChinese spare ribs our eldest son will turn 18 yearsold. He absolutely loves it when I cook him Chinese spare ribs, though he willoften complain at me that I HAVENOT MADE ENOUGH. Though isn’t that every teen lad onthe planet?

When weposted the original version of our Chinese spare ribs in the slow cooker, poorKyle was at school and you would have thought we had turned off his internetfor his reaction. So, this time he was present during the latest slow cookerspare rib taste tests.

Falling Off The Bone Chinese Spare Ribs

I recently read an article on afood blog, well more specifically a barbeque food blog and it was a big heateddebate about what falling off the bone ribs meant.

Well there were some serious grillers insisting that you should never serve ribs “falling off the bone” as this meant that they were burnt and had lost their flavour.

Yet there were others that were saying the complete opposite and that it has its nicest flavour when it is slow cooked and is falling off the bone.

Personally, I amall for the latter, and couldn’t imagine my ribs any other way than falling offthe bone and hate it when ribs are not slow cooked.

I remember having ribs at anoutdoor barbeque restaurant and because they had just been cooked on the grill andthey hadn’t been marinated or slow cooked they were so chewy and gave metoothache. I was not impressed and didn’t even finish the one I was eating.

It was tough and it felt likesomething cheap (which of course ribs are) but it didn’t have the lovely texturethat slow cooked ribs have or a taste that I liked.

It is safe to say that if I am going to eat ribs they must be cooked slow in the slow cooker.This recipe is very much my favourite for a romantic night in for two.

Serve your Chinese Spare Ribs with some fresh bread and a movie and you have the perfect night in.

Slow Cooker ChineseStyle Spare Ribs

My slow cooker Chinese style spare ribs bringtogether your favourite slow cooker spare rib ingredients. I love it because itbrings together a love for Chinese BBQ spare ribs as well as Chinese garlicspare ribs.

The main ingredients for my slow cooker Chinese stylespare ribs includes:

Best of all of the ingredients to make my Slow Cooker Chinese Spare Ribs can be found in a typical pantry. Just make sure you add some pork ribs to your shopping list and you’re ready to go!

How To CookChinese Spare Ribs In The Slow Cooker?

Recipe This | Slow Cooker Chinese Spare Ribs (4)

I would describe my Chinese spare ribs as dump, mix andeat. You literally dump the marinade ingredients into the slow cooker, givethem a mix, toss in the pork spare ribs and cook.

You can cook your Chinese spare ribs on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. I prefer to cook my slow cooker grub on high and put it on early afternoon for our supper.

This recipe keeps your washing up pile to a minimum. Themarinade is prepped inside the slow cooker so the only washing up you have isyour slow cooker and your spoon. That is literally it.

Recipe This | Slow Cooker Chinese Spare Ribs (5)

Also because of the fat from the spare ribs, the slow cookeris very easy to wash up afterwards and doesn’t need an overnight soaking.

Or for a quick banquet my favourite summer supper is to have our Chinese spare ribs in one slow cooker and then our Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork in another.

Grab some tortilla wraps and add in some Air Fryer Potato Wedges and its heaven. Because both the 3 recipes are so easy to prep, it makes an ideal Friday or Saturday night meal.

Print Recipe

Slow Cooker Chinese Spare Ribs

Slow Cooker Chinese Spare Ribs. Falling off the bone Chinese spare ribs in the slow cooker. Perfect for sharing and the only washing up is the slow cooker. Loaded with your favourite Chinese spare rib flavours including garlic, BBQ sauce and honey.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time4 hours hrs

Total Time4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Slow Cooker

Servings: 2

Calories: 1482kcal

Author: RecipeThis.com

Ingredients

Kitchen Gadgets:

Slow Cooker

Recipe Ingredients:

1 kg Pork Spare Ribs
1 Tbsp Garlic Puree
3 Tsp Honey
2 Tbsp BBQ Sauce
1 Tbsp Chinese Five Spice
2 Tsp BBQ Dry Rub
1 Tsp Pork Seasoning

Metric – Imperial

Instructions

Dump everything into the slow cooker apart from your spare ribs and mix well with a spoon.
Add in the spare ribs and toss until the marinade covers all the ribs.
Cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.

Notes

If you feel like your Chinese marinade is not sticky enough add more honey or if it tastes too sticky add in more BBQ sauce.

If you want to keep it Paleo I recommend a Paleo friendly BBQ sauce. Or alternatively using your own homemade version.

Nutrition

Nutrition InfoPlease Note: Nutrition values are our best estimate based on the software we use at Recipe This and are meant as a guide. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Recipe This | Slow Cooker Chinese Spare Ribs (8)

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Recipe This | Slow Cooker Chinese Spare Ribs (2024)

FAQs

Should ribs be covered in liquid in slow cooker? ›

Don't worry that the ribs go into the slow cooker without liquid; the heat is gentle enough that the ribs do not burn, and the meat releases liquid as it cooks, so it braises in its own spiced juices. (You could also make these ribs in a pressure cooker by following this recipe.)

Read The Full Story ›

Why are Chinese spare ribs so good? ›

One of the recognizable factors for a dish like Chinese spare ribs is the sweet, caramelized flavors, which used to come from heating the sugary marinade over the fire. Spare ribs are usually served as an appetizer or small dish, though you can make the char siu in buns or as part of your main meal, as well.

Should you flip ribs in slow cooker? ›

This step is really important and if you skip it your slow cooker ribs will not be as tender. But it's super easy to do! Just flip the rack of ribs over so that you are looking at the bottom side.

Get More Info Here ›

Should you cover ribs when slow cooking? ›

You can cook ribs either covered with foil or uncovered. Foil is used to stop the meat from drying out but is not essential. If cooking uncovered and you notice the meat is drying out or browning too quickly, you can cover with foil for the remaining cook time.

Discover More Details ›

What liquid is best for ribs? ›

You may, if desired, spritz or mop your ribs while smoking with a liquid of your choice. Apple juice or cider, butter, Dr. Pepper, apple cider vinegar, beer… there are plenty of options.

Learn More Now ›

What is the best liquid to cook ribs in? ›

Choose a Liquid

Root beer is a great choice. ...
For the same reason, ginger beer works very well too. ...
Cola can also add a unique flavor. ...
Veggie broth can work as a no-sugar option, but it won't taste like barbecue. ...
If you want something really different in your crock pot ribs try coconut milk.

More items...

Read On ›

What makes spare ribs more tender and flavorful? ›

A charcoal or wood fire will give you the best flavor, but any heat will cook the ribs. Your goal is to get good color and caramelization on the outside of the ribs, but also to cook them long enough that the tough collagen breaks down and the meat becomes tender.

See Details ›

What makes Chinese spare ribs red? ›

The characteristic red hue of char siu comes from red food coloring, which you can add to the marinade if you'd like, but I prefer to go au natural. It's plenty pretty on its own. Hoisin sauce—a fermented soy bean-based sweet and savory barbecue sauce—is the primary flavoring agent in the marinade.

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Are spare ribs healthy or unhealthy? ›

Like most meats, a rack of ribs is incredibly low in carbs and fiber; it's all protein and fat. So as long as you're not slathering on that sticky sweet barbecue sauce all the time, ribs (especially nutrient-dense Ibérico pork ribs like St. Louis Ribs or a 4-Rib Rack) are ideal for keeping carbs to a minimum.

Know More ›

Can ribs be overcooked in slow cooker? ›

Yes. Believe it or not, you can overcook ribs in a slow cooker. That's why I recommend cooking them low and slow and keeping an eye on them towards the end. You're looking for meat that's tender and comes off the bone with light pressure.

Find Out More ›

Why are my slow cooked ribs tough? ›

If your ribs are chewy, you either forgot to remove the membrane from the back of the ribs or you didn't cook them long enough. If your ribs are dry, you likely cooked them too hot and fast. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to fix dry and chewy ribs.