Orange Chipotle Ribs in the CrockPot

Day 168.

We made a few different types of barbecued ribs yesterday for Father's Day. We made ribs on the outdoor barbecue, and we took a page out of Jared's book and barbecued in the crockpot. Guess what? Jared's right---barbecuing in the crockpot is the way to go.

The meat is much more tender and flavorful, and you don't get that charred meat taste in your mouth that reminds you (me) of the Marlboro Man.

The Ingredients.

--3 pounds beef or PORK ribs

--1/2 cup ketchup

--1/4 cup orange marmalade

--1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

--2 T soy sauce (La Choy and Tamari wheat-free are gluten free)

--2 T brown sugar

--2 t chipotle chili powder

--1/4 t cumin

--1/4 t ground ginger

--4 cloves smashed and chopped garlic

The Directions.

I used my 6qt smart-pot for this dish--the ribs fit well inside.

I didn't brown or pre-cook my meat at all. It was thawed, however. If you are using frozen meat, it will take longer to cook, but will be just fine.

In a mixing bowl, mix all of the ingredients for the sauce---which is everything listed up there, minus the ribs.

Put the ribs into your crock--you may need to cut the racks up with poultry shears to get them in there nicely.

Pour your sauce over the top.

Close and cook on low for 8-9 hours, or on high for 5-6. The meat is done when it has reached the desired tenderness and is no longer pink. I prefer the meat to fall off the bone, and eat with a knife and fork. If you'd rather gnaw on the bones, pull them out after 4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low.

The Verdict.

I was very pleased with the tenderness of these ribs, and with the sauce flavors. I picked a pretty tart orange marmalade, and the orange rind flavor was pretty pronounced. It was good, but I think next time I'll add a touch more brown sugar. I did not find the sauce on the ribs to be spicy, but the remaining sauce in the pot had quite a bit of heat.

The kids have finally begun to appreciate ribs. They still ate a hot dog, but they both ate enough of the ribs that they needed the sauce scrubbed off with a washcloth.