# Recipes for ribs in the crockpot that don't include barbecue sauce. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 15, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592 "2014-09-15T20:28:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/1 "2014-09-15T20:28:06Z")
I bought a nice package of country-style pork ribs this morning and I’d like to do some type of crockpot preparation in the next couple of days. It’s really hot here and I like having something ready to eat when I get home and not having to fire up the oven or stovetop. My first impulse would be to douse them in barbecue sauce and be done with it, but my daughter really isn’t a fan of barbecue sauce. Any other ideas? She’s not otherwise very picky. She might even like some other type of barbecue sauce, as long as it’s not the usual thick, ketchup-y stuff we usually think of by that name. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/2 "2014-09-15T20:36:04Z")
Chili verde? Toss in a can of tomatillos, some green chilis, some spices and some beer and let it cook. Serve with Spanish rice and tortillas. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/3 "2014-09-15T20:39:54Z")
Use a dry rub that has the flavors she likes. Here’s an example of a [dry rub recipe](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/dry-rub-ribs-memphis-daves-dinners-recipe.html). Many recipes would use granulated onion powder and garlic powder as well, but you can use almost any dried seasoning. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/4 "2014-09-15T20:40:13Z")
That’s an idea. I’ll have to check and see if they like tomatillos. I’m a big fan myself. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/5 "2014-09-15T20:41:40Z")
Can you do a dry rub preparation in the crock-pot? Do you add any liquid? ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/6 "2014-09-15T20:52:49Z")
Yeah, you can’t dry rub in the crockpot. I mean, rub all you want but it has to have _some_ liquid or it doesn’t cook evenly. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/7 "2014-09-15T21:03:19Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Yeah, you can’t dry rub in the crockpot. I mean, rub all you want but it has to have _some_ liquid or it doesn’t cook evenly. Assuming the rubs are sufficiently fatty and not incredibly dry it shouldn’t be a problem. I’ve never had a problem doing this. Cooking things like ribs in a crockpot is not based on submerging them in liquid. It’s a slow moist heat process. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/8 "2014-09-15T22:03:59Z")
You can find lots of recipes by googling this: slow cooker pork ribs -barbecue -bbq ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/9 "2014-09-15T22:19:16Z")
You’re quite right, **Manduck**. You can find lots of recipes that way. For pork ribs covered with barbecue sauce. Anyway, they looked pretty fatty. Would a little bit of something like cider or orange juice be sufficient? ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/10 "2014-09-15T22:57:45Z")
> [@cher3](#): > > You’re quite right, **Manduck**. You can find lots of recipes that way. For pork ribs covered with barbecue sauce. > > Anyway, they looked pretty fatty. Would a little bit of something like cider or orange juice be sufficient? I do bbq pulled chicken in the slow cooker and I don’t like them overpowered with bbq sauce so I replace half the sauce with cider. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/11 "2014-09-15T23:40:07Z")
No need to thank me, [just enjoy](http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-slow-cooker-apple-pork-roast/). This is seriously good and dead simple. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/12 "2014-09-16T00:11:26Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > You can find lots of recipes by googling this: > > slow cooker pork ribs -barbecue -bbq > [@cher3](#): > > You’re quite right, **Manduck**. You can find lots of recipes that way. For pork ribs covered with barbecue Really? I did his search and got a ton of non-bbq rib recipes. The ‘-’ excludes the term. Worked for me. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/13 "2014-09-16T00:20:26Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Yeah, you can’t dry rub in the crockpot. I mean, rub all you want but it has to have _some_ liquid or it doesn’t cook evenly. This is a common misconception. You don’t need to add liquid if you have a fatty cut of meat. I do dry rubbed ribs in the crockpot all the time. I stand them up around the outside and cook for about 5 hours on low. They come out fantastic every time. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/14 "2014-09-16T01:39:48Z")
> [@cher3](#): > > You’re quite right, **Manduck**. You can find lots of recipes that way. For pork ribs covered with barbecue sauce. I think most people don’t know about using “-” in a google search, which is why I posted that. It finds recipes that do mention pork ribs and slow cookers, but do not mention barbecue. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/15 "2014-09-16T09:47:35Z")
> [@Hockey\_Monkey](#): > > This is a common misconception. You don’t need to add liquid if you have a fatty cut of meat. I do dry rubbed ribs in the crockpot all the time. I stand them up around the outside and cook for about 5 hours on low. They come out fantastic every time. I’d really like to try this. Do you finish them under the broiler after? Else, how do you get that carmelized crust on 'em? ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/16 "2014-09-16T11:19:44Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I’d really like to try this. Do you finish them under the broiler after? Else, how do you get that carmelized crust on 'em? You can certainly do this! You can make a glaze and pop under the broiler too. Usually I’m to impatient to do anything but chow down after smelling them cook all afternoon. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/17 "2014-09-16T12:24:52Z")
Make [sinigang](http://fatsideofthetracks.wordpress.com/2013/06/23/sinigang-for-dinner/)! It’s basically hot and sour soup, Filipino-style. The link I gave you is guidelines, not a strict recipe. I always use pork of some sort in mine. If you do not have tamarind, I’ve whizzed some apricot preserves (or dried apricot) and vinegar together and you really can’t tell the difference. Cabbage and/or spinach work well in place of bok choy if need be. Seriously, this is a soup that deserves to be in everyone’s repertoire. ---
**Author:** ![PlumBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@PlumBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlumBob)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/18 "2014-09-16T14:17:38Z")
This might be a bit much for your daughter but here it is. Ribs browned or not, sauerkraut rinsed or not, onions, shredded potatoes, carrots and or mushrooms, maybe some shredded apples, **caraway seeds** , a bit of chicken stock / soup / water. Season to taste. Cook till ribs fall apart. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/19 "2014-09-16T14:29:30Z")
Is it specifically barbecue sauce she doesn’t like or just sauce in general? Because if it’s just the flavor of regular barbecue sauce she doesn’t like, she might like something like a hoisin or teriyaki barbecue sauce. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592/20 "2014-09-16T15:56:52Z")
I’ve thrown ribs, some quartered and halved potatoes, sliced onions, and a bag of sauerkraut into the crockpot and been happy with the results. ETA: just saw PlumBob’s idea and I like it better. ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipes-for-ribs-in-the-crockpot-that-dont-include-barbecue-sauce/698592.md?page=2)