I think that ribs are best when they are falling apart and so tender that you almost need a spoon to eat them. I know that many people prefer ribs that have some chew to them, but I never liked the feeling that I was gnawing at a bone. For me, meltingly soft meat is the way to go. A slow cooker is the perfect way to achieve this outstanding texture because it keeps the meat perfectly juicy as it cooks at a low heat. All you need to do is buy some baby back ribs, cut each slab in half to make sure they fit in your cooker and peel off the silverskin (silvery white connective tissue on the underside of the ribs). Then, simply layer the ribs with barbeque sauce and set the timer. I use 3-4 pounds of baby back ribs in my 5-quart slow cooker, though it could easily hold more. Refer to your manual for the exact capacity. I cook them on high for about 5 hours or low for 6-8. Towards the end of the cooking time, it is best to test them with a fork just to be certain the meat is done.
You can use any barbeque sauce for a recipe like this one. The homemade sauce recipe below has a nice tang to it and it goes very well with pork. I like to use dry spices in barbeque sauces because they’re always on hand and they flavors meld well as the sauce cooks.











