Slow cookers are wonderful for busy workdays. This recipe only requires a moment of time in the morning – seriously, start your pot of coffee, and you’ll be done cooking dinner before that first cup of coffee brews. Just toss your ingredients in the slow cooker, and the aroma of fork tender, savory, spicy spare ribs will greet you at the end of your workday.
When I prepare a slow cooker dish, I like to really fill the slow cooker – it’s an energy efficient way to cook, and I enjoy having leftovers to divide into lunch portions and freeze. If you don’t want to make quite so much at once, that’s fine. Just cut each of the ingredient quantities in half. The cooking time, however, remains the same.
Ingredients (Serves 6-8 for dinner, or 4 with leftovers)
3 pounds boneless pork spare ribs
4 cloves of garlic, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional!)
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups tomato-based vegetable juice
Directions: Place ingredients in a slow cooker in the order listed above. Set slow cooker to cook on “low” and allow to cook for 8 – 10 hours. If you wish, you can give everything a gentle stir after 4 or 5 hours. Do not, however, lift the cover on your slow cooker more than just that one time! After about 8 hours, your spare ribs should fall apart when poked with a fork. If they aren’t quite that tender after 8 hours, allow them to cook for another hour or two. Enjoy!
Crowded Earth Kitchen 