Slow-cooked BBQ Pork Ribs with Sara’s Sautéed Brussel Sprouts and Blanched String Beans

BBQ pork ribs, blanched string beans, sautéed brussel sprouts

Today’s main dish comes from the Better Homes and Gardens “Biggest Book of Slow-Cooker Recipes”.

BBQ Pork Ribs (pg. 210)

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: Low 10 hours, High 5 hours

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Slow Cooker: 3 1/2 to 4 quarts

Ingredients:

• 3 to 3 1/2 lbs. pork country-style ribs
• 1 cup ketchup (home made ketchup recipe coming soon!)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (can substitute with maple syrup or honey, or a combination of two or all three, I used brown sugar and maple syrup)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (again, hoping to make my own at some future time)
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (I didn’t measure this one, just added until I thought it looked like enough, ended up being more than 1/4 tsp I imagine)
• 1/4 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce (add as much or as little as you like)

Instructions

1. Cut up the ribs into sections of 2-4 ribs so they can fit into slow cooker more easily.
2. In a small bowl combine the rest of the ingredients.
3. Put ribs in slow cooker pouring sauce all over them turning to coat.
4. Cover, cook on low heat setting for 10-12 hours, OR high heat setting for 5-6 hours (I did high-heat setting as I didn’t prepare the ribs until later in the day).
   

   After six hours, the pork ribs are done in the slow-cooker!

5. Transfer ribs to serving platter; cover to keep warm. pour sauce into medium saucepan. Bring sauce to boiling, reduce heat slightly. Boil gently, uncovered, until thickened to desired consistency, 5-7 minutes (should make about 1 cup). Pour all over ribs in platter.

For my vegetable sides we have blanched string beans and sautéed brussel sprouts. Meatbeasta Sara used to make them brussel sprouts this way in college when we lived together and turned me on to those cute little green cabbages. I have a brussel sprout plant in my garden, but I wasn’t quite on top of planting it at the right time this year and my yield has been rather disappointing. But, next year will be glorious! I will be basking in brussels. But for now, the recipes:

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Blanched String Beans

Ingredients

• String beans
• Pot of water

Instructions

1. Throw washed string beans in pot of boiling water for a few minutes.
2. Take out, drain, rinse with cold water.
3. Enjoy!
   

   Enjoy!

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Sara’s Sautéed Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

• Fresh brussel sprouts
• Olive oil (or you could probably use coconut oil)
• Ground black pepper
• Garlic salt or garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Remove from stalk if bought still attached to stalk. Wash brussel sprouts and dry.
   

   Wash brussel sprouts

2. Slice brussel sprouts in half (or quarters if they’re too big, but I think the smaller-medium sized brussel sprouts taste better).
   

   Slice brussel sprouts in half.

3. Pour a little oil in a pan over medium heat and place brussel sprouts in pan.
   

   Sauté brussel sprouts in pan with some oil.

4. Add black pepper and garlic salt/garlic powder and start sautéeing moving them around the pan every so often! This is where the fun part comes in, at some point the brussel sprouts on their “back” (the round side) will start to pop up and flip over (if they’re small enough)! The larger ones will sort of jump and dance. Leaves of the brussel sprouts may come off, that’s perfectly okay! In fact, those little leaves tend to be my favorite part of this dish! Be sure to cook the brussel sprouts flat side down as well. I like them pretty well-done and a little extra burn-y. If you need to add a little more oil, be sure to do that too. Sometimes, if I have dried cranberrieslaying around I’ll toss them in for a little tarty-sweetness.
   

   Not quite as burn-y as I like them!

Feel free to experiment with other spices too! Post in the comments any changes you made to the recipe/spices you added to share with everyone!

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In the meantime, get down with these sprouts!