Crockpot Soy Spare Ribs
These Crockpot Soy Spare Ribs have a sweet, savory coating made with two kinds of soy sauce, honey, and plenty of garlic. A quick spice rub adds a little extra flavor before everything goes into the slow cooker. The prep takes just 5 minutes, which is about my speed when I want a good dinner without a big kitchen project.
Most of the cooking happens on its own, though you will need to brush the ribs with marinade every hour.
This is a nice recipe for a day at home when you can pop into the kitchen between other things. By dinner, you have tender ribs and very little cleanup. Just remember the napkins!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 7–8 hours on low or 4–5 hours on high
Servings: 2–3
Ingredients
You can use baby back or spare ribs for this recipe – they both turn out great. The onion powder, paprika powder, and cumin make a simple dry rub that adds flavor underneath the sauce. Spread it over both sides so the seasoning is not all sitting on top.
The marinade combines dark soy sauce and sweet soy sauce with raw honey and minced garlic. These two soy sauces are different, so check the labels rather than using regular soy sauce for both. Stir the marinade well to work the honey into the mixture, and reserve some before brushing the raw ribs. You will use that separate portion throughout cooking.
- 1 rack of baby back ribs
- 4 cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup dark soy sauce
- ¼ cup sweet soy sauce
- ¼ cup raw honey
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika powder
- ½ tsp cumin
How to Make Crockpot Soy Spare Ribs
Step 1: Make the Dry Rub
Combine the onion powder, paprika powder, and cumin in a small bowl. Rub the mixture over both sides of the ribs, spreading it as evenly as possible.
If the ribs are wet on the surface, pat them dry with paper towels first. This helps the seasoning stick rather than slide around.
Step 2: Mix and Brush on the Marinade
Mince the garlic and mix it with the dark soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, and honey. Stir until everything is well combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl so no honey gets left behind.
Before brushing the ribs, set aside some marinade in a separate container for the hourly brushing. Keep that reserved portion covered in the refrigerator between uses.
Brush the remaining mixture over both sides of the seasoned ribs. Take a moment to get it into the spaces between the bones, too.
Step 3: Cut the Rack and Start Cooking
Cut the rack in half and place the two pieces in the slow cooker. Make sure they fit comfortably and the lid closes completely.
Cook for 7–8 hours on low or 4–5 hours on high. Choose whichever setting works best for your day, keeping the hourly brushing in mind.
Step 4: Brush the Ribs Every Hour
Brush the ribs every hour with the reserved marinade. Use a little at each visit so you have enough to last through the cooking time.
For safe handling, pour each small portion into a separate dish and use a clean brush each time. Do not return a used brush to the main container of reserved marinade.
Close the lid promptly after brushing to keep as much heat inside as possible. Once the ribs have finished cooking and are tender, carefully lift them out and serve warm. Support the meat as you move it, since tender ribs can start falling apart.
A Few Saucy Questions Before Dinner
Do I Need Both Dark and Sweet Soy Sauce?
Yes, both are part of this recipe. Dark soy sauce adds deep color and savory flavor, while sweet soy sauce brings sweetness and a thicker consistency.
Using the two listed sauces keeps the marinade closer to the intended result. They are not simply two names for regular soy sauce.
Can I Skip the Hourly Brushing?
The recipe calls for brushing every hour, so plan to make it when you will be home. Each brushing adds more of the garlic, soy, and honey mixture to the surface of the ribs.
Keep the lid open only as long as you need to brush them. No extra peeking necessary!
Why Should I Separate the Marinade First?
Setting some aside before brushing the raw pork keeps the reserved marinade from being contaminated by raw meat.
Use that separate portion for basting, with a clean brush and dish each time. Marinade that has touched raw pork should not be used as an uncooked finishing sauce.
Will These Ribs Have Crispy Edges?
Expect tender, saucy ribs rather than a crisp crust. A slow cooker cooks with moist heat, so the result is different from grilled ribs.
The sweet soy and honey coating is the main attraction here, along with meat that becomes tender during the long cooking time.
What Goes Well With Crockpot Soy Spare Ribs?
Plain rice is an easy side because it balances the rich, sweet-salty flavor. A crunchy slaw or some cooked vegetables would be good alongside it, too.
Keep the sides simple and let the ribs take up most of the plate. This is already a hands-on dinner, in the best possible way.
Crockpot Soy Spare Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 rack of spare ribs or baby back ribs
- 4 cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup dark soy sauce
- ¼ cup sweet soy sauce
- ¼ cup raw honey
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika powder
- ½ tsp cumin
Instructions
- Combine the onion powder, paprika powder and cumin, and rub the ribs with dry rub.
- Mince the garlic and add the dark soy sauce, sweet soy sauce and honey. Mix until well combined. Brush over the ribs. Save some of the marinade.
- Cut the ribs in half and place them in the slow cooker. Cook for 7-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.
- Brush the rack of ribs every hour with the remaining marinade.
