What Are Crock-Pot® Beef Ribs?

Crock-Pot® beef ribs are beef ribs that are cooked in a type of slow cooker called a Crock-Pot®. Cooking ribs this way usually means cooking them using low, moist heat for a long period of time in a special pot that is heated with electricity. This type of cooking allows a person to cook without turning on a stove or an oven and can allow a person to prepare ribs without a lot of effort. To prepare ribs this way, a person can add ribs and other ingredients as desired to the Crock-Pot®, turn it on, and tackle other tasks while the ribs cook on their own. Though the name might suggest that these ribs are of a special or different type, they are actually just ordinary beef ribs cooked in a slow cooker.

When a person cooks Crock-Pot® beef ribs, this means he cooks beef ribs in a slow cooker bearing the brand-name Crock-Pot®. This type of cooker, has a pot that is heated by electricity and cooks the food within it, covered, at a slow pace on low heat. In many cases, a person will allow food to cook in a Crock-Pot® for six to 12 hours rather than the couple of hours it might normally require on a stove or in an oven. Many people choose this way of cooking because it is convenient, but it is also said to produce tasty, tender meat.

To cook Crock-Pot® beef ribs, a person should cut the ribs into individual pieces, or into pieces that will easily fit into the pot, as fitting in slabs of ribs can prove difficult. Usually, cooks also add a liquid base to the pot, which allows the meat to stew in the base and can help improve its flavor. There are many bases a person may use for this purpose, including barbecue sauce or a mixture of barbecue sauce, cooking wine, and Worcestershire sauce. Some people use beef broth, a soup base, or even just water with seasonings when preparing ribs.

In most cases, it is considered best to fill a Crock-Pot® about one-half to three-quarters of the way full when preparing Crock-Pot® beef ribs, or any dish for that matter. This allows for proper cooking and even distribution of heat. Slow cookers usually come with heat settings that can be turned to low or high. Beef ribs are typically cooked on low for eight to 10 hours or on high for four to six hours.