Slow cooked Western BBQ ribs

This is a recipe our friend Bill W gave to us - a "little something he whipped up this past weekend". I tweaked the ingredients to accommodate what was in my pantry. You can do the same with excellent results. It's a perfect meal to make you forget the Cleveland winter - or anything unpleasant, really.

3-4 sticks celery, cut into large chunks
3-4 carrots, peeled, and cut into large chunks
1 red pepper and 1 yellow pepper, cut into chunks
1 chili pepper
coarse Kosher salt

4 lbs Western ribs

1 large can pureed tomatoes
1 cup BBQ sauce
2 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup apricot jam
1/2 cup apple cider
1/2 cider vinegar
3 Tbs brown sugar
8 - 10 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp chopped ginger
1 cup parsley, chopped
a large handful of fresh basil
Sea salt or Kosher salt
2 bay leaves

Put celery, peppers, and carrots into crockpot. Sprinkle with a little salt.
Place ribs on top.

Mix the pureed tomatoes with the remaining ingredients and pour on top. Sprinkle a little extra parsley on top.
Set the slow cooker on low for 9 hours, put the lid on - and fuhgeddaboutit...



In the evening, ladle 2 cups of the sauce into a skillet. Reduce by about half (boil vigorously). Then add some tomato paste until the sauce is nicely thickened. Add some of the peppers and carrots medley from the pot, adjust seasonings.

Serve the ribs with long grained rice, a crisp green salad, and some crusty bread.

Thanks, Bill.


This recipe will leave you with leftover sauce.
I served it over spaghetti the next night, along with some homemade meatballs and grated parmesan. Delicious.