Slow Cooker Ribs

Ingredients

• 8 lb baby back pork ribs
• Spice Rub
• 3 tablespoon paprika
• 3 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 4 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoon chili powder
• 4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
• 2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Barbecue Sauce

• 4 cup ketchup
• 1 cup molasses
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup seedless blackberry preserves
• 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoon reserved Spice Rub from above
• 2 tablespoon liquid smoke (optional but recommended)

Directions

1. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper and and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Slice ribs into 6 separate sections then rinse ribs and pat dry.
3. Mix together all the rub ingredients in a separate bowl. Take out 1 tablespoon of Spice Rub that will be used in the barbecue sauce. Rub remaining Spice Rub over the ribs then place ribs on the baking sheet. Bake ribs for 30 minutes making sure to flip the ribs after about 15 minutes.
4. While the ribs are cooking, place all the barbecue sauce ingredients to a saucepan and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove 1 and 1/2 cups of the barbecue sauce and refrigerate. This will be used after ribs are cooked.
5. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Coat slow cooker with a thin layer of remaining barbecue sauce, followed by ribs. Continue layering sauce then ribs making sure that all the ribs are evenly coated in barbecue sauce
6. Cook ribs on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-9 hours. Ribs should fall apart from being so tender. Make sure to rotate ribs during cooking so they cook evenly.
7. Remove ribs from slow cooker when the ribs are tender. Brush with reserved barbecue sauce if desired.