Slow Cooker Chinese Style Spare Ribs

These Slow Cooker Chinese Style Spare Ribs are easy to make and and are incredibly mouthwatering tasty to eat.

Made with Chinese five spice powder, honey, and soy sauce, these fall off the bone ribs are savory, sweet, and juicy with a hint of tang.

What are Chinese style ribs?

Chinese style ribs are pork ribs that have marinated in a mixture which includes Chinese five-spice powder before being cooked.  

I like how slow cooking these ribs makes them even more flavorful and tender.

Have you tried my Air Fryer Dinner Rolls?

Those made from scratch dinner rolls can be easily made in an air fryer. Both these Chinese style ribs and those air fryer rolls would go nicely when served together.

To make this recipe you will need Chinese five-spice powder. You can find Chinese five-spice powder here.

Why we love Chinese Spare Ribs.

People love Chinese spare ribs because they have a unique flavor not seen in other kinds of ribs. That flavor comes from the five-spice powder.

Here is what else we like about this recipe.

• Making these ribs in a slow cooker means that they can be slowly cooked to perfection, making them both flavorful and very tender.
• Slow cooker ribs are perfect for serving for dinner or sharing with others at a gathering such as potluck dinner or tailgate.
• Ribs go great when served with rice, noodles, or freshly made rolls on the side.
• People like that these ribs have the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors along with incredibly tender and juicy meat.
• Personalizing this recipe is as easy as adding red pepper flakes or adding additional honey.
• Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have had more time to meld together.

Ingredients needed to make Chinese Style Spare Ribs in a slow cooker.

• Ribs. Spare ribs are commonly used in this recipe. You can however use another kind of rib.
• Soy Sauce. Oyster sauce can be substituted for a more richer and sweeter flavor.
• Honey. You can use additional honey for a sweeter tasting rib.
• Sesame Oil Adds both moisture and flavor to the ribs.
• Chinese five spice powder This is an essential ingredient that makes these ribs so unique.
• Brown Sugar Use a dark brown sugar if possible.
• Sweet Chili Sauce Gives these ribs a nice sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy flavor.
• Garlic. Your garlic should be freshly minced.
• Ginger. The ginger should also be freshly minced.
• Cornstarch. Helps to thicken up the sauce as it is being slow cooked.
• Garnish; Sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

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Tips for making the best Chinese Ribs.

While bone-in ribs are traditional for this recipe, you can use boneless ribs if preferred. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly as boneless ribs may cook faster. For maximum flavor, marinate the pork ribs overnight. This allows the flavors to penetrate the meat fully.

More helpful tips for you.

1. To prevent the ribs from drying out during cooking, ensure they are fully submerged in the marinade while in the crockpot and cover them tightly with aluminum foil while broiling to retain moisture.
2. Using high-quality soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, and other ingredients for the marinade can enhance the flavor of the ribs even more.
3. Instead of marinating your ribs in a large bowl, you can transfer the marinade covered ribs to a (or as many zip top bags as you need) large and sturdy zip top bag. Just make sure that the ribs are all covered with the marinade before refrigerating.
4. After slow cooking your ribs in the crockpot or slow cooker, remove any excess fat before broiling. This helps prevent flare-ups in the oven and ensures the ribs are not overly greasy.
5. Broiling the ribs at the end adds a crispy texture to the exterior while keeping the inside tender and juicy.
6. Can you substitute other spices for Chinese five spice powder?
   While I would not recommend it if you are looking for authentic Chinese tasting ribs, you can create a similar flavor profile by using a combination of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns.
7. Not a fan of ribs? This marinade works well with recipes such as chicken, beef, or tofu. Simply adjust the cooking time and method based on the protein you choose.

How to make Crockpot Slow Cooker Chinese Style Spare Ribs

Prep Time: 15 minutes .
Cooking Time: 4 hours (in the slow cooker) + 8 minutes (under the broiler) .
Servings: 6 .

1. Start by marinating your ribs. In a large bowl, use a whisk to combine together your soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, Chinese five spice powder, brown sugar, sweet chili sauce, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Then place your ribs into the bowl and make sure that they are fully covered with the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
2. Slow cook the ribs. When you are ready to slow cook your ribs, you can take them out of the refrigerator and transfer them to your slow cooker. Make sure that you include all of the marinade in the slow cooker. Cook the ribs on high for four hours.
3. Prepare the ribs. To get the ribs crisp on the outside, line a rimmed baking pan with foil and then transfer only the ribs to the pan. Then use a skimmer or similar item to skim off the excess fat from the marinade before transferring the marinade to a saucepan. Wisk in the the cornstarch and heat the marinade on medium until thickened (about three to four minutes).
4. Broil the ribs. Carefully brush the thickened sauce over the ribs in the baking pan. Then broil the ribs until crisp (about eight minutes). Keep an eye on the ribs while they are broiling.
5. You can garnish the ribs with chopped green onions and sesame seeds to give them an authentic look.

Expert Tip👉 This recipe can be made in an oven. Simply marinate the ribs as directed, then bake them in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until tender. Proceed with the broiling step to finish.

How to store Chinese Ribs.

Once your ribs have fully cooled they can be stored in an airtight container. When properly stored, ribs should keep for up to four days refrigerated or up to three months frozen (thaw in your refrigerator first).

You may also be interested in these slow cooker recipes.

• Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Recipe
• Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken (Crockpot)
• Crockpot Lemon Pepper Chicken
• Crockpot Barbecued Ribs With Pineapple
• Slow Cooker Chorizo Queso Dip (Crockpot Recipe)
• Slow Cooker Italian Beef (Crock Pot)

Print the recipe for Slow Cooker Chinese Style Spare Ribs

Slow Cooker Chinese Style Spare Ribs, a delicious meal recipe featuring juicy and tender marinated ribs slow cooked to perfection.

Please see recipe post for further details on this recipe.