Slow-Cooked Baby Back Ribs (with root beer-chipotle barbecue sauce)

By cindygwest

Ingredients

• For the ribs, combine:
• 3 T. salt
• 1 T. each dried oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, chopotle powder and paprika
• 2 rack pork baby back ribs, (2 1/2 - 3 lb.), trimmed
• Add:
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup root beer
• For the Sauce, heat:
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups diced onions
• 1 T. minced garlic
• Deglaze:
• 1 cup root beer
• 1 1/2 cup purchased barbecue sauce
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 - 2 T. minced chipotle in adobo sauce
• 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
• salt and black pepper

Details

Adapted from creolecontessa.com

Preparation

Step 1

For the ribs, combine 3 T. salt, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, chipotle powder, and paprika. Thoroughly coat meaty side of ribs with rub.

Add sliced onion and 1/2 cup root beer to a 4 - 6 quart slow cooker. Place ribs, meaty side down, on top, cutting rack to fit. Cover slow cooker and cook ribs until tender on high setting 3 - 4 hours or low setting 6 - 7 hours.

For the sauce, heat oil in a saucepan over medium. Add diced onions and garlic; sweat until onion softens, 7 - 8 minutes.

Deglaze pan with 1 cup root beer, bring to a boil and reduce by half, 5 minutes. Stir in barbecue sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, mined chipotle, and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper. Simmer sauce over medium , 10 minutes. Puree with a handheld blender.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grates with oil.

Transfer ribs to a foil-lined baking sheet, brush with sauce, and grill, meaty side down, until marks appear and sauce caramelizes. Serve ribs with remaining sauce on side.