This recipe begins with the simplicity of Chinese Five-Spice Pork Ribs and is transformed into a nourishing bowl of broth spiked with plenty of ginger,...
Read More5-Spice Slow-Cooker Pork Ribs
http://www.MelJoulwan.com/2012/02/23/5-spice-slow-cooker-pork-ribs/
I don’t know what’s gotten into me this week, but I’ve been on a serious Asian food kick. My poor cumin has been languishing in the spice cabinet as I reach for the Chinese five-spice powder and ginger. We recently got a new delivery of grass-fed beef that just about filled our freezer, so I’ve been working my way through back inventory of frozen meat. Tucked into far left corner of the freezer, I found two packages of pork spare ribs and instantly had a craving for Asian-spiced pig. What I did not have a craving for, however, was spending a buttload of time in the kitchen or tending the grill.
I did zero internet research and didn’t even flip through my favorite go-to cookbooks — I just opened my spice cabinet and started experimenting. The result was fall-off-the-bone-if-you-look-at-them-askance ribs, infused with the complex but comforting flavors of Chinese five-spice powder.
You can absolutely use this approach for beef ribs, and I suspect it will also work great on larger beef and pork cuts, like shoulder and stew meat. With good spices and a slow cooker, you really can’t go wrong.
5-Spice Slow-Cooker Pork Ribs
Prep 2 min. | Cook 6-12 hours in slow cooker | Whole30 compliant
Ingredients:
3-4 pounds baby back or St. Louis pork ribs
salt and ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
3/4 teaspoon coarse (granulated) garlic powde
1 fresh jalapeño, cut into rings
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons coconut aminos or homemade substitute
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Directions:
1
Cut the ribs into pieces that will fit standing up in the slow cooker. Lay the ribs on a cutting board and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix the Chinese five- spice and garlic powder together, then massage onto the meat to coat the ribs.
2
Toss the jalapeño rings into the bottom of the slow cooker, and add the rice vinegar, coconut aminos, and tomato paste. Stir until the tomato paste is combined with the other liquids. Add the ribs, standing up so they’re not lying in the liquid – or use a roasting rack inside the cooker so the ribs are not lying on the bottom – cover, and cook 6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.
3
When the ribs are fall-apart tender, remove them from the cooker. Pour the liquid into a heat-proof container and refrigerate until the fat separates from the juices. Remove the fat and bring the remaining liquid to a boil, then simmer for a few minutes. Use as a dipping/drizzle sauce for the meat.
4
Want ‘em crispy? Throw the ribs in a 400F oven for 10 minutes while you boil the sauce.
Still hungry? Try these
March
25
Posted by
Oven-Roasted Cauliflower Rice
I recently hosted a dinner party for 12 people and wanted to serve cauliflower rice. But the idea of figuring out how to sauté, like,...
Read More
Hi!
For the ribs, is it really just 3 tablespoons of liquid that they’re slow cooked in? Or am I missing something that’s right in front of my face? Just got over a butt-kicking head cold so still a bit fuzzy, so my apologies if I am missing the obvious. Thanks bunches! 🙂
I was wondering the same thing. Do you mean cover as in put the lid on the slow cooker or cover with water?
Nope, no additional liquid! That 3 tablespoons is all you need. The meat roasts instead of simmers, so it gets some lovely crispy bits.
Thanks Mel. I actually bought some pork ribs on sale from Sam’s just to try this. I know, not grass fed (shudder). Btw I too live in Austin, do you know a good source of grass feed beef? It boggles the mind that grass fed is SO much more expensive when I pass probably 50 grazing cows on my way to work
I just joined a meat delivery club with Bastrop Cattle Company that seems like a pretty good deal. It’s a test program right now for four months… you might contact them to see if you can get in on it. http://www.bastropcattlecompany.com/ I pick out what I want each month, and they deliver it. Pretty reasonable prices.
Another good option is http://atxmeatshare.tumblr.com/ … I’ve gotten meat from him before — especially the wild boar! So good, great prices, friendly CrossFit dude.
Melissa,
FYI…loving your blog and the recipes. Not sure if you are aware that the tight side bar (this is me, events, newsletter…) is covering the blog posts making the 2nd half unreadable. Perhaps it is operator error, if so please advise how to see postys. Thanks.
Pat
Hey, Pat! I’m not having any display issues on my monitor. Perhaps try dragging your browser window wider? Or to full screen width? What platform are you on and what browser are you using?
I see the same thin Meilssa
I’m seeing the same problem in the comments area using Chrome on OS X. The comments extend very far to the right and are overlapped by the side bar.
This is fixed by adding the following style:
div.single-post-wrap ol.commentlist { width: 600px; }
Cheers.
Love your recipes and your blog but REALLY wish your tags and other stuff didn’t cover up the comments so they could be read in their entirety.
I’m sorry! I don’t know what you mean… when I look at the posts in my browser, they display properly. What browser are you using?
I don’t have a slow cooker but I have had great success with slow cooking in my oven. Set it to ~100 celsius and cover the meat/cooking vessel with tin foil. Leave it.
Safety-wise I have an electric oven and a fire alarm. Never do this with a gas oven.
The second recipe… is it really necessary to use the slow cooker? Seems like a waste of electricity =(
No, you could totally simmer the broth on the stovetop, if you prefer. I’m being SUPER lazy right now, and it’s easier for me to just pop it in the slow cooker overnight.
As a former long time vegetarian, ribs are one thing I have yet to tackle. But you have yet to steer me wrong. In fact, your recipes usually rock. So I might have to give this a try. After all, you’ve got me eating chicken liver!
Plus, this will give me something to do with my crock pot besides making lard! (Yes, the lard was a huge mental leap for my post veggie brain as well)
I am so loving the idea of a former vegetarian eating chicken livers and lard.
This recipe is nice because, seriously, the meat falls right off the bones. It’s not even really like eating ribs because you’re not gnawing on the bone — the meal slices right off.
Thanks for sharing these! I love adding hard boiled eggs to my curries as well. Really easy added protein.
COOL. I have yet to try cooking ribs. Bought some grass fed bison ribs in our last order from North Star (here check ’em out, they’re fantastic- http://www.northstarbison.com/) do you think this method would work with such lean meat? I looooove crock pot cooking, and am nervous to cook ribs for the 1st time.
Thanks Mel! You’re my new Fav! 🙂
Slow cooking should work great for lean bison ribs — and Morten’s oven method above would be good, too. You might want to check them a little sooner, since they’re leaner — give ’em a poke with a fork after 2 hours and see how they’re doing.
I’m trying to find a good way to cook about 2 lb of venison steak. Do you think this spice combo would be a good option, or should I stick with something like chili?
Oh, Autumn. I wish I could be helpful, but I’m not sure. I’m guessing the seasonings would taste great. I’m assuming the venison is pretty lean, so same instructions for bison: check it after about 2 hours to make sure it’s not overcooking.
The best way to eat venison steak is med rare. If you cook it too much it will get tough. The spice would be wonderful on it. I usually use just salt, pepper and garlic. I love venison! 🙂
This sounds so yummy! Did you place the ribs on top of each other or did you stand them up?
I have a couple of slabs of pork ribs in my freezer just calling my name!
I just plopped them into the pot on top of each other. The one on top got a little crispier on top than the one on the bottom, but it was nice to have the contrast in the soup. If you want them both crispy-ish, standing them side by side would work great.
My husband is on a self proclaimed “rib cook off” he being his only competition! Maybe I should challenge him with this one!
Do it! 🙂
I have been using the spice combos from Penzey’s that you recommend in your book – yum! Can’t wait to try this recipe with the Chinese Five Spice. Thanks for broadening my culinary horizons! So glad to have you blogging everyday.
That’s really great, Janet! Thanks for letting me know… and sorry/you’re welcome for introducing you to the constant temptation of Penzeys.
Can you make any suggestions to substitute the chinese spice rub and the coconut aminos?
Stephanie, the way you replace the spices is really dependent on what flavor you’re looking for. This is Asian…
A good basic would be to skip the coconut aminos, replace the rice vinegar with cider vinegar, and rub the ribs with chili powder and paprika. That will DRAMATICALLY change the flavor from Asian to a more traditional BBQ taste.
Hey there… I’ll be trying this recipe sometime this week… but I had a few questions related to this.
I have all ingredients except for rice vinegar and coconut aminos.
Could I substitute apple cider vinegar for the rice vinegar?
What would a good sub be for the aminos? Soy sauce maybe?
Thanks, this sounds amazing!
Wow those look great! Do you have previous cooking experience or are you just naturally talented in the kitchen?
I’m a very enthusiastic amateur. My dad and grandfather both owned diners when I was growing up, so I spent a lot of time in the kitchen. Since switching to paleo, I’ve made it my mission to figure out how to re-work favorite recipes to comply with my new eating habits.
When I was a young girl my brothers were hunters. Venison, rabbit and pheasant often made its to our dinner table. Venison is very lean and can be dry. Venison steak should be cooked quickly in a hot pan or it will get tough and chewy. My mother always fried it with bacon to add fat along with some sliced onions for flavor. I’ve heard marinating venison in buttermilk will tenderize it but, of course, that would not be recommended if you are eating Paleo.
Hope this helps!
I forgot to mention in my previous post, while I am by no means an expert, I would not recommend cooking venison steak in a slow cooker. Venison should be cooked quickly at a high temperature or it will be too dry and chewy.
My husband is a hunter, so we’ve always got venison in the freezer. I completely concur with your recommendation to cook it hot and fast as a general rule, but would also note that it can make a fabulous slow-cooker stew. I think the stew gravy makes up for any lack of fat, and it’s fall-apart tender. FWIW.
I’m so excited to try this recipe! And I am even more excited to make soup out of the leftoves!
I have a quick question about your weekly cookup. My mom challenged me on keeping cooked chicken thighs and ground beef/turkey/insert favorite ground meat here in my fridge for a week. This is coming from a woman that eats dairy products and eggs far beyond their expiration date. So, her challenge really freaked me out. Is it safe to store the cooked meats in the fridge for a week?
I can only speak from my experience because I’m not an expert. I have never had a problem keeping cooked meat in the fridge from Sunday to the following Friday/Saturday. I keep it in the back of the fridge where it’s really cold…
But if you’re concerned, you might do half batches twice a week.
Yum… thanks for the 5-spice recipe. Gotta try that one instead of letting the spice sit in the pantry.
Hey Mel. Left a post here the other day but looks like it got lost in space. Just wanted to let you know how much I love your cookbook and am enjoying it! Made “the best chicken ever” with the Moroccan dipping sauce this week, delish! One bummer is the cookbook is starting to fall apart and I haven’t abused it….yet. Just thought you’d like to know.
Sorry to hear your book is coming apart. Some of the bindings are lemons. But Amazon will replace it for free… just go to your account, start the return process, and use the pulldown to let them know it’s damaged. They’ve been sending replacements overnight with no charge.
Hi- well – I am going to try this one. But – I bought the boneless ribs instead. Hoping it will turn out and not be super-tough meat. My kids hate super-tough meat.
i made these.
they are good.
i love the versatility of this dish. a perfect weeknight meal!
so… i made this recipe today, included all exact ingredients, and cooked the ribs on low for about 9 hours. this recipe did not turn out very well. maybe its cause i cooked them on low instead of high… but they turned out very fatty, very burned on the outside, nothing caramelized looking like in this photo.
Sorry it didn’t work for you, Karlene. It’s nearly impossible for me to troubleshoot for you, without knowing exactly what kind of ribs you used, what kind of crockpot you have, etc.
I suspect your ribs may have been extra fatty? But without being in the kitchen with you, I have no idea.
Better luck next time!
I cooked them last Friday. They were fantastic!!! They fell off the bone, we’re tasty and tender. In fact, I didn’t get to try the second recipe because I couldn’t keep my hands off the leftovers. I never would have thought to put ribs in the slow cooker. And all for $1.98/lb.
Btw thanks for the info on the local grass fed options!
I cooked these 2 nights ago, Delicious! The only problem was saving enough meat for the soup I planned to make today (I had to take it off the table so my hubby would stop eating them!) So we don’t have tons of meat left. I’m considering throwing the bones in with the broth for the added flavor. Thoughts?
HA! The deliciousness problem.
I think the bones in the broth would be great, esp. if you let it simmer all day.
hi mel – really struggling to find coconut aminos in my neighborhood food stores. i would love to create some of your asian recipes, besides ordering online are there any brands i can be on the hunt for? i see braggs liquid aminos in a lot of stores, could this be a good replacement for soy sauce/coconut aminos? i love your recipes, your cookbook, and the way you write! keep up the awesome work, can’t wait to see what you accomplish with this new job change!!
Unfortunately, the only brand of coconut aminos I’ve seen is Coconut Secret. Bragg’s aminos contain soy, so they’re not recommended; sorry!
I found Coconut Secret for 6.18 a bottle at Lucky Vitamin; that’s a really good price. Also available from Amazon.
http://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-94720-coconut-secret-raw-coconut-aminos-soy-free-seasoning-sauce-8-oz?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=fpl&utm_term=CoconutSecretRawCoconutAminosSoyFreeSeasoningSauce8oz&utm_content=103244&utm_campaign=googlebase&site=google_base&
What kind of slow cooker do you use?
I have a somewhat crappy, old school slow cooker that has two settings: low and medium. It’s very basic… sorry I don’t have a good recommendation for you!
Both of these recipes were delicious. We used baby bok choy because we bought a huge box at Costco, and jarred ginger because we already had it. My wife suggested that some crushed red pepper flakes would have livened up the soup.
I also changed the cooking order for the soup. I simmered the stock on the stovetop, then figured that the meat would take longer to heat than the bok choy. So I tossed the meat around in a skillet for a few minutes while slicing the bok choy, then added the bok choy until it was tender.
OMG. made this this afternoon. Was slightly frighten of the star Anise in the 5 spice.. but it turned out GREAT! made a side of clauflower stir fried “rice” to go along with them.. yum!
Just bought your cookbook tonight and this recipe sealed the deal. My mother makes a Thai 5 spice soup for me that is AmAzing, so I’m stoked about this recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Just tried this last night and while I didn’t get the caramelization that you did, you are SO RIGHT – the meat literally fell off of the bones. And, it was my very first time to ever cook ribs. Never thought about cooking them in a crock pot! Thanks for all of the good recipes – I’ve tried the Chocolate Chili, the sausage (OMG), the cocoa cauliflower – love them all!
Right on! Glad you liked the ribs. Isn’t it AWZSOME that this recipe is zero work and tastes so freakin’ good?!
Thanks for the compliments on the others, too. Great to know you’re enjoying them!
The 5 spice ribs sounds great but, why not a recipe we can all make with out special ordering ingredients. Offer us an alternative.
5-Spice powder is available in the spice aisle of most grocery stores, but if you can’t find it, you can make a totally different version by using chili powder. It will be Mexican-ish instead of Asian, but still super simple and very tasty.
Just made these ribs tonight, used seasoned rice vinegar( what I had on hand) and 1tbsp olive oil (no coconut aminos on hand)… Really gOod!!! They cooked a little longer than planned (we were out boating with friends…need I say more?) they were Very CarmelizEd- definitely
need to cook ’em on high to get that crispy/crunchy outer layer…. But they were Very Tasty…rate ’em as an “I’ll definitely” Make em again
Oh yes. And I had no idea what in all heck coconut aminos were until like a second ago. The more you know, right?
Can’t wait to make this during the winter, when I can curl up with some taste of summer.
Thanks!
Making these for the third time this summer. They disappear quickly from the fridge, they are so delicious! I may have to try some of the spice alterations sometime for a change of pace!
thanks!
So many spices would work for this…
chili powder + paprika
cumin + garlic
the pizza seasoning from Well Fed would rule
Quick question, I want to keep the Asian feel, but do not want to use Rice Wine Vinegar. I already own coconut aminos, and wanted to see if substituting either a red or white wine vinegar with the c.a.s would have a similar Asian flavor. Thoughts?
Hi, Alexis! The white wine vinegar might be a good choice — or you could use fresh orange juice instead. I bet that would taste great and would still provide the small amount of acidity that makes it taste so good.
Man, oh man! I just stuck some of these ribs in the crock pot, and it smells amazing! This is my first time actually cooking with 5-spice, though I’ve eaten plenty of dishes using it. Can’t wait to try them. Thanks for the great recipe!
Have made these with pork spare ribs before and LOVE them. Tonight tried them with boneless beef short ribs. AMAZING. Still remains one of our favorites!
Hi Mel!
Wanted to let you know that I have made this recipe twice for my wife’s Korean family who are visiting from overseas.
This is an absolute hit!
I use boneless beef short ribs and Tamari instead of Coconut Aminos. FYI dish goes great when wrapped in lettuce and served with Kimchi
Thanks!
So great! I’m glad you and your family like them — and I love the lettuce wrap tip. Thank you!
I made these last night with a few tweaks and they were amazing. I have never had such tender meat! I used minced garlic thrown in with a chopped onion underneath the ribs, then added the ribs and topped with slices of ripe mango. Cooked on high for just over 5 hours. Drool.
Looking forward to trying Joel’s suggestion above about making lettuce wraps with the leftovers. Thanks Melissa!
Made the ribs yesterday but since hubby wasn’t in the “asian flair” mood, I subbed apple cider vinegar and chili powder/paprika. These were SOOO good! He insisted on slathering Sweet Baby Rays on them, but I was beyond satisfied with with eating them plain and a few bites dipped in Whole30 approved BBQ Sauce. I polished off the rest of the ribs this morning for breakfast. So good!! Maybe hubby will come around some day…just maybe 😉
Love the recipe mods! Glad you enjoyed them!
I impulse bought some short ribs this morning at the grocery store and they will soon be in the crock pot! This sounds/looks delicious!
Is the bok choy baby bok choy or the monstrous 5 lb head of bok choy?
Either one. The quantities aren’t specific … just use as much bok choy as your tastes dictate.
Dude – this recipe just rocked.my.world.
I was gnawing on the bones! Thank you!
This was absolutely awesome, and so easy. I used babyback pork ribs and cooked them in my dutch oven on 325 for 2 1/2 hours. Yum.
Hi there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after going through many of the articles I realized it’s new to me.
Nonetheless, I’m definitely delighted I came across it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back regularly!
Hey Melissa
I don’t think I can get Coconut Aminos in Ireland, can you recommend another alternative?
This recipe will work just fine without them — or you can replace with the same amount of chicken or beef stock… if you use stock, add a splash of fish sauce, if you can find a brand (like Red Boat) without added ingredients. If not, don’t sweat it! Just make as-is without the added liquid. They will still be great.
I have probably already commented on this post multiple times, but I can not get enough. This is literally one of (if not THE) our favorite Paleo or any recipe. And I made my hubby save some of the ribs so we could finally try the soup tomorrow. 🙂 Thanks again for this and your other yummy recipes!
I wish I could take credit for this, but all the magic is in the pork mingling with those yummy spices 🙂 Glad you like it!
we dont have coconut aminos in UK can I substitute it?
There’s no paleo substitute — you can use Bragg’s Aminos or soy sauce if you don’t care about soy/gluten. However, I’d recommend that you just leave it out. It won’t change the taste very much, and it’s healthier option than soy. Enjoy!
I made these the other day. I can’t believe how awesome they came out. I cooked them for 8 hours and then I put them on a baking sheet and put them under the broiler until they were brown and crispy. Those crispy parts were my favorite! I made 2 racks and we happily ate these ribs all week long! Can’t wait to make them again.
Making these ribs for the 5th time today – they are so incredibly yummy and I LOVE how it makes the whole house smell so good too!
Talk about fall off the bone ribs! They were amazingly delicious and tender! A+
totally loved these! cooked them low for 10 hours and then broiled them at the very end. Totally fell off the bone. Can’t wait to have the leftovers again tomorrow!
I had planned to have these for dinner on Tuesday; but since I didn’t get them into the crock pot until late afternoon that didn’t happen. Unfortunately they were accidentally forgotten about and left roasting for 12 hours on High instead of Low. Oops. This slightly over cooked a couple of the bottom pieces and of course dried up any semblance of a sauce at the bottom.
Never one to waste food I salvaged what I could (meaning everything that wasn’t burned to the crockpot liner). Regardless of this mishap the flavoring throughout the meat was fantastic, and the bones literally fell out as I was transferring the rib meat into a container. It was beautiful. 🙂
Tonight I was not home to make dinner. So I informed DH that the leftover (omitting the ‘overcooked’ description) ribs in the fridge were dinner tonight. He mentioned at bedtime how tender the meat was and that the flavoring on the ribs was amazing. This was music to my ears; he is a hard critic when it comes to new recipes.
But DH loves ribs and I never have the time or patience to make them. This recipe was so simple and the prep time quick and easy. Of course next time the temp setting will be different, but this is definately being put on the monthly recipe carousel.
Thank you!
I love cooking disasters with happy endings — glad that all worked out… sorta! 🙂
Good to know this recipe is even more flexible than I thought it was. Enjoy on future cookings!
This recipe is amazing! I’ve made it twice now and had enough leftovers to able to make the soup with the second attempt. OMG- I think the soup is even better than the ribs! Added shitake mushrooms and shredded carrots to the soup for my own twist.
I also want to thank you for your fantastic cookbook. It helped me get comfortable with the cooking/food prep I had to do while on my Whole 30 and even after. It’s to the point where it’s just second nature to have a big cooking session every Sunday to get me through the week. I also can’t stop making the Chocolate Chili. It’s become a staple in my meal rotation, so much so that I’ve made it every 2 weeks for the last 3 months.
Right on! So glad you like this recipe — your mods sound awesome.
Thank you for the sweet words about Well Fed. So nice to know it’s helpful. Wait ’til you see Well Fed 2! 🙂
Oh my goodness I made the ribs today. They are SO good and so, so simple! Mel, you are officially my favorite paleo recipe go-to gal! I recommend your recipes to my friends all the time!
About how many adults would you estimate this serves?
This should serve 2-4, depending on appetite. It’s about 1/2 slab (1 to 1 1/2 pounds) of ribs per person.
We made these for Labor Day and they are DELICIOUS – I’ve not made a bad dish from your cookbook yet (and I’ve made dozens of them). Can’t wait for Well Fed 2! Am pre-ordering!
I made these this week, too! Glad you liked them — and thank you so much for pre-ordering Well Fed 2!
Hello, i am on the Whole30, day 15. To celebrate i would like to make some ribs with no fuss. I have no coconut aminos, none in the UK that i can find so far. So what do you suggest as a substitute. I have a pretty hefty spice cupboard so if you have any wild suggestions i might be able to try them out. If i cannot use the substitute today it will come in handy for another recipe. Either way it is ribs tonight. I will be trying out your sweet-potato-soup-for-breakfast recipe. My husband thinks i am mad but i have whole ras el hanout spices i bought in Marrakech that i will be grinding for the first time for the recipe. Very excited.
I see you have answered the question before from another of my compatriots. Never mind. Thanks for your recipes. I have another question. I would like to stop eating eggs for every breakfast. Have you got any recipes you can point me towards that are particularly child friendly?
I tend to eat leftovers for breakfast, so I don’t have great suggestions. These might work: http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2012/02/14/vday-gift-for-you-meat-spinach-muffins/
You can change out the spinach for kale or chopped broccoli to have more variations.
Hoping to make these today and I’m just wondering how you fit them into your slow cooker. Can they be layered if the rack of ribs is a bit too long? Thanks!
I made three racks the other day! This is what I do:
1. Cut the ribs to fit the length of the slow cooker.
2. Stand them on their side, like file folders in a filing cabinet.
I just made this recipe for my family today, it was delish, my husband RAVED about these ribs! Simple recipe + gourmet taste=WIN! Shared this recipe with my friends on FB!
Glad you all liked it. Thanks for sharing!
Hi,
Looks good! Is there a specific 5-spice chinese seasoning? I can’t find a recipe on your site for one so I didn’t know if it was store bought?
Thanks!
I just use a commercial blend, but you can make your own if you prefer: http://chinese.food.com/recipe/chinese-five-spice-powder-24232
I use Penzeys brand.
Finally got a chance to make these tonight. They didn’t look as beautiful as yours, but they were delish and that’s what counts. Alas, husband and three kids devoured it all, and there aren’t any leftovers for soup. Next time, I’ll be making a double batch.
Would this work with boneless chicken breast? Thanks 🙂
It really won’t. The slow cooker would destroy the chicken breasts, and they’d be super dry. If you want to use chicken, there are two choices: use boneless… just sprinkle the chicken with 5-spice powder, brown in a skillet, then add some coconut aminos and rice vinegar, cover and cook for 10 minutes or so. Or use bone-in chicken and follow the slow cooker instructions, but reduce the cooking time to 4-5 hours on low.
How much beef stock do you use in the soup?
It’s flexible… however much you want in your bowl. I’d estimate 1-2 cups per person.
Any suggestions on the amount of stock/broth and the leftover ribs to add to the soup? I was hoping for some rough idea based on the other ingredient amounts listed. Thanks!
I made the ribs recipe and now i’m wanting to make the ginger pork and bok choy soup. The recipe says to put the stock in the slow cooker. How much stock?
Use about 2-3 cups per person.
These are amazing! We discovered them on our first whole 30 and now they have become a part of our family…I mean, dishes our family loves. 🙂
Heh. That’s awesome! Glad they’re a hit at your house!
We’re in the middle of our first Whole30 and your website has been a go-to for ideas and advice, so first of all, thank you for all you do! We made these ribs last night (using beef short ribs instead) and holy cow were they awesome. I didn’t have jalapenos so I used a bit of red pepper flakes instead and everything came out beautifully. This will be a staple even after the Whole30 is done – thanks again!
Congratulations on Whole30-ing! I’m really glad my recipes have helped make it a little easier.
Good meat+crockpot+spices is a winning formula, right?!
Hi Mel! I am a huge fan. I notice the pic shows a beautiful pile of zoodles in the bowl that are not mentioned in the recipe. Do these get cooked at all, or do I just sweat them, pile them in the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and cover with the broth?
Sorry about that! It’s fixed now. No need to sweat them — just give them a quick steam-sauté with the bok choy, then add to the bowl.
Awesome. Thanks Mel. You are my go to gal for recipes and all around inspiration. Thanks for all your hard work and your willingness to share so much of it so freely. I have WF, WF2 & am on pounds and needles waiting to order WF3! Rock on sister!
You’re so nice! Thanks for all the support. Happy cooking!
WOW these were awesome! I love anything that I can chuckin my slow cooker and then get on with my day to enjoy later and these with the zoodles and extras in the pho were sooo good.
If it is ok with you can I share a little write up about how awesome your recipe was on my site and link it all fully back to yours for the details?
Thank you for making become Paleo that much tastier 🙂
I would love that! I’m really happy you liked this recipe.
Made these twice since in 2 weeks. Once with bonesless country style ribs and once with traditional baby back ribs. Both turned out fantastic. I think I like the boneless ribs a little better. I love the sauce too. I doubled that on the 2nd batch so I’d have more yummy sauce. Thanks for another wonderful recipe.
The ribs need to be doubled because there is NO WAY there are enough leftovers to make pho….just sayin’ I can so eat the whole initial recipe without doing anything to the ribs! 😉
Also, this post in particular does screw up the comments… on Safari and Chrome. Others, I don’t recall having the problem.
You know the book/movie Julie & Julia, about the gal who cooks her way through Julia Childs’ cookbook? That is what I am (slowly) doing with your WF and WF2 books — which I forever recommend as the go-to, must-have cookbooks for anyone wanting to switch to a Paleo way-of-eating. Your hot plate methodology made it so easy for me to make the change, because I was NOT used to cooking every night, and that made it less overwhelming. Now, cooking is our passion, what my hubby and I do together every night… and you are the one who gave me the courage to do it.
ANYway… believe it or not, I had never had pho before, so I kept skipping this recipe in your WF2 book. Then a friend introduced me to it a few weeks ago at a Vietnamese restaurant, and it was good… so I finally decided tried your Faux Pho. Not gonna lie. Your recipe was much tastier!! 🙂
PLEASE tell me there will be a WF3 soon!! 😀
Thanks for all you do.
I love that you’re cooking your way through Well Fed and Well Fed 2. YAY! That’s so much fun. And I’m really glad you took a shot at that Faux Pho recipe… so good for a chilly evening. I’m happy you liked it!
I’m working on the next Well Fed cookbook now. Estimated pub date isn’t until fall of 2016 because it’s all new recipes — probably nothing from my blog. ALL NEW!
Thank you for the lovely compliments and enthusiasm for what we do. XO
Have you tried this with a pork loin in the crock pot? I don’t have any ribs but do have a pork loin. Thanks! I’ve loved everything I’ve made so far. I’m a Paleo newbie and your cookbook has been amazing!
I have not tried it with pork loin. Loin is very lean, compared to the ribs, so you need to decrease the cooking time. For a 2-lb loin, cook at low for 5 hours.
I can’t guarantee the results since I’ve never cooked a loin in the slow cooker. Let me know how it turns out!
Hi Melissa,
I just wanted to thank you so much for these recipes and the shopping lists, you have made whole30 so interesting for me and helping me think about the way I cook now! I really really appreciate what you do! Thank you,
Teresa
(Australia)
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment — I’m SO glad my site and recipes are helpful. Happy Whole30!
Hi:)
Long time fan (and commenter lol)..My crock pot died and I gave in and purchased an instant pot instead (mostly for the 90 minute kalua pig over at nomnom;). Now I want to convert more recipes into my instant pot.
Any suggestions for this rib recipe? My family is begging for it for dinner this week and with no crockpot i’m not sure how to proceed. Thanks so much!
Thanks for being a long-timer 🙂
I have ZERO experience with instant pot, so I’m not sure how to advise you. I did find these two links that might be helpful:
http://www.hippressurecooking.com/forums/topic/conversion-crock-pot-to-instant-pot/
http://www.hippressurecooking.com/pressure-cooker-recipe-converter/
Basically, the advice is to “reduce the amount of liquid and check the pressure cooker table for the length of time to cook the main ingredient be it meat.” So… since this recipe has very little liquid anyway, maybe you don’t need to reduce the amount.
Another thing you might try is to follow the instructions for a rib recipe designed for the instant pot, but use the ingredients listed above. You could use this one as a model: http://instantpot.com/instant-pot-bbq-ribs/
I am so EXCITED to try this! I have been wanting pho for ages (there’s not a place near us). We are about to start Whole30, this will certainly have to make the menu one night.
I’m making these for valentines’s day dinner with a couple of slight variations since we’re not actually on a full-out Whole 30 at the moment — a bit of Vermont-made maple-habanero barbecue sauce instead of tomato paste & jalapeños. Serving it up w/a creamy sweet potato-parsnip mash & spicy sautéed greens (spinach, mustard, kale mix)…& (almost) grain-free apple crisp (few flakes of oatmeal in there). Yum! (I hope!)
That all sounds wonderful. Happy Valentine’s Day to you!
Hi! I’m hosting a potluck dinner and would love to make these for a crowd. If I double the meet do I double the other ingredients? Is it important for them to have some “breathing room” in the slow cooker? Or do I have to do it in batches?
Thank you! (This was delicious btw!)
Rather than do two batches, you might want to do it all at once, then if the meat isn’t caramelized/crispy on the edges, shred it and spread on a baking sheet and zap under the broiler for a minute to add some color. You’ll need to double the ingredients and add maybe 2 hours to the slow cooker time.
thanks!
I just purchased an insta pot, could I make the ribs in there? If yes, how would I cook them?
Thank you!
I don’t use an Instant Pot, but here’s a handy blog post about how to convert recipes for pressure cookers. Have fun with it! http://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/how-to-convert-a-recipe-into-a-pressure-cooker-recipe/
Thank you!
I made these in my instant pot this week! I mostly followed the recipe as written, but added about 3/4 cup water to the other liquids. I also browned the ribs on the stovetop first, and then rubbed them with the dry spices before placing them on the rack insert in the instant pot for 30 minutes on manual (high) mode. I did a quick release, then boiled down the liquid for a glaze, and put the ribs under the broiler for a few minutes using the glaze to perk up their look/texture. They were falling off the bone and delicious! I thicken the extra glaze with some tapioca flour for a little extra dipping sauce. Love this recipe AND my instant pot!
This recipe helped to guide me some… might skip the initial searing step next time (hey, I’m lazy!) http://www.primalpalate.com/paleo-recipe/chinese-five-spice-ribs-instant-pot-recipe/
My whole family LOVES this recipe, but there wasn’t a lot of the amazingly delicious dipping sauce made. Any suggestions for how to turn the small amount of drippings into even more dipping sauce? Thanks!
If I wanted to cook the ribs on the grill could I cook down the liquid ingredients into a sauce for glazing at the end?
Of course!
I want to try this recipe I have a very large 8lb bone in park roast. Not. 200% sure it will fit in crick pot and if it does would be tight. No room for a rack. Do you have any recommendations on how best to cook it? Oven or squeeze it in crockpot and approximate cook times? Thanks so much for any instructions. I love all of your recipes. Always great!!
I’m SUPER lazy, so if it as me, I would probably just plunk it in the slow cooker, if it fits. Skip the rack and don’t worry about it. I make pork this way all the time… slow cook it for 14-16 hours on low, then shred the meat, spread on a baking sheet, and zap under the broiler until parts of it are browned and crispy. You can also do the crisping step in a pan on the stove. Let me know how it turns out!