Slow Cooker Spicy Baby Back Ribs with Blackberry Preserves

These ribs are sure to become your new favorite, for the end result and the little attention required to make them. Cooking them in the slow cooker allows the kitchen to stay cool in the summer and a summery flavor if cooked in winter. The sauce is an irresistible blend of smoky, spicy and sweet that everyone will love!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8 20

Total Time 8 30

Servings 4-6 servings of ribs and 1 1/2 cups sauce

Calories 886kcal

Author Toni Dash

Ingredients

4 ½ pounds Baby Back Ribs , rinsed, patted dry with paper towels and cut into 4 sections
1 ½ teaspoon ground Black Pepper
1 ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 cup Sprouts Signature Organic Blackberry Preserves
1/3 cup Ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tablespoon ground Mustard
1 teaspoon ground Chipotle Powder
¼ teaspoon Cayenne Powder
½ teaspoon Smoked Hot Paprika
¼ cup Dark Brown Sugar
½ teaspoon Liquid Smoke
½ teaspoon Red Pepper flakes
5 medium cloves Garlic , minced or pressed,
½ teaspoon Onion Powder
12 ounces Cherry Cola
½ teaspoon Cornstarch

Instructions

Instructions for cooking the Ribs:
Mix salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Rub into both sides of the ribs.
In a medium mixing bowl combine ¾ cups of the blackberry preserves, and all following ingredients EXCEPT the cherry cola and cornstarch. Whisk to fully combine ingredients. Brush on both sides of the ribs and place them into a 4 quart or larger slow cooker. Pour the remaining sauce in the slow cooker.
Pour 1 cup of the cherry cola (reserve the rest) into the slow cooker. Cook 8 hours on LOW spooning the liquid over any exposed ribs every few hours.
Instructions for making the sauce:
When the ribs are done cooking, gently remove them from the slow cooker (they will be almost falling off the bone) and place them in the oven on very low heat just to keep them warm. They may be wrapped in foil if preferred.
Spoon any excess fat from the surface of the liquid in the slow cooker (and discard) and pour the liquids into a medium saucepan. Alternatively, the slow cooker liquids may be poured into a heatproof bowl and allowed to cool slightly to skim any access fat from the surface (it will separate on the surface).
Spoon ¼ cup of the liquid into a small mixing bowl. Add the cornstarch, whisk to combine and return back to the saucepan of liquid.
Whisk in the remaining cherry cola (1/2 cup) and blackberry preserves (1/4 cup); bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, stirring periodically, until the sauce reduces to 1 ½ cups. (approximately 15-20 minutes).

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