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I am a smoked rib tip kind of guy. Usually. But I had some tips leftover from a few racks of St Louis-style ribs and I was just not feeling the fire-up-the-smoker feeling to get some smoke on them. I just wasn’t in the mood. I was in the mood to drop them in a slow cooker for a few hours, though. I’d never tried that, and I figured, hey, I bet I can do this. And oh, was I ever right about that! Served with some air-fryer tater tots (aka Tots and Tips!) these slow cooker rib tips were really, really good. Sticky sweet, lightly smoky, and oh so tender and juicy I really enjoyed them. Will they replace my low-and-slow smoked tips? No, but I’ll definitely make them again. And they’re one fantastic alternative on the days where I don’t want to fire up my smoker for the ‘real thing’.
Smoky Spicy Deliciousness
If you’re not a fan of liquid smoke, or you don’t have any on hand, don’t worry! There are other options. Just use a BBQ sauce that has smoky flavor instead. It’ll make these slow cooker rib tips just as tasty. Any good mesquite or hickory BBQ sauce will do. You are just looking for the hint of smoke here. They don’t have to taste exactly like they would had they just come off a smoker.
As for the rub, I used a rub with a bit of a kick to it. Some spiciness to offset the sweetness from the BBQ sauce. You can keep it all sweet if you want and use a brown sugar-based rub.
A Word Of Caution
You need to be a bit careful eating rib tips. They can contain small pieces of cartilage or bone. That’s normal. Just chew carefully.
- Generous Capacity: 7-quart slow cooker that…
- Cooking Flexibility: High or low slow cooking…
Also try some rib tips from the smoker!
Slow Cooker Rib Tips
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup your favorite BBQ seasoning
- 1 pound pork ribs tips
- 18 ounces your favorite BBQ sauce divided
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke or less, to taste
Instructions
- Coat the ribs tips in rub. Don't be shy with it. You want it on all sides of the rib tips.
- Let rest 10 minutes.
- Combine all of the BBQ sauce with the liquid smoke, to taste.
- Transfer rib tips to the slow cooker. Add half of the sauce mixture and stir to coat.
- Cook on low 4-6 hours or until the rib tips are tender. Stir every so often.
- Transfer rib tips to a baking sheet lined with foil
- Baste with the remaining sauce and place under the broiler.
- Broil for 5 minutes or until the sauce is set and the ribs start to get a little char on them.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
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