Crock Pot Country-Style Ribs With Sauerkraut

BBQ ribs with potato salad and sauerkraut
Gary Conner / Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 7 hrs
Total: 7 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Country-style ribs are perfect for the slow cooker as they are nice and meaty and easy to eat. These simple crockpot country-style ribs are layered with sauerkraut, chopped onions, and chopped apples and then covered with a cup of beer. The dish is then slow-cooked to perfection, so the rib meat is nice and tender and full of flavor. The combination of flavors and textures make for a hearty meal that is welcome on a cold winter night.

Ingredients

  • 1 bag (1 pound) sauerkraut (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 onion (diced)
  • 1 red-skinned apple (unpeeled, chopped)
  • 2 to 3 pounds country-style pork ribs
  • 1 cup beer

Steps to Make It

  1. Put the sauerkraut in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the diced onion and chopped apple. Stir to blend.

  2. Layer the country-style ribs over the onion and apple.

  3. Pour beer over everything.

  4. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours.

Tips

Country-style ribs are perfect for this recipe since they have more meat than other cuts of pork ribs. Instead of rib bones, they contain parts of the scapula (shoulder blade). Country-style ribs are cut from the upper side of the rib cage, close to the shoulder, from the fatty blade end of the loin. You will most often find them packaged as several individual ribs. The dish may also be made with pork shoulder or loin chops. When it comes to the beer, it is best to use a light or sour brown ale in this recipe. 

You can brown the ribs on the stove before adding to the slow cooker if you prefer. Serve this dish with creamy mashed potatoes or buttered noodles and roasted Brussels sprouts.

Recipe Variation

If you would like to make this recipe a little sweet or a little spicy, feel free to include a bit of brown sugar or spicy mustard. Add about 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar to the sauerkraut for a sweet-sour flavor. For a bit of added zing, add a tablespoon of spicy mustard; mix it into the cup of beer before pouring into the crock pot.

Additional Recipes

If you and your family enjoy this recipe and want to try something similar, oven braised country-style pork ribs with apple cider is a good choice. Chock full of vegetables and rich with flavor, this dish is sure to satisfy. Boneless country-style pork ribs with mushrooms​​ are perfect for a busy weeknight; combine ribs, cream of mushroom soup, mushroom gravy mix, paprika, and fresh mushrooms and slow cook them for several hours, to make a hearty meal that is just begging to be spooned over mashed potatoes. For ribs with a bit of an Asian twist, crockpot sesame country-style ribs are sure to please. Soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ketchup, garlic, and ginger cook together to create a thick sweet and savory sauce may remind you of Chinese restaurant spare ribs.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
128 Calories
5g Fat
12g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 128
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 19mg 6%
Sodium 517mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Protein 6g
Calcium 41mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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