The Brits Got It Wrong!

British psychologist Cliff Arnell has rated today as the "Most Depressing Day of the Year." Must be all those bangers and mash, because if he got to come home to a dinner of Sweet and Sour Ribs, I think even he would have a big smile on his face. This recipe was originally posted by Oceanjasper over the CLBB during last week's Sunday Game of the Week. For the uninitiated, that's a Sunday event where a random number is chosen, and everyone who wishes to play finds their cookbook that corresponds to that number by its place on the shelf, then chooses a new recipe to cook from it.

I have to admit to skepticism; after all, these ribs came out of the Crockpot. I figured I would com home to either a mass of mush and empty bones or dried out, unpalatable ribs. Boy, was I ever wrong. These beauties are toothsome and silky, dripping with a thick glaze of sauce. To round out the plate, I cut up the rest of the potatoes from yesterday's pot roast and sauteed them, along with red peppers and onions, in butter and olive oil until the developed a nice, crisp crust.

Even better, there was almost no mess to clean up, because I lined the Crockpot with a Reynold's slow cooker liner. Just pick it up and throw it away! What a way to end a Monday!

Sweet and Sour Ribs

Copyright: Company's Coming Slow Cooker Recipes

Brown Sugar Sauce

2 cups (500 ml) brown sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (75 ml) water
1/2 cup (125 ml) white vinegar
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) ketchup
1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground ginger
1/4 tsp (1 ml) garlic powder
3 lbs (1.4 kg) meaty pork spareribs, cut into 2 or 3 rib sections (I used about 4 1/2 pounds)

Brown sugar sauce: Mix brown sugar and flour in a saucepan. Add water. Stir. Add next 5 ingredients. Heat and stir until boiling and thickened. Layer ribs in a 5 quart (5 L) slow cooker, spooning sauce over each layer. Cover. Cook on low for 10 to 12 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours until ribs are very tender. Serves 6.

Sticky Chicken

4 t. salt
2 t. paprika
1 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. onion powder
1 t. thyme
1 t. white pepper
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 large roasting chicken
1 cup chopped onion

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all the spices.

Remove the giblets from chicken, clean the cavity well with paper towels. Rub the spice mix into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin. Place in a ziploc type bag and refrigerate over night.

When ready to cook, put the onions in the bird's cavity and put it in the crock pot. Do not add any liquid to the pot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. It will be falling off the bone tender.