Sesame ginger ribs are the ideal family dinner when you feel like you need something different. Not only are they hearty, but they also pack a lot of flavor. One of the things I love about them is the delightful blend of sweet and savory in the sauce. Plus they’re so easy to cook in a Crock Pot or whatever type of slow cooker you have.

A few nights ago, my husband and I were talking about how it’s so easy to get into a rut with dinner rotations. Consequently, I started looking at all the grocery store sale items to see if anything looked good.

Pork Ribs

Pork ribs are loaded with flavor. So they almost always come out deliciously tender and juicy when prepared in the slow cooker.

I was excited to see the boneless pork ribs on sale. Ironically, that was another conversation we had recently. How can ribs be boneless? Aren’t they, by definition, bones?

Anyway, I decided to try something different besides our favorite southern smoky barbecue sauce. Because we both enjoy food with an Asian flair, I decided on the bottled Sesame Ginger sauce at Harris Teeter.

Naturally, since I’m not one to leave sauces as they are, I added stuff to enrich the flavor. I also have the instruction on how to make the sauce from scratch. Either way, they’ll be delicious!

What You Need for Sesame Ginger Ribs

Of course, you’ll need some ribs. I typically like them with the bone in. However, these were a much better price, so I got them without the bone.

I’m excited to have the opportunity to use one of my new 1-1/2 quart slow cookers from the Pioneer Woman collection. I picked up this pair of them for under $20 at Walmart. They’re the ideal size to make dinner for two.

You’ll also need some seasoning, and you have a choice of how you want to go about it. Since I prefer to do things the easy way, I chose the bottled sesame ginger sauce.

Or you can make it from scratch. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Soy sauce
• Dijon mustard
• Sesame oil
• Fresh ginger
• Water

Combine all of the ingredients and whisk until the liquid has a smooth consistency.

You’ll also need some liquid for the slow cooker. You may use water, but I like to use chicken broth for—you guessed it—the flavor.

For exact measurements of each ingredient and full directions, go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. You can even print out the card by using the “print” button.

How to Prepare Ribs in a Slow Cooker

All you have to do is put the ribs and sauce in the slow cooker, turn it on low, and leave it for about 6 hours. Although you’ll have delicious ribs in a few hours, I like to add more sauce after I remove them.

For the final sauce, I mix more of the sesame ginger sauce, honey, and cayenne pepper. If you don’t care for peppery heat, you can leave it out.

I heat that up, either on top of the stove or in the microwave. Then I spoon it over the cooked ribs. Mmm, so delicious!

Important points to consider:

• Be careful to avoid overcooking. If you leave the ribs on high heat too long, they will become dry.
• As with anything you cook, you can adjust the seasonings according to taste. For a sweeter rib, add more honey. You can even add lemon if you want to maintain the balance of sweet and sour.
• Serve these ribs with something green to add color to your plate.

What to Serve with Sesame Ginger Ribs

You can serve anything you want because in my world, as long as you like it, anything goes. However, I think rice is a natural accompaniment to anything Asian.

And I also like a little broccoli for color and nutrition. Not only will your dinner be delicious, the plates will also be beautiful.

You can prepare the broccoli in a variety of ways. Sometimes I cook it in broth or butter.

Wally and I don’t always have dessert. But when we do, I like for it to make sense with dinner.

For that reason, I think my refreshing granola fruit crisp with ice cream on top is the perfect finale. It’s also super easy to make.

Sesame Ginger Ribs in the Instant Pot

I’ve recently discovered that almost anything you cook in the slow cooker can be made in an Instant Pot. For anyone who prefers to use the pressure-cooking method, cook them in your Instant Pot for 20-25 minutes.

They should be just as good. You can also make homemade bean soup and other one-pot meals you’ll find here in an Instant Pot.

More Delicious Dinners

You certainly can’t live on one food, so here are some recipes you and your family will love. All of them are easy to make and deliver delicious results!

Broiled Lemon Dill Shrimp – This delicious dish looks and tastes elegant, but it’s super quick and easy.

Meatless Stuffed Manicotti – You can make this recipe as-is or add a little meat to the sauce. Either way, it’s a wonderful main dish.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole – Serve this on the side or make it the main dish. It’s certainly hearty enough to enjoy it any way you like!

Smothered Pork Chops – If you’re looking for a yummy way to make tender pork chops, try this one from South Your Mouth. The family will thank you!

Garlic Lemon Chicken – I make this yummy main dish in my air fryer, but you can make it in the oven if you prefer. Just crank up the temperature about 25 degrees and cook it about 10-15 minutes longer.

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