Homemade Sweet Tangy Barbecue Sauce

I grew up in a small island in the Philippines called Marinduque. Our island is a little far away from Manila or other big cities. If you wish to go to the city in another province you have to ride the ferry or a big passenger outrigger boat. The nearest one would take you at least 3-4 hours to reach and that is by sea and certainly not for the faint-hearted and those prone to sea sickness. We're a little isolated that way. While we have small grocery stores in the various towns, our beautiful island has yet to be graced by a modern and big supermarket that you normally see in the big city.

Cornell Chicken Barbecue (Cornell Formula Sauce)

Last year, one of our friends from church invited as over for dinner. I watched as she masterfully grilled the chicken which we would have for dinner. I knew it would be a wonderful dish as the aroma coming from the grill smelled wonderful. It was amazing - the most tender, juicy and flavorful grilled chicken we have had in a long time. I am sure, I ate quite a few pieces.

Slow Cooker Asian Barbecue Ribs

Whenever we have people over at our house, this is the recipe I frequently turn to. It's a proven winner. Everyone seems to love this and I always get asked for the recipe. What's even better, since it's slow-cooked, you can prepare it in the morning and then forget about it till the guests arrive and it's serving time. Easy and delicious.

I always pair this with rice and pancit. Perfect Asian meal.

Ingredients

2 ½ kilos / 5 lbs of country style pork ribs, regular ribs or pork shoulder

For the sauce:

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey or agave nectar
1/2 cup soy sauce (get a wheat-free brand if you wish to do a fully gluten-free version)
1/2 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
3 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-inch fresh ginger, chopped or 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 bay leaves (optional)

Procedure

In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the sauce except the bay leaves  and the meat. Or if you are in a hurry, just mix all the ingredients in the slow cooker itself (again less the meat and bay leaves).

Note: If you want the meat to absorb more flavor, you can marinate the ribs on the sauce in the fridge overnight. I place everything in the slow cooker - place it on the fridge and then cook it the next day. 

Dip each piece of meat in the sauce until they are fully coated. Pour the remaining sauce on top of the meat. Insert the bay leaves.

Cook on low for about 6-8 hours. I usually crank the slow cooker to high for the first hour just to get a head start and then turn it back to low afterwards.

Transfer the cooked ribs (they'd be so tender they may fall off the bones!) to a serving platter and keep warm.  The remaining liquid will be quite watery. But you can use it as sauce already.

Alternatively, strain the liquid through a fine sieve or strainer to remove bits and pieces of meat and other ingredients in the liquid. You may use up all the sauce or just however much you want. Place the strained sauce in a saucepan and heat up gently. Thicken with either arrowroot or cornstarch to your desired thickness and consistency.

Drizzle the sauce on top of the meat. Garnish with chopped scallions. Serve with rice and your favorite veggies.

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