Slow Cooker Country Ribs with Fennel-Apple Slaw

Servings: 4  to 6

INGREDIENTS

  • For the Red Chile Adobo
  • 1/2 cup good-quality ancho chile powder (the amount you’ll get from a typical 2-ounce spice jar)
  • 8 peeled garlic cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican canela
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • Salt
  • For the Apple-Fennel Slaw
  • 1 medium fennel bulb, stalks and fronds cut off, sliced into strips about 1/2-inch thick
  • 1/2 medium apple (a crisp-texture one like Granny Smith works good here), peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch pieces
  • Salt
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • For the ribs
  • 2 to 2 1/2 pounds country ribs
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Scoop the powdered ancho chile into a blender or small food processor. Bring 1 ¼ cups water to a boil, pour over the chile, loosely cover the blender or secure the top of the processor and pulse to blend thoroughly. In a small microwave-safe bowl, collect the garlic, cover with water and microwave at 100% for 1 minute. Drain and add to the blender or processor, along with the spices, oregano, vinegar and 1 ½ teaspoons salt. Process until smooth.

Place the ribs in a single layer in the slow cooker and spoon in about half of the adobo. Set the slow cooker to high, cover and cook for four hours. In a medium-size bowl, add the sliced fennel, diced apples and lime juice. Season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon.   

After four hours, remove ribs from slow cooker and pull the meat from the bone. Set a large (10-inch) skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Add the rib pieces and spoon in some of the leftover juices from the slow cooker, cooking until the pork sears, about 2-3 minutes.

Scoop the rib pieces into a warm corn tortilla and garnish with the slaw.