One of the top foods on my ten year old grandson’s list is BBQ ribs. He isn’t a fan of dry-rubbed ribs, but that is what the wine guy prefers. So, I did a combination of a dry rub and tangy sauce to suit both tastes.

Lately, my lifestyle has become way more complex and I have little time to prepare meals. Crock pots have become a life-saver for meat dishes. Sides dishes are easy enough to prepare at the last minute. Meat dishes, however, especially ribs and roasts take considerable more time.

Prep time for the ribs was minimal (around 15 minutes). Plan on 3 hours of crock- pot cook time. Here is what you need to make these fall-off-the-bone ribs.

INGREDIENTS:

Dry rub:

1/4 cup paprika
4 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

The Rest:

2 1/2 pounds pork baby back ribs
2 cans of beer (24 ounces), or unsalted beef broth
18 ounces BBQ sauce
1/3 cup honey
5 quart crock pot
1/4 cup olive oil
Large skillet

HOW TO:

Add olive oil to skillet and heat over medium heat. While it heats, generously rub the ribs with the dry rub. Place them in the skillet and brown for 3 minutes on each side.

Cut ribs into sections (3-4 ribs per section). Place in crock pot and coat with beer. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. NOTE: Shave139 calories per serving by using unsalted beef broth instead of beer.

Blend BBQ sauce and honey and pour over ribs. Place cover on crock pot and cook ribs for an additional 1 1/2 hours on high heat. Remove ribs to a serving platter. Thicken leftover crock pot juices and serve as sauce on the side.

This recipe serves four. A five ounce serving (about 4 ribs) is in the neighborhood of 505 calories.

To keep the calorie count to a minimum, it is best served with a salad or green vegetable. If you feel the need to add a starch, consider a 1/2 cup scoop of wild rice (150 added calories).