Hot Honey Rib Sandwich

 

Sweet dreams are made of these...or should I say made of this sandwich. Last night was epic. It's no secret that I'm a fan of fast food. I took inspiration from the McRib, that iconic boneless rib sandwich McDonald's made famous ages ago. This is a chefy, healthier version that's so effortless you can make it on a weeknight! That's right, there's little effort in making this but the payout is HUGE! Baby back ribs are seasoned in my pork seasoning and cooked in the crockpot until they're fall off the bone. From there the bones are removed but the meat is kept in tact. To finish the fork tender meat is cut into sandwich sized portions and smothered in a tangy, slightly spicy hot honey BBQ sauce. The meat is placed on a buttered hamburger bun and topped off with some bread and butter pickles. I served this with some air fryer steak fries and a side of sharp cheddar pub cheese. 

RIBS RECIPE:

2 Servings

Per serving, just the meat [no bun or pickles]: 350 cals/23g total fat/10g carbs/23g protein/10g sugar

8 ounces baby back ribs
Kosher salt
1/2 to 3/4 serving my pork seasoning [recipe below]
1/2 to 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 tsp molasses [not blackstrap] 
2 servings my hot honey BBQ sauce [recipe below]
Avocado cooking spray
2 hamburger buns, toasted

Spray a 6 quart crock pot with avocado cooking spray. Season both sides of pork with kosher sauce and then both sides with pork seasoning. Place ribs in slow cooker. Drizzle one side with molasses. Then add some chicken stock around the ribs so the stock comes to 1/4 way up the ribs. Try not to pour the stock on the meat so as to make the seasoning and molasses fall off. Cover, cook on low for 4-5 hours or until ribs are fall off the bone tender. If you can, flip the ribs in the slow cooker every couple of hours. Once cooked remove the bones but keep the meat intact. [I suggest counting the ribs before you cook the meat so you make sure you got them all.] Cut the meat in half. Put meat on hamburger bun bottom,  spoon sauce over top of meat and place the lid on. Add pickles if you want.

PORK SEASONING

• Note - this seasoning is great for pulled pork

1 1/2 tsps each of garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp each of paprika and smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp malden sea salt
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Combine. Makes nearly 2 3/4 tbs of seasoning. 

HOT HONEY BBQ SAUCE

4 servings

Per serving: 37 cals/0g fat/9g carbs/8.7g sugar

5 tbs Sticky Fingers Sweet Carolina BBQ sauce

1 tsp Trader Joe's Hot Honey Sauce

1/4 tsp dijon mustard

Combine. Keeps covered in the fridge for at least 1 week.

Pork seasoning slightly adapted from SimplyTaralynn.