Make the Sticky Sauce:
* In a dish, whisk together the ginger, pepper, and onion powder.
* Add the garlic and mix again.
* Add the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and honey. Whisk to combine.
* Pour half the sticky sauce mixture into a separate bowl. Set aside. (This will be the portion of sauce that gets poured over the ribs when they’re in the slow cooker).
* Add the remaining half of the sticky sauce mixture to a saucepan. Heat the saucepan to medium heat and bring the sauce to a boil.
* Once the sauce starts boiling, whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small dish and add 1 tablespoon of the hot liquid. While whisking the sauce continuously, slowly drizzle in the cornstarch mixture. Whisk until it comes back to a boil.
* Turn to medium-low and allow it to simmer until it begins to reduce and thicken. This can take up to 10 minutes, or as little as 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Make the Slow Cooker Ribs:
* Place the dry rub ingredients into a small dish and mix together.
* Make sure the membrane has been removed from the underside of the ribs, then massage the dry rub onto both sides.
* Curl the ribs into the slow cooker, going around the sides.
* Pour the uncooked half of the sticky sauce mixture over the ribs.
* Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook at low for 6-8 hours or until the meat is tender (we always do 8 hours).
* Remove the ribs from the slow cooker and place them on a tin foil-lined broil pan, meaty side up.
* Brush on some of the sauce from the saucepan and leave the rest for serving.
* Place the meat under the broiler in the oven for a few minutes, or until they look sticky and broiled.
* Allow to rest, tented with foil, for 3-5 minutes and serve.
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