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Home » Slow Cooker » Slow Cooker Ribs

April 17, 2019 By Sara 12 Comments

Slow Cooker Ribs

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These slow cooker ribs are pork baby back ribs coated in homemade spice blend and barbecue sauce, then cooked in the crock pot until tender. A simple yet satisfying dinner option that will earn you rave reviews!

I love to order ribs at restaurants, but until recently I’ve been too intimidated to make them at home. These crock pot ribs are as easy as can be, serve them with mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli for a complete meal.

Slow Cooker Ribs | Baby Back Ribs | Crock Pot Ribs | Pork Ribs #ribs #pork #slowcooker #crockpot #bbq #dinner #dinneratthezoo Slow Cooker Ribs | Baby Back Ribs | Crock Pot Ribs | Pork Ribs #ribs #pork #slowcooker #crockpot #bbq #dinner #dinneratthezoo

Slow cooker ribs coated in BBQ sauce on a sheet pan.

The slow cooker is amazing in so many different ways, but I have to say, I think my favorite way to use it is with ribs. These slow cooker ribs are so tender and full of flavor, they fall right off the bone! The best part is, there’s only about 10 minutes of active prep time, which means you can take a few minutes to put the ribs in your crock pot in the morning, and then come home to dinner waiting for you.

How do you make slow cooker ribs?

This recipe starts with a rack of baby back ribs, which are coated in a spice rub and BBQ sauce, then slow cooked to tender perfection in the crock pot. The final step is to add another layer of BBQ sauce to the cooked ribs, then broil them in the oven to get a caramelized exterior like you’d get from ribs cooked on the grill. Add a bowl of sauce on the side for dipping, then dinner is ready!

Slabs of uncooked ribs coated in BBQ spice rub.

How do you prepare ribs?

Ribs may seem intimidating, but they’re actually quite easy to prep for the slow cooker. Simply trim off any excess fat/gristle on the sides of the rack, then turn your ribs over. You’ll want to remove the membrane that runs across the back side of the sides. Use a knife to carefully loosen the membrane on one side, after that you should be able to pull off the entire membrane in one piece.

Two slabs of ribs coated in barbecue sauce.

What are baby back ribs?

Baby back ribs are the smaller ribs that come from the upper part of the rib cage. The longer ribs are typically called spare ribs, or St. Louis style ribs. Baby back ribs are very tender and are often leaner than spare ribs, and are more expensive for that reason. While I typically use baby back ribs in this recipe, you can use a different type of ribs if you prefer.

A brush coating cooked pork ribs with BBQ sauce.

Tips for slow cooker ribs

  • You can add other ingredients to this recipe to make it your own. If you love garlic, try adding a tablespoon of minced garlic to the slow cooker. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, add 1/4 cup honey to your sauce. Like spicy? Add some crushed red pepper flakes to the crock pot.
  • I prefer to use my homemade BBQ spice rub seasoning. If you don’t want to take the time to make your own rub, you can use your favorite store bought variety.
  • You will likely need to cut your slab of ribs in half or into quarters to fit everything into your slow cooker. I recommend using a large oval crock pot, 6 quart size or larger.

Slow cooker ribs served over mashed potatoes with corn.

Skip your local barbecue restaurant and make your own ribs at home instead – you’ll be glad you did!

More great slow cooker recipes

  • Slow Cooker Chili
  • Barbacoa Beef
  • Slow Cooker Korean Beef
  • Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
  • Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Slow cooker ribs coated in BBQ sauce on a sheet pan.
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5 from 12 votes

Slow Cooker Ribs

These slow cooker ribs are pork baby back ribs coated in homemade spice blend and barbecue sauce, then cooked in the crock pot until tender. A simple yet satisfying dinner option that will earn you rave reviews!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword crock pot ribs, slow cooker ribs
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 564kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds baby back ribs trimmed and membrane removed
  • 1/4 cup BBQ spice rub homemade or store bought
  • 1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce divided use
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  • Cut the ribs into segments that will fit inside your slow cooker.
  • Rub the spice blend all over the tops of the ribs, then drizzle 1 cup of barbecue sauce over the tops of the ribs.
  • Stack the ribs in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
  • Remove the ribs from the slow cooker and place on a sheet pan coated with cooking spray. Preheat broiler.
  • Brush the remaining sauce all over the ribs. Broil for 4-6 minutes or until ribs have started to caramelize.
  • Slice the ribs, then serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 564kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 687mg | Potassium: 778mg | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 2.3mg

Filed Under: Dinner, Slow Cooker Tagged With: BBQ, Pork

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Comments

  1. julie says

    April 29, 2019 at 7:34 am

    5 stars
    These are so easy and loved by my whole family!

    Reply
  2. Sommer says

    April 29, 2019 at 6:09 am

    5 stars
    Made these for dinner last night and they were a hit!

    Reply
  3. Cheryl S says

    April 29, 2019 at 6:00 am

    5 stars
    I love that we can now have ribs any time we want! great recipe!

    Reply
  4. Courtney O'Dell says

    April 29, 2019 at 2:58 am

    5 stars
    So easy and delicious – Our new favorite rib recipe!

    Reply
  5. Suzy says

    April 28, 2019 at 4:19 pm

    5 stars
    Love how quick and easy these were to prepare!

    Reply
  6. Melanie Bauer says

    April 20, 2019 at 9:20 pm

    5 stars
    Oh wow, looks extremely delicious! Love those flavors on it, need to make this!

    Reply
  7. Beth Pierce says

    April 19, 2019 at 9:25 am

    5 stars
    These are fall-off-the-bone delicious! Can’t wait to give these a try with your homemade rub and sauce!

    Reply
  8. Shannon Graham says

    April 19, 2019 at 8:30 am

    5 stars
    I’ve always skipped making my own ribs because it took too much effort. However, these sound amazing and not hard at all!

    Reply
  9. Katerina @ diethood .com says

    April 19, 2019 at 2:28 am

    5 stars
    Such a fantastic dinner!! Looks SO good!!

    Reply
  10. Catalina says

    April 19, 2019 at 12:45 am

    5 stars
    This looks like the tastiest dinner ever! I am drooling over these ribs!

    Reply
  11. Demeter says

    April 18, 2019 at 4:32 pm

    5 stars
    Perfect for when you have a craving but don’t want to heat up your whole house. Looks so easy!

    Reply
  12. Chrissie Baker says

    April 18, 2019 at 12:27 pm

    5 stars
    These ribs looks mouthwatering, and I will try making them tomorrow. Amazingly yummy!

    Reply

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With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
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