Easy Slow Cooker Ribs

4.50 from 12 votes
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Easy Slow Cooker Ribs Recipe โ€“ the best easy recipe to make fall off the bone tender ribs in the slow cooker!

I love making these when itโ€™s too rainy out to make smoked ribs โ€“ or ahead of a big tailgate or party!

ribs covered in barbeque sauce

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At Sweet Cโ€™s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes โ€“ because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

ribs covered in barbeque sauce

Simple Slow Cooker Ribs

I love ribs โ€“ delicious, meaty, sticky, crunchy, melt in your mouth delicious baby back ribs โ€“ but they are kind of a pain to make on the smoker when a craving for ribs hits.

Iโ€™ve had two massively popular recipes for ribs on my site for years โ€“ one on the smoker (which really is the best rib recipe on earth), and one baked in the oven.

Both have stood thee test of time on site โ€“ but the #1 question on both posts I get is always โ€œHow can I make ribs in the slow cooker??โ€

Today Iโ€™m sharing just how I adapted my recipe, with the help of another hugely popular crock pot rib recipe, to make the ultimate slow cooker rib recipe!

I combined my crazy popular Oven Baked Ribs and my Best Ever Smoked Ribs Recipe with my friend Beckyโ€™s Crockpot Ribs Recipe to come up with this incredible finger licking good slow cooker ribs recipe!

If youโ€™d like to make this recipe in your Instant Pot, please follow my instructions and technique in my Keto Instant Pot Ribs post.

ribs covered in barbeque sauce being spread on with brush

How to Make Ribs in Your Slow Cooker

To make this recipe, we will need the following ingredients:

  • Pork ribs (8 lb) โ€“ These meaty pork ribs form the hearty base of the dish, becoming fall-off-the-bone tender in the slow cooker.
  • Olive oil cooking spray (1 tsp) โ€“ A light spray of olive oil helps prevent the ribs from sticking and ensures even browning.
  • Garlic powder (2 tbsp) โ€“ Garlic powder infuses the ribs with a deep, savory flavor that enhances the richness of the meat.
  • Onion powder (2 tbsp) โ€“ Onion powder adds a subtle sweetness and aromatic depth to the seasoning mix.
  • Season salt (2 tbsp) โ€“ Season salt delivers a balanced, all-in-one boost of salt and spice to elevate the rub.
  • Ground pepper (2 tbsp) โ€“ Ground black pepper gives the ribs a bold, peppery bite with just a hint of heat.
  • Paprika (3 tbsp) โ€“ Paprika lends a warm, smoky undertone and vibrant color to the ribs.
  • Chili powder (3 tbsp) โ€“ Chili powder adds a flavorful kick and enhances the barbecue-style seasoning.
  • Cumin (2 tbsp) โ€“ Cumin brings a toasty, earthy flavor that pairs perfectly with the smoky spices.
  • Celery salt (2 tbsp) โ€“ Celery salt adds a subtle, savory herbal note that rounds out the rub.
  • Cinnamon (2 tbsp) โ€“ Cinnamon gives a surprising touch of warmth and sweetness to balance the savory spices.
  • Cardamom (2 tbsp) โ€“ Cardamom adds an aromatic, slightly citrusy spice that deepens the flavor profile.
  • BBQ sauce (1 cup) โ€“ A generous coating of barbecue sauce caramelizes beautifully and finishes the ribs with sticky, tangy sweetness.

My Pro Tip

Slow Cook Tip

Let your ribs fully cook in the slow cooker for 7-8 hours on low for best results!

Once you have gathered your ingredients, we will use the following process:

A person is seasoning meat for their Easy Slow Cooker Ribs.

Prep Ribs

Mix rib rub ingredients in a bowl. Generously coat ribs in rub. Prepare slow cooker by spraying with olive oil based cooking spray. Cut ribs to fit into slow cooker.

Easy Slow Cooker Ribs

Arrange and Cook

Arrange in slow cooker and cook for 7-8 hours on low, until rib meat is tender and pulls away from bone with gentle pulling. Remove ribs when fully cooked and tent with foil for 10-15 minutes. Prep large baking sheet with cooking spray or parchment paper.

Easy slow cooker BBQ ribs on a baking sheet.

Broil and Finish

Cut ribs into individual pieces and arrange on baking sheet. Baste sauce onto ribs. Broil ribs at 500F, flipping once to prevent burning, about 5 minutes per side. When sauce has crisped and ribs have a crunchy bark, remove from oven and serve immediately with more sauce for dipping!

Tips and Tricks For Perfect Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs

Remove Silver Skin from Ribs โ€“ Ribs come with a silver skin often over the ribs โ€“ trimming the most of this tough tendon off the rib will greatly improve the flavor of your oven baked ribs โ€“ so donโ€™t skip this step.

My Pro Tip

How to Trim Your Ribs

Run a knife under the silver skin to separate the membrane from the rib meat.

If the silver skin resists in one spot, try another.

Once you have separated enough with a knife, grab silver skin tightly and pull to remove from the ribs.

If silver skin breaks in one spot, loosen it again with a knife to remove it completely.

Season baby back ribs well with rib dry rub โ€“ The dry rub in this recipe brings a rich, smoky flavor to these ribs without all the sugar from sauce โ€“ and are then topped in sauce when ready to eat.

Layer ribs properly โ€“ Stack ribs with meaty sides facing out and add sauce between layers for even coating.

Cook low and slow โ€“ Low heat for 6โ€“8 hours yields tender, juicy ribs that still hold their shape.

Use thick BBQ sauce โ€“ A rich, sticky sauce sticks better and wonโ€™t get too thin in the cooker.

Try lining with foil โ€“ For easier cleanup and to lift the ribs out in one piece, line the cooker with foil.

Let them rest before serving โ€“ Allow ribs to sit for a few minutes after broiling to let the juices redistribute.

Crisp at the End โ€“ These ribs really shine because after they come from the slow cooker, weโ€™re going to chop them into individual ribs, coat in sauce, and crisp in the broiler. This extra step is optional โ€“ but takes the flavor to new levels!

ribs covered in barbeque sauce

FAQs

How can I tell if the Ribs are Done Cooking?

After 8 hours in the slow cooker, ribs should be done โ€“ but to check, start around 7 hours into cook time and gently pull at a bit of meat around a rib with the tines of a fork. If the meat resists being pulled with a gentle twisting motion, ribs are not done. If the meat begins to pull away easily, ribs are done. Remove ribs from slow cooker when done, and tent for at least 15 minutes with foil.

What type of ribs work best in the slow cooker?
Do I need to remove the membrane from the ribs?
Should I sear the ribs before slow cooking?
Can I layer ribs in the slow cooker?
Should I add liquid to the slow cooker?
Can I use homemade BBQ sauce?
Do I need to broil or grill the ribs after slow cooking?
How do I store leftover ribs?
Can I make the ribs ahead of time?
ribs covered in barbeque sauce

What To Serve With Slow Cooker Ribs

My family loves these simply slow cooker ribs with sides like mashed potatoes, grilled potatoes, parmesan salad, or familyโ€™s favorite grilled jalapeno poppers!

Check out all my slow cooker recipes here!

When you are ready to try ribs another way you can make smoked baby back ribs, sticky Asian baked ribs, or Instant Pot Asian BBQ ribs.

Try these favorite BBQ sides:

More Sides

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4.50 from 12 votes

Slow Cooker Ribs Recipe

By: Courtney Oโ€™Dell
Servings: 8
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 8 hours
Broiling Time: 10 minutes
Total: 8 hours 15 minutes
Bbq ribs being dipped in bbq sauce using a slow cooker.
Easy Slow Cooker Ribs Recipe โ€“ the best easy recipe to make fall off the bone tender ribs in the slow cooker!

Ingredients 

For the Rib Rub

Rib Sauce

  • 1 cup BBQ sauce, plus more for topping
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions 

  • Trim silver skin from ribs.
  • Mix rib rub ingredients in a bowl.
  • Generously coat ribs in rub.
  • Prepare slow cooker by spraying with olive oil based cooking spray.
  • Cut ribs to fit into slow cooker.
  • Arrange in slow cooker and cook for 7-8 hours on low, until rib meat is tender and pulls away from bone with gentle pulling.
  • Remove ribs when fully cooked and tent with foil for 10-15 minutes.
  • Prep large baking sheet with cooking spray or parchment paper.
  • Cut ribs into individual pieces and arrange on baking sheet.
  • Baste sauce onto ribs.
  • Broil ribs at 500F, flipping once to prevent burning, about 5 minutes per side.
  • Watch ribs CLOSELY to make sure they do not burn under broiler!!
  • When sauce has crisped and ribs have a crunchy bark, remove from oven and serve immediately with more sauce for dipping!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 671kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 59gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 218mgSodium: 4099mgPotassium: 1253mgFiber: 5gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 2319IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 149mgIron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: BBQ
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @sweetcsdesigns or tag #sweetcsdesigns!
SLOW COOKER RIBS RECIPE

About Courtney

Courtney loves to share great wine, good food, and loves to explore far flung places- all while masting an everyday elegant and easy style at lifestyle blog Sweet Cโ€™s Designs. Sweet C's devoted to finding the best food and drinks you'll want to make or find, around the world!

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4.50 from 12 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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1 Comment

  1. Floranet says:

    Great information. Thanks!