Crock Pot Ribs come together with our five star BBQ Sauce and the best Pork Rub for a tender fall of the bone recipe you will absolutely love.
I have another great slow cooker recipe for you today, and just like with my BBQ Pulled Pork, it is the combination of the most perfect and simple pork rub and our homemade bbq sauce.
We are making these amazing slow cooker pork ribs, and I think you are going to absolutely fall in love with them. They are fall off the bone tender with a delicious flavor from our seasoning and sauce. Plus, they are simple to make. This is a no fuss dinner that everyone will love.
“There needs to be an option for 100 stars! The meat fell off the bones, the taste is beyond incredible – I just found my new favorite recipe!”
How to Cook Ribs in a Crock Pot
Remove the Membrane
There is very thin membrane on the back of ribs. While it is edible and you likely won’t notice it’s texture if you don’t remove it, removing it allows the seasoning to penetrate the meat and will ultimately make for better ribs.
Season the Ribs
Start by whisking together our four ingredient pork rub. Rub it into the ribs and refrigerate them for a few hours or overnight. In a pinch you can absolutely skip that step and throw them into the crockpot right after seasoning them.
Make the BBQ Sauce
My homemade BBQ Sauce is the star of the show. It only takes 20 minutes to throw together and I bet you have all the ingredients on hand, so I would definitely not skip this step.
Put it all Together in the Slow Cooker
Finally, put a little sauce in the bottom of your slow cooker and then layer the ribs. Put a little BBQ sauce between each layer and then a little more to cover them on top. You will have some left over. Cook it on low for 8 hours and then enjoy the perfect ribs.
Tips and Tricks
- Fitting in the crock pot: You will need to cut the rack of ribs in half and layer them to fit them into the slow cooker. It is possible to cook two racks at once by layering them more or putting them on their sides and standing them up in the slow cooker, making sure both sides are coated with BBQ sauce.
- Making ribs in the oven: While we love our Honey BBQ Ribs recipe, we honestly love them in the slow cooker better.
- Cook them low and slow: I would highly encourage you to cook these on low for 8 hours rather than on high for four. The difference in the tenderness of the meat is more substantial than probably any of my other slow cooker recipes.
- Serving size: Two 3 pound racks of ribs will serve 4 to 6 people easily. Plan on making roughly 1 1/2 pounds per person.
Leftovers
Rib leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat leftovers by wrapping them in aluminum foil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and cook in a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the ribs are heated through.
What to Serve with Ribs
Our favorite things to eat with crockpot ribs are easy side dishes.
- These Roasted Baby Potatoes are a family favorite.
- You can never go wrong with Grilled Corn.
- This Potato Salad makes the perfect compliment to this dinner.
- Finally, I think this Broccoli Cauliflower Salad goes with everything.
If you make these slow cooker ribs or any of my other recipes, leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
Slow Cooker Ribs
Ingredients
- 3 to 7 pounds pork spare ribs see note 1
Pork Rub
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt or 1/2 tablespoon table salt
BBQ Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar packed
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
For Pork Rub
- Whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl.3 tablespoons paprika, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon kosher salt
For BBQ Sauce (see note 5)
- Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium heat.1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 1 1/2 cups ketchup, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Slow Cooker Ribs
- If you wish, remove the back membrane from the ribs. This is an optional step. (See note 2.)
- Rub the pork rub liberally into the ribs. You may have some left over. For best results, refrigerate after rubbing for 4 to 8 hours (or overnight) before slow cooking.3 to 7 pounds pork spare ribs
- Pour a small amount of BBQ sauce in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the ribs. You may need to cut them in half to fit them. Pour a little more bbq sauce between layers and finally add more to the top of the ribs. (You will have BBQ sauce left over.)
- Cook the ribs on low for 8 to 9 hours. (See note 3) Remove from the slow cooker, tent for 10 minutes, and cut to serve. Serve with additional BBQ sauce.
Recipe Video
Notes
- There are multiple types of spare ribs that you can buy. They will all work with this recipe. The major difference is time it takes to cook, but we have found with this particular recipe, that 8 hours works great for all three types.
- There is very thin membrane on the back of ribs. While it is edible and you likely won’t notice it’s texture if you don’t remove it, removing it allows the seasoning to penetrate the meat and will ultimately make for better ribs.
- Cooking ribs on low heat for 8 hours is what is going to make them the most tender. I do not recommend cooking these on high for four hours.
- Since ribs are best when they cook low and slow to make for the most tender meat, this recipe already requires 8 hours, I would not recommend starting with frozen ribs.
- If you’d rather not make the BBQ sauce, you can use 2/12 cups store-bought BBQ sauce.
Bobbi says
Is heating up the sauce important? I skipped that step because I was in a hurry and they turned out fine. My thinking was the sauce would heat up when they were cooking.
They turned out great. But I’m curious if I had heated the sauce before if that would have made a significant difference.
Making BBQ sauce involves cooking it up so the flavors combine and the sauce thickens.
Cat says
Hi Lisa!
We are having these for dinner tomorrow. You made the removal of the membrane look so easy. After I fought and fought trying to get it started to peel off, I almost threw the ribs across the kitchen. Needless to say, that membrane is intact…lol. if there’s a trick to getting it off, I’d sure like to know. The rub smells amazing, and I used smoked paprika instead of the regular. Thanks for all the great recipes!
I totally hear you, Cat! Do your best to get most of it off, but if you can’t get it all off, it’s totally okay. Sometimes they are easier to get off than other times.
Diane says
My husband loved the BBQ sauce. Said it was the best he’s eaten. Hardest part of this recipe is removing the membrane. Well worth it.
I’m so glad you liked them!
Kathryn Harlton says
What size pot do you use, 4qt or 6qt?
6 quart
RAE says
I reading comments on rib membrane removal. Little secret as i used to struggle with it years ago. Take paper towel dry one…use knife to start at one end if need to. But be suprised the paper towel pulls it right off. Must be grip.