Readers agree these 15 minute prep Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs are “absolute perfection,” “flawless,” “fall right off the bone” and “are just so easy that’s there’s no excuse to not make ribs.” They receive rave reviews every time thanks to the paprika-chili spice rub and homemade barbecue sauce spiked with a few secret ingredients that elevate it to “INCREDIBLE!” So, I’ve if you’ve been intimidated or skeptical about crock pot ribs, follow this easy recipe full of tips and tricks for “THE BEST ribs [you’ve] ever had!”
How to cook BBQ Ribs in a Crockpot
These Crockpot Ribs are deliciously mind blowing!
What you’ll need for Crockpot Ribs
This Crockpot baby back ribs recipe is so easy to make! It features a homemade rib rub and homemade BBQ sauce. Let’s take a closer look at what you’ll need (measurements included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
- Baby back pork ribs: You’ll need roughly 4 pounds of ribs to make this recipe which you’ll cut into 6 sections. If the membrane is still attached on the back, you’ll need to remove it by using a knife to lift a corner, gripping it with a paper towel for better grip, then peel it off – hopefully in one piece!
- Dried herbs and spices: The homemade rib rub is made up of paprika, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, ground chipotle pepper, onion powder, dried thyme, cayenne, salt, and pepper. SO much flavor!
What is Chipolte Chili Pepper?
You should be familiar with most of the rib rub spices, except perhaps chipotle chile pepper. This spice is made of jalapeno peppers that are smoked, dried and crushed -so it’s not just spicy but smoky too! It is easy to find at your grocery store under any of the following names: “chipotle chile pepper,” “ground chipotle chile,” or “chipotle powder.” If you don’t keep it stocked – you want to. I use it in all of my Mexican recipes!
BBQ Ribs Sauce
This homemade BBQ Sauce recipe comes together very quickly with just a handful of ingredients. You will need:
- Ketchup: Look for organic ketchup or one that isn’t sweetened by high-fructose corn syrup if possible.
- Apple cider vinegar: This adds the balancing tang to offset the sweetness.
- Molasses: This adds rich, thick smoky-sweet undertones and is a BBQ Sauce must! Make sure you are using unsulfured molasses and NOT blackstrap molasses. Unsulfured molasses is the finest quality and only a small amount of sugar has been removed from the first boiling.
- Brown Sugar: This sweetens the sauce and helps deepen the molasses flavor.
- Blackberry preserves: This secret ingredient adds sweetness with depth instead of using all brown sugar.
- Liquid smoke: (it really is liquid smoke!) imparts a wonderfully smoky flavor that elevates the BBQ Sauce to an other realm. It is created by capturing smoke as it rises through a combustion chamber filled with wood chips to a condenser. In the condenser, the smoke cools and forms a liquid, thus liquid smoke. (thank you Wikipedia). It is a very common ingredient and should be easy to find next to the barbecue sauces in your grocery store.
- Seasonings: Smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, ground chipotle pepper, onion powder, ground mustard, dried thyme, salt, and pepper infuse the barbecue sauce with classic flavor with hints of smokiness and heat. You can use more or less chipotle chili powder depending on how spicy you like it.
BBQ Ribs Recipe substitutions
- If you can’t find blackberry preserves, I’ve had readers comment they have also used strawberry preserves, raspberry preserves, fig preserves and apple jam with success.
- You can use any brown sugar you have on hand – light, medium or dark.
- You can use granulated sugar or honey if that’s all you have on hand but, in this case, I would reduce the sugar by a tablespoon or two and add extra molasses in its place. You can also use a blend of sweeteners.
- If you’re out of ketchup, you could try substituting with tomato sauce, but you will need to add some extra vinegar and sugar to compensate for the flavor of the ketchup.
How to make Crock Pot Ribs
Let’s take a closer look at how to make Crock Pot Ribs with step-by-step photos (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
- These baby back ribs are heads above the rest because they are slathered in the most incredible rub and barbecue sauce to create layers of restaurant (or better than restaurant says Patrick) flavor.
- After you spice rub your ribs, you bake them for 15 minutes on each side to seal in the juices and render some of the fat.
- Meanwhile, whisk up your tantalizing barbecue sauce that is sweet and tangy and just right which is a simple mixture of ketchup, molasses, brown sugar and my secret ingredient, blackberry preserves which balances out the acidity with subtle sweetness.
How long to cook Crock Pot Ribs
Cook the ribs in the slow cooker on low for 7-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours or until they are fall apart tender. And they will be fall apart tender.
Slather your crock pot ribs in more of our luscious, tantalizing homemade barbecue sauce.
Serve these Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs with any or all of these sides: Million Dollar Macaroni and Cheese, Moist Sweet Cornbread, Best Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Hawaiian Baked Beans and Outback’s Wedge Salad. Even if your team doesn’t win on Sunday, you can still have game winning Fall-Off-the-Bone Slow Cooker Ribs feast that everyone will cheer for! And repeatedly beg for.
How to prep Crockpot Ribs in advance
You can either make the entire recipe as written or simply make the homemade barbecue sauce in advance. If making the entire recipe, you’ll then want to refrigerate the ribs (in the slow cooker). Then, reheat them on LOW when ready to enjoy.
BBQ Ribs Recipe Tips
- Use all the spices: The slow cooker ribs dry rub recipe makes quite a bit but you are going to want to use all of the blend for perfect flavor packed ribs. Not too spicy, not too sweet, but just right — or so said my parents who dropped by and polished off the leftovers.
- Coat thoroughly: I like to dip each rib piece in the spice mix, front and back, then rub the mix all over with my hands.
- Use the HOMEMADE BBQ Sauce: Many readers have since commented that this is their favorite barbecue sauce ever — so whatever you do, don’t skip this barbecue sauce — it truly makes these ribs spectacular! I love it so much I have also used a version of it in my Crockpot BBQ Chicken and my BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwiches – you don’ want to miss it!
- Simmer the sauce gently: This melds the flavors and slightly thickens the sauce – it does not need to be anything more than a gentle simmer. Simmer the sauce on low to reduce splattering as this sauce likes to sputter or use a splatter screen.
- Cook until tender: If the ribs aren’t fall off-the-bone-tender, they simply need longer to cook. Even 30 minutes can make a difference between tender ribs and “fall off the bone” ribs.
BBQ Ribs Recipe variations: the sauce
The most important (and best!) part of making homemade barbecue sauce from scratch is how adaptable it is. You can adjust the homemade BBQ sauce in this Crockpot ribs recipe until it’s perfect for you. Here’s how:
- Make it sweeter: add more brown sugar. I suggest you simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, taste and add additional sugar at this time if desired (and not right off the bat); continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- Make it tangier: add additional apple cider vinegar at the end of simmering.
- Make it smokier: add additional liquid smoke, ½ teaspoon at a time.
- Make the seasonings your own: Like more garlic? Use more garlic. Like more mustard? Use more mustard. You can adjust all of the seasonings to suit your tastes and even add additional seasonings such as oregano or parsley.
- Make it thicker: simmer the sauce for upwards of 15 minutes until it reaches your desired consistency, however, it is already gorgeously thick after 15 minutes so I don’t think you’ll find this necessary.
What to serve with BBQ Ribs
- Million Dollar Macaroni and Cheese
- Award Winning Sweet Moist Cornbread
- Kicked Up Classy Creamy Potato Salad
- Company Mashed Potatoes
- Baked Beans with Brown Sugar and Bacon
- Baked Parmesan Fingerling Potato Fries
- Cheesy Pull Apart Pesto Bread
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
- Greek Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Feta Pesto
- Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Ranch
How to store leftover Slow Cooker Ribs
Let the crock pot ribs cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How to freeze BBQ Ribs
Seal cooled ribs inside a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in fridge overnight and reheat as desired.
How to reheat BBQ Ribs
Larger servings of ribs can be reheated in the slow cooker. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave at 30-second intervals.
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Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs
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Ingredients
- 4 pounds baby back pork ribs
Spice Rub
- 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 1/2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for more heat)
Barbecue Sauce
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup seedless blackberry preserves
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon reserved Spice Rub from above
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (optional but recommended) *
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F Line a baking sheet with sides with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cut ribs into 6 sections then rinse and pat dry.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together Spice Rub ingredients. Remove 1 tablespoon Spice Rub to use in your barbecue sauce. Rub all remaining Spice Rub evenly all over the meat then place ribs on prepared baking sheet. Bake ribs for 15 minutes ON EACH SIDE (30 minutes total) to sear meat.
- Meanwhile, add all of the Barbecue Sauce ingredients to a medium saucepan and gently simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove 1 ½ cups barbecue sauce and refrigerate to use after ribs are cooked.
- Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray then add a thin layer of remaining barbecue sauce, followed by ribs. Layer sauce then ribs until complete, tossing to coat as needed to ensure ribs are evenly coated in barbecue sauce.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or on LOW for 7-9 hours OR cook until ribs are fall apart tender. Rotate ribs once during cooking so they cook evenly. Cooking time may vary between slow cookers.
- When ribs are tender, remove from slow cooker and brush with some Reserved Barbecue Sauce if desired or use sauce for dipping. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- It might like seem like a lot of seasoning, but you should use all of the Spice Rub for 4 pounds of meat for optimal flavor.
- Liquid smoke can be found next to the barbecue sauce in most grocery stores. It adds a wonderfully smoky flavor.
- I like to dip each rib piece in the spice mix, front and back, then rub the mix all over with my hands.
- Storage: Let the crock pot ribs cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, seal cooled ribs in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in fridge overnight and reheat as desired. Reheat over low in the slow cooker or in the microwave at 30-second intervals.
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Sharon says
I don’t eat pork. Can I use beef ribs?
Jen says
Hi Sharon, I’ve not tried with beef but in theory it should work. The flavors would be tasty!