Easy baby back ribs smothered with a homemade rub and sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. Cooked to perfection in the crockpot and fall off the bone delicious. These are the best slow cooker ribs!
I’m a big fan of slow cooker recipes. They’re simple, require minimal clean up and delicious! These slow cooker ribs are a favorite, along with slow cooker BBQ brisket sandwiches and slow cooker sweet pork.
Today I’m sharing one of my favorite crockpot recipes. These baby back ribs are made with a delicious homemade rub and a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. If you don’t have the time or an outdoor smoker, this slow cooker ribs recipe is perfect. It’s simple and still has tons of flavor. They are lip smacking good!
I’m a big fan of slow cooker recipes…I love that you can throw all of the ingredients in the crockpot and forget about it! These ribs taste amazing and will leave people thinking you slaved away in front of the smoker all day. The homemade rub gives them that delicious smoky flavor and the tangy barbecue sauce is absolutely to die for. I also love my Instant Pot on busy days, so if you’re looking for a recipe, check out these delicious instant pot ribs.
Are beef or pork ribs better?
I personally prefer pork baby back ribs. This cut of meat is marbled with fat to give them a nice flavor and can hold up to the low and slow cooking process in the crockpot. I bought about 4 pounds and used a sharp butcher knife to section them into six pieces.
Dry rub
The dry rub is what helps make this recipe so delicious. It’s gives them a delicious smokey flavor and pairs perfectly with the tang from the BBQ sauce. I prefer a little spice so I add cayenne to mine, but you could easily leave it out (like I did in my favorite steak rub) for a more mild flavor.
- Paprika
- Brown sugar
- Salt
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Onion powder
- Italian seasoning
- Cayenne
BBQ sauce
I prefer making my own homemade BBQ sauce, but you can easily use store bought if preferred. This homemade version is a sweet and tangy mixture of ketchup, molasses, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar. To make your own delicious sauce, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon reserved dry rub
What temperature do they fall off the bone?
Ribs are considered cooked through when they reach an internal temperature of 145°F, however I like my internal temp to be a bit higher. I’ve found that when mine reach an internal temp of about 190°F to 200°F, they are more tender, juicy and fall off the bone.
How to slow cook ribs
- Add dry rub. Rub the meat with the homemade dry rub, generously covering both sides.
- Bake in oven. Then bake in the oven at 400°F for 30 minutes, flipping half way through. This helps seal in the flavors and gets a nice crust on the outside.
- Make the BBQ sauce. While they are baking in the oven, you can make the homemade barbecue sauce on the stove top. Simply add all of the ingredients in a saucepan and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Reserve some of the sauce for dipping after the ribs are fully cooked.
- Cook in slow cooker. Layer the sauce and meat in a large crockpot. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until they are fall off the bone tender.
Sides for serving
There are so many side dishes that will pair perfectly with these slow cooker ribs, but below are a few of my favorites.
- Homemade mac and cheese
- Mashed potatoes
- Corn on the cob
- Crockpot baked beans
- Coleslaw
- Pasta salad
- Potato salad
More slow cooker recipes you’ll love:
Slow Cooker Ribs Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pork baby back ribs
Dry Rub:
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons paprika
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons light brown sugar , packed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for more heat)
Barbecue Sauce:
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoons reserved Spice Rub (from above)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Rinse and dry ribs, then cut into 6 pieces.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the spice rub ingredients. Remove 1 Tablespoon of the rub to use in the barbecue sauce. Rub both sides of the ribs with the spice rub then place ribs on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping half way through to sear the meat.
- While the ribs are baking in the oven, add the barbecue sauce ingredients to a medium saucepan and gently simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce and refrigerate to use after ribs are cooked.
- Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking. Add a thin layer of barbecue sauce to the bottom of the slow cooker, followed by the meat. Layer sauce and meat until ribs are evenly coated.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or on LOW for 7-9 hours OR cook until ribs are fall off the bone tender. Rotate ribs once during cooking so they cook evenly. Remove from slow cooker and brush with reserved barbecue sauce or use sauce for dipping.
Video
Photography and recipe contributed by The Casual Craftlete for I Heart Naptime.
Been living this recipe for years! Thank you. We omit the sugar in the rub and prefer without the bbq sauce. Thanks again!
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe and are able to make it your own, Anne-Marie! :)
Yummy! I love also how you suggest what sides you can put with it! Beautiful website as well. All be back.
God Bless.
Thank you for your comment Kimberly! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
LOVE the seasoning in the tender slow cooker ribs.
These ribs are DELICIOUS! So tender and I loved using the slow cooker to make them. Huge hit!
Absolutely delicious !
Made last night- delicious! Been awhile since we found a ‘keeper’ recipe! Thanks
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
GREAT !!!!
I never leave reviews but for these I had to! These were so good and fell off the bone. The sauce was spicy but sweet. My husband is normally the rib chef at home and he even said that we should cook them this way from now on. Thank you!
So glad to hear! Thanks for your review :)
Do you remove the membrane from the backside of the ribs before preparing?
I usually do, but it’s all personal preference! :)
I’m drooling! Lol! Those ribs looks really delicious and I’m craving for it right now. Slow cooked food are always the best because they always turned out tender and juicy. Love this recipe.