Easy Crock-Pot BBQ Ribs Made in the Slow Cooker

Learn how to make the easiest (10-minute prep) fall-off-the-bone slow cooker ribs that will have everyone licking their fingers & plates! This is the best method for fixing bbq ribs if you don't own a smoker or it's cold outside. Cook the ribs in as little as 4 hours using the high setting on your crock-pot. Use your favorite rack of ribs (spare, country style, baby back, beef) and barbecue sauce for an easy comforting meal any night of the week.  

I'm betting you're here because you either love ribs or want to cook a rack for someone else who does. If so, you're in the right place! Why? Ribs are my absolute favorite food.

Smoked pork ribs, to be exact, but those are a labor of love (hours of babysitting the smoker/charcoal grill to make sure it stays at a consistent temp). 

Which is totally worth it to me because I'm from Kansas City (barbecue capital of the world) and it's hard to find good smoked barbecue near me that compares (sorry, Dallas). 

And for the record, my favorite KC barbecue restaurant is Oklahoma Joe's (now Joe's Kansas City). I also like Gates and Q39, but I usually stick to Joe's so I can get my z-man with fries fix. :P

So, when I can't fix my own smoked ribs (weather & time plays a part), my second favorite method for making ribs is in the slow cooker. 

NOT the oven. Big fat nope on that one.

Why Make Ribs in a Slow Cooker Instead of the Oven?

Every time I've tried the oven, the ribs don't turn out tender enough and the meat tastes very "meh". Probably because it's cooked at a lower temperature covered in foil, so the outside hardly develops any caramelization. 

In contrast, ribs cooked in the crock-pot yield meat that is fall-off-the-bone tender, juicy, and flavored with fat (this is part of the reason why I like St. Louis style spare ribs the best). You don't want tough and dry meat.

And cooking it on the HIGH setting in a slow cooker helps to create a bit of caramelization on the edges of the ribs from the barbecue sauce that has dripped down.

How to Make Slow Cooker Ribs

First things first, you have two options when it comes to ingredients: store-bought or homemade. If you have access to high-quality spice blends and bottled barbecue sauces, using store-bought ingredients probably seems like a no-brainer. It also cuts down on the prep time (only 10 minutes), which is a big bonus. 

However, if you're avoiding certain ingredients (gluten-free, paleo or whole30) or want to show someone you love 'em by making it all from scratch (lots of room to get creative), a homemade sauce and spice blend is the way to go. It's on my short list to experiment with a homemade sweet & spicy version! (Let's make it happen, Elaina.)

Once you have the ingredients ready (homemade or store-bought), it's as simple as:

1. rubbing the ribs on both sides with a generous coating of dry spices
2. placing the rack standing up in the crock-pot near the wall (this prevents the ribs from turning into a soggy mess in the juices)
3. drizzling your favorite barbecue sauce (I usually mix two types) over the ribs on both sides
4. cooking the ribs on HIGH for about 4 hours (give or take depending on the size of your ribs and how  many racks you put in)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 to 3 lbs. of pork ribs (I used St. Louis Style because they're meatier)
• Sea salt, to taste (like THIS) - adjust according to the saltiness of your barbecue sauce
• Black pepper, to taste (I like to add a generous amount)
• 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic or garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• 2 teaspoons of your favorite seasoning blend or rib rub (I used a pineapple serrano seasoning)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups of barbecue sauce* (homemade or store-bought)
• *The barbecue sauce is a key ingredient here (since the ribs won't have any smoke/grill flavor), so make sure to choose a brand or recipe that you LOVE! I often mix a smoky and sweet Kansas City-style sauce with a spicy barbecue sauce for a good balance of sweet and spicy. And if you're following a Paleo or Whole30 diet, you'll likely want to make your own barbecue sauce so you can control the ingredients in it.

Recommended Equipment

• slow cooker (I love THIS inexpensive manual slow cooker)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Season your rack of ribs with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and favorite seasoning blend. Feel free to use my measurements as a guideline and add more if you want a thicker coating of dry rub. Place the ribs in the crock-pot on their side (standing up) with the meatier side facing the inner wall.
2. Pour the barbecue sauce over the ribs on both sides and let it drip down. You can add more sauce here if you want a thicker coating, but I like to keep it a bit lighter (enough to form a glaze while it cooks) while still having the rub shine through. Plus, you can always add more sauce at the end. :)
3. Close the lid and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours or until the ribs are very tender (meat easily comes off the bone and/or the ribs separate without much effort).
4. To serve, gently move the ribs to a large platter or baking sheet and spoon some of the cooking juices all over the rack, making sure to supply extra barbecue sauce on the side for those who want it (I never end up using more).
5. Store any leftover ribs + the cooking juices in the fridge. To reheat, place the ribs in an oven-safe baking dish, spoon over more cooking juices, cover with a lid or foil and bake at 350 degrees until warmed through (about 30 minutes or so). Reheating covered in the oven helps to keep the meat juicy and tender, whereas other methods (like the microwave) may overcook and dry out the ribs.

Source : Easy Crock-Pot BBQ Ribs