Crockpot ribs are guaranteed to be fall off the bone tender. Learn the secrets for making the best slow cooker ribs including instructions for prepping the meat, giving it a good dry rub, and finishing them off for restaurant quality perfection.
You want your ribs to be fall-off-the-bone tender. The crockpot is a great choice. BUT, how do you go from the ugly mess of the slow cooker to beautifully caramelized fall of the bone ribs?
If you just throw ribs and bbq sauce in a slow cooker for 8 hours, you’ll get some fall-off-the-bone ribs, but they’ll be kind of funky and unappetizing. The bbq sauce won’t have caramelized at all, and the liquids in the meat will have produced a really runny bbq sauce liquid.
We find the crockpot to be the easiest method to cook ribs and it is my go-to method, especially when cooking for a crowd. Combine the ease of the crockpot with my easy secret tip and you’ll have yourself some pretty dang amazing ribs.
THE SECRET TO CROCKPOT (SLOW COOKER) RIBS
- Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. See the video for an easy demo. Just slide your fingers around the side to loosen it up and rip it right off.
- Give the ribs a dry rub. This step is optional. Some people like a good dry rub first for additional flavor.
- Put your ribs in the crockpot. Lather them with barbecue sauce. You can use a homemade sauce like my Raspberry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce for ribs or a store-bought bottle. Just remember to save a little bit for later.
- Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. The more racks in the pot, the longer you’ll need to cook.
- Gently remove the racks and lay them out on a foil lined baking sheet. Add more barbecue sauce on top.
- Broil under a broiler for 3-5 minutes until the barbecue sauce starts to bubble and caramelize. Alternately you could wrap them in foil and throw them on a heated grill for the same effect. I sometimes do this for crowds and picnics. This keep the ribs warm until ready to eat and makes it easy to pass out portions. Enjoy!
What kind of ribs should I use to make slow cooker ribs?
This recipe and method will work best with pork ribs including: baby back ribs, spare ribs, St. Louis style ribs, and country style pork ribs. For beef short ribs try my slow cooker short rib recipe or my recipe for classic braised beef short ribs. If you have a smoker we also highly recommend these Smoked Beef Ribs.
Can I finish my crockpot ribs on the grill instead of the oven?
Our secret to crockpot ribs is to caramelize the ribs under the broiler setting in your oven. Another option is to put them on the grill to get that extra caramelization. If you choose to use the grill, put them straight onto the grill (or onto a piece of aluminum foil) over high heat (500 degrees). Brush them with additional barbecue sauce and then close the lid. Let them grill for about 3-5 minutes, until the sauce starts to bubble and caramelize.
PRO TIP: One of the best tips for making ribs in the crockpot is to use a crockpot liner. These BPA-free plastic bags line your crockpot, making clean up a breeze! No more scrubbing out caramelized, burnt on sauce! They are awesome. You can find them in your grocery store near things like aluminum foil and plastic bags. They are a huge time saver.
I made these last night and they were SO delicious! So fall-off-the-bone tender! There is a restaurant nearby that specializes in ribs…..my family said that mine were as good as those! I used Trader Joe’s BBQ Rub and Seasoning beforehand…I rubbed it into both sides and let the ribs chill out in the fridge for 2hrs before I put them into my crockpot. So easy and SO yummy!
Awesome!
I have read different thoughts on slowing cooking in bbq sauce vs. only using bbq sauce after slow cooking is completed (mainly to carmelize in oven). What is the downside to slow cooking with bbq sauce (no water) vs. upside of dry rub slow cooking method? What results can one expect using both methods (flavor, tenderness, etc.)? With many thanks in advance, Ernie.
Gonna make these babies tonight! Found a great recipe for chocolate coffee bbq sauce. I prefer my bbq sauce homemade:-)easy peasy! Thanks for the tube video! http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Chocolate-Barbecue-Sauce
Hi! I have an off brand slow cooker and has temperature settings that aren’t “high, medium, low” it has all the temperatures in Fahrenheit. I was wondering what temperature I should set it at, thanks!
That is an excellent question! The ideal temperature for slow cooking is between 190 and 210 degrees Fahrenheit.
To save on cooking time , can you pressure cook the ribs first, then add bbq sauce to flavor them, then put on grill or oven?
Yes, but that would be a completely different method than slow cooking and would require a separate set of instructions and tips.
Thanks for this recipe! I made this for dinner (1st time making ribs in crock pot or anywhere). Was yummy! Did a lite layer of dry rub& I used the sweet baby rays in the crock pot. I like to whisk in a little white vingegar into the bbq sauce for a more tangy Memphis style flavor 🙂 for dipping sauce. Cooked for 10 hrs on low. Yum yum! Thanks!
I cook back ribs is the crock pot all the time. However I give them a dry rub of garlic powder, paprika, cayenne and Italian seasoning first. Then I layer 2-3 rib portions in the crock pot. I don't add anything else!!!! Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Then I remove the ribs and let them come to room temp. That is when I smother them in sauce and either grill or place in the oven to caramelize. They are fall off the bone tender. So tender that I find it's best to let them come to room temp before grilling so they don't fall apart!
Hi Rachel, I love your recipie it sounds delicious mmmmm! I have 2 racks of ribs can I cook them from frozen?
Yes, but plan on adding 1-2 hours. I prefer to start them from thawed because the end result is better, but you can do it from frozen.
This was my first time making ribs, they turned out sooo delicious after using this recipe! Thank you so much! My husband loved them and said there's no reason to go out for ribs when I can make them like this.
Is a crock pot the same as a slow cooker
Crock pot is a brand name for a slow cooker. Kind of like how Kleenex is a tissue.