Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs that are fall off the bone tender made with a homemade rub and easy tangy bbq sauce. These are perfect for your summer barbecues!
The weather is warming up and we’re thinking about all things summer. These ribs are the perfect summer meal, you can serve them with KFC Coleslaw and Crispy Sweet Potato Fries.
Slow Cooker Ribs
Easy Slow Cooker Ribs covered in barbecue sauce are an easy way to bring a bit of summer into the house without keeping the oven on for three hours.
The thing I love about Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs is that they’re perfect for every season. In the winter when you’re missing the warmth and fun of summer you can enjoy a summer meal with no effort and in the summer when it is so hot outside you can’t bear to turn the oven on you can just plug in your slow cooker and have a delicious meal without heating up the whole house!
Can you use a slow cooker for ribs?
YES. The slow cooker is perfect for cooking the ribs low and slow, breaking down the connective tissue in the meat. A quick glazing with barbecue sauce followed by a broil for 1-2 minutes is all you need before serving the ribs.
Slow Cooker Ribs Dry Rub:
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
Mix all the ingredients together, rub all over the meat on both sides once the membrane has been removed.
How to make Slow Cooker Ribs with Coca Cola: Add one can of coca cola to the slow cooker along with the dry rub and cook on low for 7-8 hours.
Cooking ribs in the slow cooker isn’t a novel idea, I’ve been doing it since I got my first slow cooker in college. Even then the site I found the method on had thousands of reviews on it. So my spin on it is the rub and the sauce.
Best Rubs for Slow Cooker Ribs:
- I use a homemade rub, it helps control how much sodium is in your dry rub. If you are looking for something delicious you can buy, I can’t recommend Charlie Rendezvous highly enough.
- Make sure if your rubs have the silverskin/membrane along the bone side of the rack you remove it before adding the rub or cooking.
- I cook them in the slow cooker without the bbq sauce. I add the sauce just before broiling. Broiling is 100% not necessary but I like the taste of bbq sauce when it has some of the sugars in it caramelized. If you choose to skip the oven stage you can add the bbq sauce in the last hour. If you add it before then the ribs will lose the coverage as they cook.
How do you remove the membrane from ribs?
Starting from one end, slide a paring or boning knife just under the membrane but over the bone. Run the knife back back and forth a bit to loosen the membrane, then lift and tear it away from the rack in one whole piece. If it tears, start again with the paring knife.
What goes good with pork ribs?
- Tony Roma’s Inspired Crispy Vidalia Sweet Onion Loaf with Original BBQ Sauce
- Tony Roma’s Inspired Coleslaw
- Honey Bacon Baked Beans
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
How long do you cook pork ribs in the pressure cooker?
Bring the pressure cooker up to high pressure for 20 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes before removing. Put the ribs on to a baking sheet, brush with barbecue sauce and place 5-6 inches under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.
Tools used in the making of these Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs:
Charlie Rendezvous Dry Rub: In case you don’t want homemade.
Tony Roma’s BBQ Sauce: In case you don’t want homemade.
Slow Cooker: Love this slow cooker and how programmable it is, it has been a workhorse for me… until…
My New Slow Cooker: This recipe was made in this slow cooker. For larger roasts I also brown the meat in the insert and not lose a bunch of the flavor by transferring the meat and leaving the browned bits behind. If you’re thinking of a new slow cooker, consider it if your budget is open.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
- Yield: 4 servings
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Course: Main
- Cuisine: American
- Author: Sabrina
Ingredients
Dry Rub:
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
Ribs:
- 2 whole racks of baby back ribs
BBQ Sauce:
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
Instructions
Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.
To make the dry rub:
-
Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk together.
To make the BBQ Sauce:
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Add all the bbq sauce ingredients into a saucepan and whisk until combined.
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Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 45 minutes.
To make the ribs:
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Rub the dry rub all over the front and back of the ribs.
-
Cook on low for 7-8 hours (I do 7) or high for 4 hours.
-
While the ribs are cooking make your bbq sauce.
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Remove from the slow cooker and broil in your oven for 2-3 minutes on the rack closest to the top of the oven.
Nutrition Information
Yield: 4 servings, Amount per serving: 252 calories, Calories: 252g, Carbohydrates: 60g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 4397mg, Potassium: 345mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 51g, Vitamin A: 39.8g, Vitamin C: 3.9g, Calcium: 5g, Iron: 12.6g
All images and text © for Dinner, then Dessert.
Your barbecue sauce looks HEAVENLY! It’s sticky, mahogany perfection!
Thanks Rebecca!
oh, man! These look amazingly good!
Wait until you taste them!! Delicious!
Those look absolutely perfect – so tender and juicy, YUM!
Thanks Kimberly!
Slow cooker is a life saving! Congratulations for your new one! Your barbecue ribs look incredible! I think I can smell it!
Thanks Catalina!
I love anything I can put in the slow cooker! My husband will love these!
One of my favorites that my mom used to make….this looks amazing!
Thanks Cathy!
I’ve always been hesitant to make them in the slow cooker, but I think you’ve changed my mind! They look incredible!
Thanks Brandy! Definitely try it!
When do you add the barbeque sauce?
I added the BBQ sauce after removing them from the slow cooker. Enjoy!
Do you add water to cook the ribs?
No, no liquid needed. 🙂
I saw a suggestion of putting a can of coke in with the ribs (after adding the spices). When do you add the BBQ sauce, at the end?
Thanks, Janet
I added the sauce to the ribs after it was done cooking. 🙂
Making ribs in the slow cooker is my favorite way to make them!
I know, right?! So easy!!
Wow! Get in my belly! This looks so good.
Haha, YES!!!
Oh wow, these look incredible!!!
Thanks Katerina!
One of my favorites – I love barbecue ribs!
They’re so good!!
These look fall off the bone good! Pinning for later 🙂
Thanks for the pin!
Now I can make my husband his favorite meal!
Yay!!
Hey Sabrina! Dang girl, you have an AMAZING site of useful and delicious recipes. 🙂 Thank you for all the recipes and helpful information you have shared. For myself, I have not been cooking for a while, but, that will be changing soon when I move. However, my new place only has a cooktop which is not what I am used to. Thanks to you and a few others, I am actually hopefull I can use a slow cooker to cook healthy AND flavorful food. YES! I have one question if you have a moment, I am wondering about what vinegars taste good in this BBQ sauce? Thanks 4 everything L.
I am so glad you’re enjoying the site and all of the slow cooker recipes!! For the sauce, you can use whatever type of vinegar you prefer. I used a white distilled but you can used a cider vinegar if you like it a bit sweeter. Enjoy!
Sabrina, That is exactly what I was wondering. I want to try the white distilled first but was not sure if it would be too ‘tart’. Thank you for your answer ! L
I was looking at how to cook chicken thighs in the slow cooker. It looks like you have had this site for 3 years now. I love your site and the recipes you share with everyone here. I wanted to say congratulations on having accomplished so much and doing it all so well ! I know I have personally benefited. L
Oh my goodness, that’s so sweet! Thank you so much for the kind words, it has been just over three years and it’s been such a fulfilling journey for my soul and honestly a TON of fun. Seeing these comments completely make my day. Thank you again.
These ribs looks amazing. I can’t wait to make some. What a great idea, especially when it’s to cold or pouring rain outside. One question, when baking the ribs in the oven, what degrees should I set tge oven for?
If using the oven, set the tempature for 300 degrees.
Sabrina this is my first time writting because I’m a new subscriber. I am from Puerto Rico and I want to thank you for the recipes, I love them. I love to cook but never thought of cooking ribs in a slow cooker. Can’t wait to see more recipes. God bless.
Thank you for taking the time to comment and let me know! I look forward to seeing you around the site!
I have been seeing your recipes on Facebook and print the ones I want to make. I have been pleased with the results and have a stack of printed recipes I can select from. I am diabetic and the nutritional info you provide (and others don’t) is a lifesaver. I wanted you to know how much I appreciate the info. I don’t believe in “diabetic” food and with this info I can make healthy real food..
This is my first time visiting your website. No surprise, it is the most organized and helpful sites I’ve seen. Keep up the great work.
So glad you’re enjoying the site!