BBQ Crock Pot Ribs

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These Crock Pot Ribs are melt in your mouth tender. They come out juicy, delicious, and perfectly cooked without any stress or fuss. I’ll show you how to prepare the ribs, make the dry rub, and I have a delicious homemade BBQ ribs sauce! 

Slow cooker crock pot ribs are great for weeknight dinners or an indulgent weekend meal. We could all use some help with easy meals during this quarantine time, am I right?!

These slow cooker ribs are easy enough to make whenever you want! I love beef recipes like my this Crock Pot Coca-Cola Roast or Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy that you can just throw in the crock pot and forget about.

Like my dad used to always say when he was alive, “Set it and forget it!”. He got one of those counter top rotisserie ovens one year for his birthday and was so proud of the whole chickens he would cook in it. 

The best part about making these tasty slow cooker ribs is that they are so versatile. You can serve them with a variety of sides: french fries, coleslaw, baked beans, or mashed potatoes. Just about anything will pair nicely (and easily) with these finger licking ribs! I have made them with my asparagus fries, as well!

Here is what you will need to make these Crock Pot ribs: 

This is a list of all the ingredients you will need to make Crockpot ribs. I’m breaking down the ingredients into sections so you can easily see which ones go into the dry rub, and which are for the homemade barbeque sauce! 

• 2 racks of baby back ribs

Dry Rub

• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ tablespoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard

Barbecue Sauce

• ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar 
• 1 can tomato sauce (15oz)
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 
• ¼ cup molasses
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard 

If you like your ribs a little more spicy you can add some cayenne to the barbecue sauce recipe. Add a little at a time until you get the flavor you like, it’s an easy way to add a little kick to this tasty homemade BBQ sauce.  

How to prepare baby back ribs: 

No matter what recipe you use to cook ribs one thing is always the same: they need to cook low and slow. The low temperature and cooking for a long period of time helps melt the fat and connective tissues. 

Now, we need to get our ribs ready for the slow cooker! Here are some tips to help you prep your ribs no matter which kind you purchase. 

• The first thing you need to do is remove the silver membrane on the back side of the ribs. If there doesn’t seem to be a membrane for you to cut or peel back, it may have already been removed on your particular ribs. Different butchers and stores will sell them in a variety of ways. 

• Check for any shards of bone that may be hanging around from when the ribs were cut by the butcher. Remove any bone shards and discard. 

• Because we are using the Crock pot to cook the ribs they’ll need to be cut to size. Cut the racks of ribs into smaller sections to fit in your specific slow cooker/crock pot. 

• The best kind of ribs for this recipe is baby back pork ribs. They’re the most flavorful and they get the most tender in the slow cooker. 

How to make BBQ ribs in the slow cooker: 

Here is the step by step instructions for making the most delicious BBQ ribs. These Crock Pot ribs come out perfectly every time. My family enjoys this recipe because it’s a little messy, fun, and of course…delicious!

You can pair these ribs with your favorite vegetables, salad, coleslaw, baked beans, Peas with Prosciutto, or baked potatoes. They go great with a variety of flavors so you can use whatever you have on hand! 

1. In a medium saucepan combine together tomato sauce, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, and dry seasonings.
2. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir frequently until sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
3. Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs.
4. In a small bowl stir together dry rub ingredients. Rub mixture over the outside of the ribs coating completely. 
5. Put ribs into the crockpot. Cover with 1 ½ cup of homemade barbecue sauce, or sauce of your choice. Leave remaining sauce aside to add on top of finished ribs later.
6. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Serve hot and top with remaining sauce.

If you like your ribs to be caramelized and a little bit crispy you can also add them to a foil lined baking sheet and broil them for 10 minutes after they come out of the Crock Pot. I have made them both ways and you really can’t go wrong, peeps.  

Make sure to keep the lid closed on your slow cooker while you are making these Crock Pot ribs. If you are opening and closing the lid a lot it can decrease the cooking temperature and extend the cooking time! 

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