Crock Pot Ribs are an easy way to make the most delicious pork ribs for any occasion. This slow cooker ribs recipe is so simple! You can cook these crock pot BBQ ribs stress-free, and they’ll come out super tender and flavorful. Find out how to cook fall-off-the-bone ribs in a crock pot, and serve them on game day, at BBQs, or any get together that needs a delicious dish.
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Best Crockpot Ribs Recipe
This easy ribs recipe will be your new favorite way to make pork ribs. There’s nothing easier (or tastier) than slow cooker ribs!
BBQ Ribs are always a favorite for any occasion. Weeknight dinners, summer time barbecues, holidays and get togethers, and especially game day! There’s never a bad time to eat ribs.
This easy crock pot ribs recipe is the best way to make them because it’s so simple and hassle free. Slow cooking the meat into the juiciest most delicious flavor!
These Crock Pot BBQ ribs are a real winner. Moist, tender, fall off the bone meat cooked in BBQ sauce. Everyone will devour these! I love serving ribs on game day, and cooking ribs in a crock pot is the easiest way to do that.
Why You’ll Love this Slow Cooker Ribs Recipe:
- EASY RECIPE: Making BBQ ribs in a crock pot is one of the EASIEST ways to make them. Prep time is quick, then just let them cook!
- PERFECT BBQ RIBS: Get the most perfect, succulent, tender, and flavorful ribs with this recipe!
- ANY OCCASION: Make delicious slow cooker BBQ ribs for any occasion. They’re great for game day, the Super Bowl, summer BBQs, and weeknight dinners.
You can just let them cook while the game is on, and serve them with plenty of BBQ sauce! We love Oven Baked Ribs, but this recipe is just so much easier.
No matter when you serve these, make sure you add in some Cheesy Texas Toast, BBQ Baked Beans, or your favorite BBQ sides.
Easy Crock Pot BBQ Ribs
Slow cooker ribs are the easiest way to make delicious BBQ ribs! Just place them in the crock pot, add your BBQ sauce, and let them cook. That’s all there is to it!
I love these for game day. In addition to all of the appetizers, you need something more substantial too.
Whether it’s burgers, tacos, or something else, it’s nice to have a sort of “main dish” to make sure everyone can fill up while watching the game, drinking beer, and eating snacks.
So crock pot BBQ ribs are a front runner for game day, especially Super Bowl Sunday!
Cooking Ribs ALL the Ways
Ribs Guide
Learn everything you need to know about how to make ribs whichever way you prefer!
Ingredients
- Pork Ribs: You can use St. Louis style spare ribs OR baby back ribs. Either type works fine (and tastes great!).
- Barbecue Sauce: Use your favorite BBQ sauce for his recipe. Any kind works, store-bought or homemade. Try this “homemade” barbecue sauce that we love.
- Dry Rub: We use a mix of paprika, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to make the dry rub seasoning for these ribs.
- Cider Vinegar: This is optional, but I recommend adding it in if you’re using a sweeter BBQ sauce. It adds a tanginess and just helps balance out the flavor.
How do you prep ribs before cooking in a slow cooker?
Prep time for these BBQ ribs is super quick, and you only need to do a few simple things.
- Remove the silver membrane from the back of the ribs. Place a knife under the membrane, lift, and pull. I’ve linked to an instructional video in the recipe card. You can also buy ribs that have already had this removed.
- Make sure the racks will fit in your slow cooker. I like to keep them as big as possible, but you’ll still have to cut them into a few pieces. See the recipe card for details on how to place them in the slow cooker. You can eyeball it to make sure you cut to the right size.
How to Cook Ribs in a Crock Pot
- Prep ribs and set crock pot to LOW setting.
- Mix ingredients to make the dry rub, and rub evenly over the ribs.
- Brush ribs with BBQ sauce and place them in the slow cooker.
- Pour sauce on top and add vinegar.
- Cover and cook 5-6 hours.
- Slice and serve with extra barbecue sauce, and enjoy!
Tips!
- You will need to cut the ribs a bit to make them fit in the slow cooker. It’s easy to just eyeball it as you work them into the cooker.
- Make sure you remove the silver membrane before cooking!
- When done cooking, simply slice between the bones and serve with extra BBQ sauce!
- Store leftover crock pot ribs in the fridge up to 3 days. You can wrap them tightly in aluminum foil and place them in airtight containers. Let them cool before refrigerating.
- Pork ribs should reach an internal temperature of at least 145F before consuming. However, we will be cooking them to a higher temperature to make sure they’re super tender. We want them closer to 195F.
Cooking BBQ Ribs in the Crockpot
Cooking ribs in a crock pot seems too good to be true! Who knew you could make the most amazing BBQ ribs in a slow cooker? This crockpot ribs recipe is just so easy.
Basically, you just need to season the ribs, set them in the crock pot, and let them cook! You can use spare ribs or baby back ribs for this slow cooker BBQ ribs recipe.
Simple as that! To serve the crock pot BBQ ribs, just slice the meat between the bones and serve with extra BBQ sauce. So juicy, so tender, so delicious!
If you prefer to grill, we’ve got an awesome St. Louis Grilled Ribs recipe for you!
This method is a super easy way to slow cook ribs. Prep time is short, and the rest of the cooking time is totally hands-off. You can set it and forget it most of the day.
Use pork ribs for this recipe. You can use spare ribs or baby back ribs, whichever you prefer. You can also use boneless ribs.
Yes, it is possible to overcook ribs, which would turn the meat into mush. Cooking them on the low setting is ideal to prevent this from happening. Just check on them regularly towards the end for doneness.
Yes, add the dry rub FIRST to season the ribs. Then add the BBQ sauce.
Yes. Before cooking, brush BBQ sauce onto both sides of the ribs.
The silver skin/membrane on the back of the ribs will make them super tough and rubbery when cooked. It also acts as a shield and will prevent seasonings from fully penetrating the meat (and we want them to be well-seasoned!). So you absolutely want to remove it.
No, do not add frozen ribs directly into the slow cooker. They won’t cook fast enough in relation to the thawing, and it could cause issues with food safety. If you are going to use frozen ribs, fully defrost them in the fridge before cooking.
How long to cook ribs in a crock pot?
With the slow cooker set to low, give the slow cooker ribs about 5-6 hours to fully cook. They will come out super juicy and tender, ready to eat! You can also cook on high for 3-4 hours, but I recommend using the low setting if you have the time.
Can I use boneless pork ribs for this recipe?
Yes! You can totally use boneless ribs. Just check for tenderness before serving, they might need a bit more time in the crockpot. Sometimes boneless ribs are just easier, and that’s totally fine!
Side Dishes for Slow Cooker Ribs:
Baby Back Ribs vs Spare Ribs
This crock pot recipe works with both baby back ribs and spare ribs, so the choice is up to you.
Baby back ribs are smaller than spare ribs. They are shorter, and will generally weigh less and feed fewer people, but they are super tender and lean. Spare ribs are going to be meatier, with more fat, making them super flavorful when cooked.
A rack of spareribs will usually feed 3-4 people. Because of the size difference, expect the spare ribs to take a bit longer to cook than baby back ribs.
Again, you can use either type of pork ribs for this slow cooker ribs recipe. Both will turn out amazing, it’s really up to your preferences.
These slow cooker BBQ ribs are just so easy, so tender, and so flavorful. They’re a reader favorite and a family favorite too! Cooking pork ribs in a crock pot is the easiest method, and perfect for days when you have a lot of other cooking to do. Make them for game day, parties, or just a weeknight dinner at home.
More Ribs Recipes
If you love the crockpot ribs recipe below, be sure to see our other favorite ways to cook ribs too!
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
Crock Pot Ribs Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons smoked paprika or paprika
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 6 pounds St. Louis-style pork spareribs or Baby Back ribs see note
- 1 24 ounce jar Barbecue Sauce (Blue’s Hog original is superb)
- ¼ cup cider vinegar if the barbecue sauce is on the sweet side
Equipment
Instructions
- Set the slow cooker to LOW and spray with nonstick cooking spray. (I always spray the underside of the lid to help with cleanup.)
- Remove the silver membrane from the back of the ribs. Here's a video with instructions. (You might have bought ribs with the membrane removed, and if so, skip this step.)
- In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika, brown sugar, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Rub the dry-rub mix evenly over the ribs.
- Brush both sides of the rib with barbecue sauce and set the ribs in the slow cooker standing upright with the meaty side against the inside wall, of the slow cooker.
- Pour the remaining barbecue sauce over the ribs. If using a sweet sauce, pour the cider vinegar over the ribs.
- Cover and cook on LOW 5-6 hours or until the meat is fork-tender.
- Serve with additional store-bought barbecue sauce or strain the juices, from the pan, through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium saucepan.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer 15-20 minutes or until the mixture has reduced to 2 cups.
- To serve, slice the meat between the bones and serve with barbecue sauce.
- Enjoy!
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- There is a difference in weight with ribs. Baby Back ribs weigh about 1½ pound per rack and St. Louis-style spareribs weigh about 3 pounds per rack. (To confuse the matter even more, commercially packaged “baby back” ribs are sometimes mislabeled St. Louis-style spareribs.) To help you understand the difference, here is a terrific article explaining the difference.
- Whichever ribs you choose, you can’t go wrong. Both are equally as delicious.
Nutrition Information
Thank you for the recipe, Becky! Can the ribs be cooked without the sauce? Does there need to be liquid in the crock pot? Look forward to making ribs soon. :O)
You’ll want some moisture to prevent drying out!
Re rib names. Ribs are properly named back and SIDE ribs. St Louis has nothing to do with which part of the pig. Also, why would you strip off the connective tisssue membrane? It tasteslithe test of the sauce and contains amino acids that promote hair, fingernail and joint/connective tissue growth. (As does the cartilage/gristle at the ends of the ribs-my favorite part of the whole meal!) Don’t waste anything edible. Food is precious in our overpopulated world. I’m not criticizing you, just giving food for thought from 86 years experience. Philip
This is the second time I made this recipe. I will never make ribs in the oven again! These are amazing and the first time I’ve actually gotten “fall off the bone” ribs. We finished them on the grill. This would be a great recipe for the holidays.
Thanks for sharing, Julianne!
Hi there, my question is do the ribs cook properly when they are Standing Up in the slow cooker? not understanding how that is really possible
can’t rate them yet because they are still Standing in the Crock Pot
Yes, you just gotta trust the process! The walls still heat too!
I have these in the crockpot now. I bought two slabs of baby back ribs that weigh just under 6.5lbs, combined. The one had a decent amount that couldn’t fit against the wall of the crockpot. Will it still cook okay? Will it get hot enough for that part?
I am sorry about the delay Tiffany! I hope all went well!
This was my first time cooking ribs in the crock pot so I was a little unsure of what kind of consistency to expect but they turned out great! I know some people struggled with the directions but I thought they were clear and the recipe was pretty easy. The problem I ran into was that I was cooking for 2 so I had to figure out how to adjust the recipe for just one rack of ribs. I ended up prepping the rub as directed and saving half to use another time but I used all of the sauce and ACV because I was worried it would be too dry in my big crockpot. I cut the rack in half to try to even out the pot, but the smaller end just slid down into the bottom without the extra ribs wedged in between. I checked on it a few times and ended up shutting it off after 4 hours on low because the bones were starting to pull away from the meat. I then reduced the sauce (had lots!) and brushed the ribs before broiling them for a few minutes. They were very tasty and tender! And we had enough for leftovers the next day :)
TL;DR – Great recipe for tender ribs. If halving the meat: watch your time, check them after 4 hours and know that the ribs might not stay upright in an extra roomy pot. Broiling at the end helped to give the finish that it probably would have had if they had stayed upright. I will absolutely make this again, thank you!
Thanks for sharing, Olivia!
Nothing happens when I click on the “Step by Step Recipe Video” button.
Sometimes the page isn’t fully loaded, try refreshing and trying to click again!
I have a question. I just got a 2lb rack of ribs from the butcher today, can I still use this recipe? And if so, how would I place them in the crockpot? They’re long and seem very meaty, guessing spareribs. I can go back to the butcher and get 2 more pounds to even out the crackpot if I have stand them up against the side but, that seems like a waste.🤷🏻♀️
You could try cutting them into more pieces so you can even out the crockpot!
OK, thanks. So they’re laid on their sides on the bottom of the slow cooker as in the video, not standing upright as in the directions. Will do, but you might want to correct the directions!
No problem!! And good idea Helen!
I imagine this is another case of my previous comment awaiting moderation (although it will probably appear as soon as I post this ;-)), but I still am unclear on the directions, so really would like to clarify. Your directions say: “set the ribs in the slow cooker standing upright with the meaty side against the inside wall,” but I watched the video again, and they are not standing upright, they’re laid on the bottom of the pan on their sides. Your answer to another person asking the same question was “You should stand them upright, on their sides like in the video!” So do you mean stand them on their ends, ringing the wall of the slow cooker, or lie them on the bottom of the pan on their sides, as in the video??
I’m sorry it’s so confusing! Follow the video :)