There's no easier way to make amazing ribs than this Slow Cooker Ribs recipe! It produces tender, flavorful ribs that only take a few minutes to prep and are sure to impress any guests!
Looking for more slow cooker recipes? Try Crock Pot Baked Ziti, Beef Noodle Soup, or Pot Roast!
Why I love these ribs:
- Hands-Off – Put the ribs in the slow cooker and let it do the work! There's no babysitting them like you would on the smoker, and the end result is fantastic.
- Favorite Meal – We enjoy ribs year-round, whether during the winter with a side of mashed potatoes and roasted veggies, or in the summer with potato salad, baked beans and cornbread.
- The BBQ Sauce– If you want to make them extra special, use my homemade BBQ sauce recipe!
How to Make BBQ Ribs in the Slow Cooker:
Prep Ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. Rub garlic powder, onion powder and brown sugar onto both sides. Lay them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or foil. Pre-bake the ribs at 400 degrees for 15 minutes on each side to seal in the juices and render some of the fat. Alternately, throw them on the grill on HIGH for 5 minutes on each side.
Place in Slow Cooker: Layer the ribs in the bottom of your slow cooker or curl the rack around the inside, meat side facing out. Smother them in BBQ sauce, reserving some for later. Cook crockpot bbq ribs on LOW for 4-6 hours. Mine are usually done cooking around the 4 hour mark. You want them to be tender, but not falling off the bone.
Serve crockpot ribs with more bbq sauce and your favorite sides.
Pro Tips:
- Type of Ribs to Buy: Baby back ribs, spare ribs, or country-style ribs will work for this slow cooker recipe. I prefer baby back pork ribs (and I buy them in a 3-pack from Costco).
- Remove membrane, if needed: Depending on where you purchase them, the ribs may still have a white, shiny membrane connective tissue on the back (bone side) that needs to be removed.
Serve With:
- Coleslaw
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Balsamic Roasted Carrots
- Mashed Potatoes
- Buttermilk Cornbread
- Wedge Salad
- Baked Potato Salad
- Corn Salad
- Baked Beans
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Burrata Salad
Follow me for more great recipes
Recipe
Slow Cooker Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 rack pork ribs* (about 2 lbs)
- 32 ounces BBQ sauce *
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Season the ribs generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Rub garlic powder, onion powder and brown sugar onto both sides of the ribs.
- Pre-Bake: Line a large baking sheet with tinfoil or parchment paper. Bake the ribs on prepared pan for 15 minutes. Flip the ribs to the other side and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Slow Cook: (I like to use a slow cooker liner, for easy clean-up). Place the rack of ribs around the inside of the slow cooker, meat side facing out. Alternately, cut the ribs into a few sections and place them in the slow cooker. Smother them in some barbecue sauce, reserving some sauce for serving later. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours, until tender but not falling off the bone.
- Serve warm with extra barbecue sauce slathered on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Follow Me
I originally shared this recipe October 2017. Updated November 2019, September 2022 and January 2024.
This post contains affiliate links.
FABULOUS and so friggin’ EASY. If you follow the method instructions carefully, you CANNOT fail. Thank you!!!
This is my go to rib recipe! So easly to make and absolutely top quality! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
My first time making ribs. Followed the recipe exactly using Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce and they were great. Equal to restaurant ribs.
Will be using this recipe again and again. Thank you!
I am now trying this way of cooking ribs. I just cooked mine in the pressure cooker for 15 min to remove the fat. I then seasoned them the way it’s written and they are now cooking in the slow cooker. After reading all the comments here about how good the ribs are cooked this way, both my husband and I are waiting to try them while drooling.
Thanks for the recipe.
From Canada.
Delicious! I broiled in the oven at the end was perfect. My 6 and 9 year old loved it too! And they are pretty picky. Will definitely make again!
I made these yesterday and they came out great! I put them under the broiler for a few minutes before serving just to crisp them up but you could serve these straight outta the crockpot and they would be just as tasty. Thanks for the recipe!
Love this recipe! My son asks for ribs every week! My brother said the taste is restaurant quality! Sooo easy to make! Thank you!
Made this recipe yesterday exactly as instructed and used President’s Choice Bacon Maple BBQ sauce — oh Mama it was divine! Think seasoning the ribs and popping in the oven prior to saucing and putting in the crockpot made all the difference. My husband is an experienced BBQ smoker and he really enjoyed the ribs from the crockpot too especially on a cold Canadian night as he didn’t have to be outside adjusting the smoker all day! Will make these throughout the winter and have no problem serving them to company.
Several times I have made this recipe and the results have been fantastic. It’s one of the favorites in our household!
This will be my go-to ribs recipe! I followed the instructions and recipe as written and the ribs turned out delicious. Haven’t had much experience with ribs, so this was a milestone for me. The comments have great suggestions so will try some of the ideas next time around. Definitely will give the slow cooker bags a try!