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.
Excellent recipe! Easy ribs that don’t take a huge amount of effort to make. My boys love it with mac & cheese.
Most recipes have you do the rub a day beforehand can I still due that for extra flavor?
Of course! Enjoy!
These fall off the bone baby back ribs are amazing! Absolutely delicious and unbelievably easy! Both of our favorite rib joints closed so we have been on the hunt for perfect ribs for a long time. My husband said, “This is it!” Thank you
Lauren!!
I make mine just in the slow cooker. I don’t start them in the oven. I call it one of my dump recipes…just season and dump them in the crockpot with bbq sauce (except I put pineapple preserves on top of the ribs first). Low for 8 hours, fall off the bone tender!
Do you remove the membrane from the back? Will beef ribs work?
Your recipes are spot-on they are all wonderful!
Yes and yes!
Typo on my last question…I would like to make a large batch of these for a crowd in my electric roaster (not toaster). How long would you recommend cooking them in a roaster and at what temp?
Thank you!
Shannon
I made these and they were excellent! I want to make them again but I’d like to make them in my electric toaster. How long would you recommend cooking them in a roaster and at what temp?
Thank you – love your recipes!
Shannon
I, too, have always wondered how I can better utilize my toaster ;p
Can the ribs be prepared the day before rub and oven and then put in crock pot the next day to cook?
If I don’t have parchment paper can I still do in over or can I just put straight into slow cooker?
Yes, just grease the pan first so they don’t stick.
I have never been a rib fan; I have always thought they are too messy and difficult to eat with any sense of dinner table manners. To add to that, I have had false teeth for several years now which deepened my aversion to eating ribs. Well, a friend of mine has a February birthday and loves ribs and since I (modestly admit that I) am a pretty experienced home cook and Winn-Dixie always has BOGOs on ribs, I thought I would give it a try. I specifically sought out a slow cooker recipe to ensure that I wouldn’t have to whip up a batch of mac and cheese while my friend nibbled his b-day special ribs. I found your recipe, improvised a bit on sauce and seasoning, and the result was astonishing. I slow cooked for ten hours on low and the meat practically melted in our mouths. Another rib sale this weekend means that tonight I will be making these for the 3rd time in as many months. Thanks so much for helping me get over my ribophobia!