Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs are melt-in-your-mouth incredible. Let your slow cooker do all the work and come home to sticky, fall apart ribs!
Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs are super easy and absolutely DELICIOUS! Fall-off-the-bone tender ribs which are finished off in the oven to create the best, barbecue sticky glaze and caramelised edges!
Low maintenance like our Slow Cooker Whole Chicken and our Crispy Slow Cooker Turkey, this mouth-watering slow cooker barbecue ribs recipe only requires four ingredients. Chuck them in the slow cooker, head out for the day and return to the sweet scent of barbecue pork.
SLOW COOKER BARBECUE RIBS
Our secret to delicious ribs is a healthy kick of garlic in our marinade. People often assume that the grill, the smoker or the oven is the only way to cook ribs, but that’s most definitely not the case.
While we love our Oven Baked Barbecue Ribs recipe, this slow cooker barbecue ribs recipe has become my new favourite. That’s all thanks to my new best friend – the slow cooker! Move over oven…
The best part about slow cooker barbecue ribs is that they’re fit for any time, any occasion and any season. Slow cooking ribs breaks down the connective tissue in the meat, causing them to fall apart.
Brushed with a delicious barbecue glaze, a kick of garlic and cayenne, then broiled for an extra two minutes until charred and crispy on the top, makes for the best slow cooker barbecue ribs you’ll sink your teeth into.
I consider myself somewhat of a barbecue sauce connoisseur as you ca probably tell if you’ve tasted our Sticky Barbecue Chinese Pork Belly or our Barbecue Buffalo Chicken Thighs. So, trust me when I say that these Slow Cooked Barbecue Ribs are ALL TIME!
HOW TO MAKE BARBECUE SAUCE
The ribs are not only smothered in sauce while they are slow cooking, they are basted with sauce a second time before going under the broiler. This causes the glaze to char and crisp. I like to pour all of the juices from the slow cooker bowl into the remaining sauce to give them even more flavour!
SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
- Barbecue sauce
- Worcestershire sauce
- Garlic
- Brown sugar
- Cayenne — an optional ingredient if you like a nice kick of heat!
Mix all the ingredients together and brush all over the meat.
HOW TO COOK BARBECUE RIBS IN A SLOW COOKER
In this recipe I am providing different cook times depending on the results you are looking for.
LOW: 7 HOURS / HIGH: 3 HOURS — Ribs that are soft but stay on the bone (as shown in the video below).
LOW: 9 HOURS / HIGH: 4-5 HOURS — Tender, fall-apart-in-your-hands ribs that melt in your mouth like butter (as shown in the image below).
Place your ribs in a 6-quart slow cooker bowl, pour the sauce all over to evenly coat and let the slow cooker do all the cooking for you. Once they are done, transfer ribs to an oven tray, baste with more sauce and broil for 5-10 minutes until charred on the edges and bubbling!
HOW TO REMOVE MEMBRANE FROM RIBS
Before cooking, I recommend removing the membrane from the back of the ribs. It’s not essential to do this, but I find the sauce is better absorbed into the meat when removed.
At one end of the rack, slide a fork or a blunt knife under the membrane and over a bone. Lift the membrane away off of the bone until it begins to tear. Use a paper towel to grab hold of the edge of the membrane and pull it off. It may come off in one piece or it may tear into smaller pieces (see video below).
The slow cooker barbecue ribs pictured below were left cooking for 9 hours on low. See how the meat is melting off the bone?
WHAT TO SERVE WITH SLOW COOKER BARBECUE PORK RIBS
These slow cooker barbecue pork ribs pair perfectly with our Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Corn on the Cob with Garlic and our Macaroni Salad.
Love pork? Try these recipes!
Pork Chops With Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Easy Honey Garlic Pork
Crispy Pork Carnitas
Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs ON VIDEO!
Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 cups barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper optional for a hint of spice
- 2 kg baby back pork ribs 4 pounds
- ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
Instructions
- Spray inside of a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Remove inner skin (membrane) from ribs and place ribs in slow cooker. Discard skin.
- Combine bbq sauce, brown sugar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Mix well to combine and completely cover with half of the sauce.
- Season with a good amount of salt and pepper; cover with lid and cook on low setting for 7-9 hours or high setting for 3-5 hours *see notes. Refrigerate remaining sauce to use later.
- When ribs are tender and falling apart, transfer onto an oven tray (or baking sheet), lined with parchment paper. (Lift them carefully as the meat will be very tender and falling off the bone).
- Pour half of the juices from the slow cooker bowl into the remaining sauce. Baste ribs with half of the sauce and broil (grill) in preheated oven at 400°F (220°C) for about 10 minutes or until beginning to char and crisp on the edges.
- Serve ribs with remaining sauce.
Notes
- LOW: 7 HOURS / HIGH: 3 HOURS — Ribs that are soft but stay on the bone (as shown in the video in post).
- LOW: 9 HOURS / HIGH: 4-5 HOURS — Tender, fall apart ribs that melt in your mouth like butter (as shown in the images in post).
Mary Anne says
These look great! Question- can I make a day before and refrigerate then grill in oven? I have a crowd coming and need to make 2 batches. Thanks!
Tom Mozgala says
Hi Mary Anne,
Yes, you can definitely prepare the ribs a day in advance and refrigerate them before grilling in the oven. Here’s how you can do it:
Cook the Ribs: Follow the recipe as instructed and cook the ribs in the slow cooker until they are tender.
Cool and Store: Once the ribs are cooked, let them cool down a bit, then carefully transfer them to a baking sheet. Cover them tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and refrigerate.
Reheat and Grill: When you’re ready to serve, preheat your oven to 400°F (220°C). Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes while the oven preheats. Baste the ribs with half of the reserved barbecue sauce and bake for about 10 minutes, broiling them towards the end to get that char and crispiness on the edges.
Serve: After grilling, serve the ribs with the remaining sauce on the side.
This method will help you save time on the day your guests arrive, allowing you to focus on other preparations! Enjoy your gathering!
Cassandra says
Fall off the bone!! I didn’t read the notes and did 4.5 hours, they were tricky to keep together while transferring to the baking sheet but still managed to keep 4/5 ribs together. This was so good!!! Only going to make ribs this way from now on.
I eyeballed the measurements and it still turned out great.