BEST Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

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Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes

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Learn how to make the BEST easy slow cooker bbq ribs. These incredibly flavorful and tasty baby back ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender. 

While you’re at it, try these other tasty beef recipes like my Braised Beef Short Ribs, Best Easy Prime Rib Recipes, or Grilled Tri Tip Steak with Tiger Sauce!

top view of slow cooker bbq ribs with forks and sauce on the side.

This is what Summer tastes like. Bbq ribs. When they’re good, really really good, I will take ribs any day of the year, no questions asked. But when it comes down to it I just think they taste better in the Summertime, probably  because that’s when my mother always served ribs.

If she was serving ribs it was likely Memorial Day, or my third oldest sister’s birthday, and overly warm and sunny outside. There was a good chance dessert would be homemade berry ice cream. It was always summer when we had ribs.

side by side images of slow cooker bbq ribs in a slow cooker and on newspaper with a spoon and a jar of sauce on the side.

And always grilled. She’d send Pops or one of my three brothers out back to the extra large grill on the cement patio with a pan of ribs and a bowl of what we called “secret sauce” which was really just a combination of ketchup and brown sugar that makes all things barbecued one hundred and fifteen percent more delicious.

top view of slow cooker bbq ribs on newspaper with a spoon and jar of sauce on the side.

Funny story: the first time I ever tried to cook ribs, I put them on the grill, forgot about them, and bunt them to a crisp. Honestly there was nothing there but bone and char. And I almost cried thinking about the eighteen dollars I’d spent on a rack ribs and wondered how I’d ever tell my husband that instead of ribs we were having stovetop quesadillas for dinner.  He didn’t mind of course because he’s him, but oh how I mourned the death of those baby back ribs that night.

Lesson learned. I now put a timer on my phone – or three timers really, you know, just in case – when grilling anything, especially ribs.

close up of slow cooker bbq ribs with a fork and a jar of sauce on the side.

We are a few weeks shy of Summer weather around here, but Memorial Day will be here before we know it so I’m sharing with you a foolproof recipe for super tender and flavorful ribs that you cannot go wrong with. (Bonus: there is extremely little risk in burning these ribs to a crisp. Your ribs will not go uneaten.) These are slow cooker ribs. That’s right, ribs made in the crockpot my friends.

slow cooker bbq ribs with a fork and a jar of sauce on the side.

The key is to cook them low and slow for about 8 hours, then pop them into the oven for a quick broil – just 5-8 minutes or so – and you’ll have the ultimate, best ever slow cooker bbq ribs. Don’t tell my mother I’m teaching you how to cook ribs any other way than on the grill, but these fall-off-the-bone beauties will become your go-to for every backyard bbq and Summer hangout.

What people are saying about these BEST Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

“These are seriously the BEST ribs I have ever had – better than any restaurant! My husband and I both loved them, and I will definitely be making them again! Thanks for the recipe!” – Sierra

Serve these ribs with my favorite homemade bbq sauce!

BEST Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs | lecremedelacrumb.com
4.96 from 24 votes

BEST Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

Learn how to make the BEST easy slow cooker bbq ribs. These incredibly flavorful and tasty baby back ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 8 hours
0 minutes
Total: 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
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Ingredients 

  • 1 rack baby back pork ribs
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder , (or chipotle chili powder if you have it)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cups of your favorite bbq sauce , (see note for my favorite tip!)

Instructions 

  • Grease your large slow cooker (6-8 quart) with nonstick spray. Stir together chili powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Rub mixture all over the top side of the ribs.
  • Brush about 2/3 of the bbq sauce over the ribs (reserve remaining bbq sauce), top and bottom. Place the ribs in the slow cooker so that they are standing up on one side and curl to fit into around the inner edge of the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
  • Preheat your oven to high broil. Use tongs to transfer ribs to a greased baking sheet so that the ribs are laying flat. Transfer to the oven and cook for 5-8 minutes. (Set a timer for 5 minutes and check them to make sure they aren’t burning). Allow to cool just long enough so that the ribs can be handled and serve immediately.

Notes

My favorite quick and easy way to add depth of flavor to bbq sauces is to combine two different varieties. For these ribs, I like to do one cup of a sweet bbq sauce and one cup of a smoky or spicy bbq sauce – just stir together and use as directed in the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 287mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 288IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Tiffany of Creme de la Crumb in the kitchen

Welcome!

Hey there, I’m Tiffany – chef, photographer, mother, and avid taco eater. I am passionate about turning simple flavors and ingredients into tasty meals the whole family will love, with minimal prep and cleanup so there’s more time to spend eating and enjoying. Stay awhile, and help yourself to a taco or two!

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4.96 from 24 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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57 Comments

  1. Elise says:

    5 stars
    Wondering if I can make these ahead of time. Can I freeze them before or after putting them in the oven? They are absolutely delicious!

    1. Tiffany says:

      Yes, you can freeze them after the slow cooker and then thaw them in the fridge and then reheat in the oven 🙂

  2. Susan Llorens says:

    5 stars
    Very good

  3. Hyacinth. says:

    Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe! This is by far the BEST Rib Recipe with Heat! Will definitely make this a staple in our home! So delicious!

    1. Tiffany says:

      Thank you for your review! I’m happy you enjoy it so much.

  4. Brianna says:

    I’m trying to make this for 10 people do I need 2 crockpots and is there a video

    1. Tiffany says:

      Yes, you might need two pots! And no, no video at this time. Sorry!

  5. Elaine says:

    You don’t put any water or anything in the slow cooker with the ribs?? Seems like they would scorch, or at the very least, stick – No?

  6. David Nau says:

    Which side you place the ribs against the wall of the slow cooker ?

  7. David Nau says:

    When you stand the ribs up in the crock pot do you place the bone side to the sides or the meat side?

    1. Tiffany says:

      Meat side out. 🙂

  8. Lisa @BestNonToxicCookware says:

    Great recipe! I prepared it according to your instructions and the taste is great! Everyone in the family likes it, it makes me happy. Thank you!

    1. Tiffany says:

      So happy to hear that!! Thanks, Lisa!

  9. Jasmine says:

    Do you put the ribs in frozen?

    1. Tiffany says:

      I recommend thawing first.

  10. Brian Hebert says:

    5 stars
    I had never made ribs before, and my wife was the “rib master” about a year ago I decided to try and used this recipe. My wife was nervous that I would mess them up. When I was done she was mad, because my ribs came out better than her. This is now served every month. Such a great and simple recipe.

    1. Tiffany says:

      haha!!! Way to go, Brian! So glad you had such a great turnout with this recipe.