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Sweet and so succulent, these Slow Cooker Ribs are a simple make-ahead weeknight dinner that everyone will love. They take minutes to put together and then are cooked low and slow in the crockpot for completely unattended cooking. They’re the perfect melt-in-your-mouth ribs.

Slow Cooker Ribs on a sheet pan.Crock-Pot Barbecue Ribs

While we love using the grill to make pork ribs in the summer, for all other times of the year, we’re all about Slow-Cooker Ribs! Ribs need a nice slow and low cook time, and the crockpot is absolutely perfect for that. Slow-Cooker ribs come out so tender and just melt-in-your-mouth.

I love how unfussy this recipe is: a quick sweet and savory dry rub is put on the ribs in the morning before they cook for about 6 hours with BBQ Sauce (homemade or store-bought are both fine here!). Come dinnertime, you’ll have yourself some ridiculously tender and succulent ribs.



Ingredients Needed for Slow Cooker Ribs

  • Ribs: You can truly use any type of ribs, and either beef or pork!
  • BBQ Sauce: Make a quick homemade batch (which makes just enough for what this recipe calls for) or grab your favorite store-bought brand.
  • Spices: We use just a few spices and a bit of sugar to enhance the flavor of the ribs.

How to Remove the Membrane from Pork Ribs

Most pork ribs you buy from the store will have a membrane attached to the back of the bones that does not soften when cooked and can prevent the marinade from penetrating the meat. If you are purchasing your meat from a butcher, or a grocery store with a butcher you can ask to have the membranes removed. But it’s also easy to do by yourself:

  1. Stick a blunt knife underneath the silvery membrane towards the smaller end of the ribs.
  2. Grab a corner of the membranes and pull with a paper towel until it is completely removed. Using a paper towel helps you get a better hold of it since they are quite slippery.
  3. Sometimes you’ll get lucky and they will come off in one piece. Depending on whether you are using Baby Back Ribs or St. Louis Style ribs the membrane might be thick or thin. The thinner membranes sometimes do not come off in one piece, so you may have to remove it in pieces.
Crock pot ribs on a piece of parchment.

How to Make Ribs in the Slow Cooker

Making ribs in the slow cooker is one of the most hands-off methods of making them. Not to mention, they come out so tender! To make ribs in the slow cooker:

  1. Prep the ribs by removing the silver membrane (if you aren’t sure how to do this, we give instructions up top).
  2. Rub spices all over the ribs.
  3. Set the ribs in the slow cooker and set on low for 6 hours.
  4. Transfer the ribs to the oven to broil for a few minutes, and then cut and serve!

What to Serve with Ribs

There are so many sides to choose from to serve with ribs! Here are some of our favorites!

A close up of juicy slow cooker ribs.

Looking for some other recipes to cook in the slow cooker? Check out these:

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Slow Cooker Ribs on a sheet pan.

Slow-Cooker Ribs

5 from 2 votes
Sweet and so succulent, these Slow Cooker Ribs are a simple weeknight dinner that everyone will love. They take minutes to put together and then are cooked low and slow in the crockpot for completely unattended cooking. They’re the perfect melt-in-your-mouth ribs.
Servings 4
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 5 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 2-1/2 lbs. beef or pork ribs membrane removed
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups BBQ Sauce store-bought or homemade

Instructions

  • In a small bowl mix together all of the spices.
  • Rub spice mixture on both sides of each rack of ribs. You can do this ahead and leave overnight (or up to 24 hours), or make the ribs immediately.
  • Stand ribs up on the sides of your slow-cooker, meat side facing the outer walls.
  • Pour BBQ sauce over ribs and cook on low for 6 hours.
  • Once done, transfer to a wire rack over a baking sheet and broil on high for 2-3 minutes until ribs are crispy.
  • Take remaining sauce from the slow cooker and heat in a pot for 5-7 minutes then brush over ribs.
  • Cut ribs and serve.

Notes

To remove the membrane on pork ribs: Stick a blunt knife underneath the silvery membrane towards the smaller end of the ribs. Grab a corner of the membranes and pull with a paper towel until it is completely removed. Using a paper towel helps you get a better hold of it since they are quite slippery.
This recipe was originally published in 2015, and updated with new photos in 2021.

Nutrition

Calories: 549kcalCarbohydrates: 5.6gProtein: 86.1gFat: 17.7gSaturated Fat: 6.7gCholesterol: 253mgSodium: 381mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 3.8g
Keyword: Slow Cooker Ribs
Course: Dinner
Method: Slow Cooker
Author: Lexi


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Comments

  1. Delicious! I only had 2 lbs of ribs and they cooked on low for 4.5 hours. I’ve never cooked ribs before and you made it so easy and SO good! Thank you!

  2. 5 stars
    love ribs, beef and pork great tip about the membrane too, I don’t even thing to remove it if its still there, great mix of spices too, and not cane sugar, great!

  3. OMGosh! Can I tell you how amazing these turned out!? While I didn’t make the homemade sauce, the ribs came out tender, juicy and simply perfect! I made them over night so my fiance and I could enjoy them for lunch. He LOVED them.

    Thanks for the recipe and please include it in your cookbook!
    @ashsweatsandeats

  4. These look great! I make ribs in our crockpot all the time, but I haven’t tried standing them against the edge to cook them. I’ll definitely try that next time.

  5. I made these on Sunday, adding a little chili powder and liquid smoke to the sauce, and they were amazing! We both picked over every millimeter of our ribs looking for any meat we may have missed.

  6. I love ribs, they are one of my most favorite summer eating. These are so delicious looking, the meat just falling off the bone. Oh yum.

  7. YUM! I love ribs in the summer and am a HUGE condiment fan, but alas my boyfriend was able to wean me off of most because of all the crap them, so this recipe and the BBQ sauce is something I definitely want to make!

  8. These ribs are mouthwatering Lexi…I’ve not made your bbq sauce. YET! But I must try it ASAP. love that these ribs cook in the crockpot.