Description
Craving melt-in-your-mouth ribs without firing up the grill? These Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs are the ultimate answer to weeknight dinners, party meals, or easy Sunday feasts. Juicy, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs are cooked low and slow, then finished under the broiler for that irresistible caramelized crust. Perfect for those looking for easy dinner ideas, comfort food recipes, or a slow cooker meat dish that delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal effort.
Ingredients
2 racks baby back pork ribs (about 4 to 5 pounds)
1 tablespoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup BBQ sauce (plus extra for brushing)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Fresh chopped parsley (optional garnish)
Instructions
1. Remove the silver skin membrane from the underside of the ribs and pat them dry.
2. In a bowl, mix paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne, black pepper, and salt.
3. Rub this spice mix generously over both sides of the ribs. Let them rest 15–30 minutes.
4. Cut ribs if needed to fit. Place them upright or stacked in your slow cooker.
5. Mix BBQ sauce with apple cider vinegar and pour over ribs. Spread evenly.
6. Cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours until ribs are tender.
7. Preheat broiler. Transfer ribs to foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with extra BBQ sauce.
8. Broil for 3–5 minutes until sauce is sticky and caramelized.
9. Let ribs rest for a few minutes before slicing. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
For best results, season the ribs the night before for extra flavor infusion.
Don’t skip the final broil—it creates the perfect sticky BBQ crust.
You can also finish the ribs on a grill for a smoky flavor boost.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: slow cooker ribs, BBQ ribs, easy dinner, pork ribs, comfort food, weeknight meal, crockpot ribs