Crock Pot Ribs
Juicy, succulent and perfect for any time of year. These Crock Pot Ribs are totally irresistible and couldn't be easier if you tried.
When I was a kid we would get the most incredible barbecue in Kentucky. From chicken to ribs to the most delectable sides of slaw and potato salad it was something we would look forward to on occasion at our Sunday night family get togethers. Even when I’ve gone back home to visit, my cousin’s husband, Alan, gets his smoker going for hours cooking up the most tender, juicy chicken, salmon and ribs you’ve ever tasted, by basting and babying them for hours. While I would like to consider myself a pit master who’s able to marinade, smoke and roast ribs until they’re like butter, I don’t have a smoker (problem number one) or really the time given that life has been busier than ever these days (being 8 months pregnant could also be a logical roadblock to my lack of time).
We've been having a crazy busy summer running around from our house, to camp, to activities all over the city and more. Between work and kids, by the time I get home at the end of the day the last thing I've got energy to do is make dinner. Especially when it's so hot outside.
Thank goodness for the slow cooker (also known as a crock pot)! It really is a mom's secret weapon in the kitchen. Literally, all I had to do for this recipe was sprinkle a touch of salt and coat the racks of ribs with my favorite barbecue sauce at 8am, and by 5pm me and my two little munchkins were nibbling away on the most tender, meat-falling-off-the-bone barbecue baby back ribs you've ever tasted. The best part is, no matter how hot it is this summer, you won't even break a sweat making these!
Only two basic ingredients- pork ribs and your favorite barbecue sauce added right to your Crock Pot to simmer for hours making a meal that will seem like it took hours to prepare (but didn't). For this Rewind Wednesday you're going to be a culinary hero making a dish that's going to be on your menu plan for months to come!
Crock Pot Ribs (Serves 4)

egg free

nut free

dairy free

gluten free
Ingredients
- 1 3-4 pound country style pork ribs, also known as baby back ribs (about 2 racks)
- 1 Tsp kosher salt
- 1 Cup BBQ Sauce plus additional for serving (my favorite is Smokin Willie’s)
Preparation
1. Place ribs in a crock pot and sprinkle both sides with salt.
2. Pour BBQ sauce over the ribs and coat the ribs WELL with the sauce.
3. Cover the slow cooker (aka crock pot) and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours.
4. Baste with BBQ sauce if desired and serve.
Post a picture of any Weelicious recipe you make on Instagram - I wanna see them! Just tag @weelicious
10 comments
Just came across your website and I´m loving it :D
I have one question regarding this recipe... all the liquid you put is just ONE cup of bbq sauce and let it cook for 8 hrs?
Wouldn´t it burn?
I´m sorry, I´m not good cooking with the slow cooker and had that happened to me once :(
Could you clarify that for me please?
Thanks!!
No it will not burn, it is cooking on low. Place the ribs bone side down and they will come out nice and juicy - the juice will come out of the ribs so use that to baste the ribs after ;)
Great, simple recipe! I think 6 hours on low is long enough, the BBQ sauce started to burn after that time.
I agree. I've made this recipe several times and if I go anywhere near 8 hours, the sauce burns. I think the age of your slow cooker makes a tremendous difference. The low setting on newer ones is actually similar to the high setting on the old ones (for food safety purposes). I've cooked large quantities of the same recipe in two different slow cookers (one old and one new) and had the newer one finish cooking several hours before the old one.
this is the only way we make ribs now! We just dry season the ribs, let them cook on low for hours, and then about 2 hours before we want to eat, I add the sauce, making sure to get some on all the meat. They literally just fall off the bone they get so tender.
Do I need to defrost the ribs or can I put them in frozen?
You could put them in frozen. They'll just take longer to cook!
Made these last night. Fell off the bone. Used a rub and BBQ sauce i use when grilling ribs, and the sauce lost something. It lacked the punch it usually has. Needed extra sauce to put on the ribs afterwards. Will make again
This is our go-to rib recipe and we end up making these at least once a month. So tasty, and couldn't be easier. I will never slave over ribs for hours again - everyone from my parents to my 18 month old love these ribs..
Any changes to this recipe if you only have boneless ribs? Thanks!