Slow Cooker Barbecued Ribs - These luscious, fall-off-the-bone tender ribs are prepped in a jiffy and cook long and low in the slow cooker.
I remember when I was much younger trying many times, always unsuccessfully, to cook ribs on a barbecue grill. Either the flame was too hot and the ribs burned to a crispy, unappetizing, black piece of carbon, or the fire was too cool and the ribs sizzled away for hours becoming tough and unappetizing in the process.
I finally gave up trying and BeeBop and I just visited our local barbecue place any time we had a craving for some of that barbecued goodness. Until...I read an article somewhere about using your slow cooker to produce tender, perfectly cooked ribs.
It seemed quite logical to me. Give the ribs a head start in the oven then finish them off in the slow cooker! I was game to give it a try and this recipe is what I wound up with. Luscious, fall-off-the-bone tender, spare ribs!
How to Make Slow Cooker Barbecued Ribs
Cover a baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil and spray well with cooking spray. Cut the ribs into serving sized pieces, 1 or 2 ribs per piece. Salt and pepper well on both sides.
Place the ribs in a 400-degree oven for 30-45 minutes until they have obtained a light golden brown color.
Place a single layer of ribs in your slow cooker. Spoon over about ½ cup barbecue sauce of your choice.
Continue layering ribs and sauce. Notice the sauce I'm using above? This is my family's barbecue sauce. The recipe has been handed down for several generations and I truly don't know anyone else who makes the same sauce as ours. It is a vinegar and tomato based sauce and we really enjoy it, although it's not everyone's cup of tea. You just use whatever recipe or purchased brand you like best!
Cover the slow cooker and cook on the lowest heat setting for approximately 6 hours. Be sure to stir the pot once during the cooking time to prevent the sauce and ribs from burning.
I used spareribs for this recipe, but I expect it would work equally well for baby backs. Easiest method I've ever seen for cooking ribs!
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Slow Cooker Ribs
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pork spareribs
- salt and pepper
- 3 cups barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut the spareribs into serving size pieces, about 1 or 2 ribs per piece. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Place on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet.
- Cook for 30 to 45 minutes until ribs obtain a light golden brown color.
- Remove from oven and transfer to a large slow cooker. Layer the ribs adding barbecue sauce to each layer as you place them in the cooker. When filled, place the cover on the slow cooker and turn it to the lowest heat setting.
- Cook for approximately 6 hours, stirring ribs and sauce once during the cooking time.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
Tappy says
My family had a vinegar based BBQ sauce.....always my favorite! I wish I had paid more attention on how imy Father made it. Would you share your family recipe?
Spikeygrrl says
Has anyone tried starting these in the slow cooker and finishing them on the grill? What did you do and how did it turn out?
Oven-braising then grilling is the technique used for ribs in many high-end steak & chop houses; I already do a version of this at home but I'd love to replace the oven-braising step with using the slow cooker instead.
Thanks in advance for all responses!
Mary says
If the Taylor family BBQ sauce recipe is as good as it is sounding , and you can't for fear of 'death' or worse, share the recipe.....why don't you guys consider bottling and selling the already made sauce? Sounds like a win-win situation to me. : - )
Katrina says
Going to have to make these. I just saw ribs on sale this week at one of our grocery stores, too.
Mary M says
I have used this method myself! I do turn the ribs in the oven after 30 minutes and continue for 15 more minutes. For bbq sauce, Cattlemen's is my favorite. I have also found that putting some coils of aluminum foil at the bottom of the slow cooker helps keep the bottom ribs out of the bottom of the pan so you don't have to stir them to keep them from burning. I also like to coat the ribs before putting them in the slow cocker so that both sides of the ribs have a coating!
Jeannine says
What Size cockpot are your receipts made for? Out would help to know how many pounds of ribs for what size cockpot
Lana says
Jeannine - I used two racks of ribs in this recipe. I cut them into individual servings before putting them in the crockpot.