Here’s a Crockpot Barbecue Ribs recipe that gives you fall-off-the-bone, sticky, saucy ribs with almost zero effort. The slow cooker does the work — you finish under the broiler or on the grill for that irresistible caramelized BBQ crust.
🍖 Crockpot Barbecue Ribs
⭐ Ingredients
- 2–3 lbs pork ribs (baby back or St. Louis)
- 1 cup barbecue sauce (plus extra for finishing)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½–1 tsp black pepper
- ½–1 tsp salt
- Optional: ½ tsp chili powder or cayenne for heat
⭐ Instructions
1. Prep the ribs
- Remove the silver skin from the back of the rib rack (optional but helps tenderness).
- Cut into 3–4 rib sections so they fit in the slow cooker.
- Rub ribs with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and brown sugar.
2. Add to the slow cooker
Whisk together:
- BBQ sauce
- Vinegar
- Worcestershire
Pour a bit in the bottom of the crockpot, add ribs, then pour remaining sauce on top.
3. Cook
- Low 7–8 hours (best texture)
or - High 3½–4 hours
Ribs should be extremely tender but not shredding apart.
4. Finish (the secret to the best ribs)
Remove ribs carefully to a baking sheet.
Brush generously with extra barbecue sauce, then:
Option A: Broiler
Broil 3–5 minutes until caramelized and sticky.
Option B: Grill
Grill 3–4 minutes per side to char slightly.
⭐ Serve With
- Coleslaw
- Cornbread
- Potato salad
- Mac & cheese
- Baked beans
⭐ Variations
Honey-Garlic Ribs
Add ¼ cup honey + 3 cloves minced garlic to the sauce.
Smoky Chipotle Ribs
Add 1–2 tbsp chipotle in adobo to the sauce.
Dr. Pepper / Cola Ribs
Replace vinegar with ½ cup Dr. Pepper/cola for sweet, sticky ribs.
Dry Rub Only
Skip sauce in the crockpot; rub ribs heavily with seasonings and finish with BBQ sauce at the end.
If you want, I can also give you:
- Instant Pot BBQ ribs
- Oven-only version
- Keto/low-sugar ribs
- Sweet heat peach BBQ ribs
Just let me know!
