Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs come out tender, juicy, and fall off the bone delicious with minimal effort. They're slow cooked until perfectly tender, then broiled with your favorite BBQ sauce for that irresistible sticky finish.
This recipe reminds me of backyard cookouts but instead of cooking in the heat, I make the ribs in the slow cooker to keep cool. These ribs pair great with my Pesto Pasta Salad or Classic Potato Salad for a full summer meal that doesn't require standing over a hot grill.
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Why You'll Love These Slow Cooker Ribs
Hands off cooking: Let your slow cooker do all the work.
Perfectly tender: The ribs turn out fall-off-the-bone every time.
Family friendly: A crowd pleaser for cookouts, game day, or Sunday dinner.
Key Ingredients
Baby Back Ribs: These are smaller and leaner than spare ribs, making them perfect for slow cooking.
Celery & Onion: Add flavor and aroma to the cooking liquid.
Black Peppercorns: Infuse the meat with just a hint of spice.
Ingredient Substitutions
Swap peppercorns for crushed red pepper for a little kick.
Use beef ribs if baby back ribs are available.
Replace onion with shallots for a slightly sweeter flavor.
Recipe Variations
Spicy BBQ Ribs: Add hot sauce or cayenne to the BBQ sauce before broiling.
Asian-style Ribs: Glaze with hoisin, garlic, and ginger instead of BBQ Sauce.
Maple Mustard Ribs: Mix maple syrup with whole grain mustard for a tangy sweet glaze.
Top Tips
- Remove the membrane on the back of the ribs before cooking for the best texture.
- Don't skip the broiling step. It caramelized the sauce and adds that sticky BBQ finish.
- You can refrigerate the ribs overnight with dry rub before cooking for deeper flavor.
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat under the broiler or in the air fryer to crisp them up again.
- Ribs can be frozen (before or after broiling) for up to 3 months.
Serve With...
Pair these slow cooker ribs with:
When you make this recipe for slow cooker baby back ribs, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby back ribs , membrane removed
- 2 large celery stalks ,cut in half
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 5½ cups water
- 1 medium onion ,sliced
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Place prepared baby back ribs in crockpot. Add water, celery, onion, and peppercorns.
- Line cookie sheet with foil. Place ribs on foil and brush BBQ sauce over top. Broil on high approximately 5 minutes. Turn and repeat. Serve!
- Cook ribs in on high setting for 1½ hours. Change to low setting and continue to cook for 5 more hours.
- Preheat broiler on high.
- Remove ribs from crockpot and place on foil lined baking sheet.
- Brush ribs with barbecue sauce and place under broiler for 5-6 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and starts to glaze the ribs with a slight char around the edges.
Scott at Real Epicurean says
I'm a rib addict. These look delicious!
Kevin says
Those ribs look so good!
Cristine says
Mmmmm!!! I could go for some ribs right now!
Kaitlin says
my husbands been wanting me to make a rack of ribs lately, after seeing these i just might have to give in!!
recipes2share says
these look fantastic!
J.Danger says
those are some good looking ribs!
JyLnC says
I love my crock pot and this recipe looks easy enough for even me. They look so good!
Foong says
Your ribs looks really good. Well done!
Debbie says
This is so funny.... I have made two of The Hungry Mouse's ribs..just haven't posted them yet.
We think alike.
Your ribs look fantastic!
creative one says
If Randy had known you were making ribs he would have been at your house for dinner, these are his all time favorite thing to have!
Patsyk says
They look great! I never seem to make baby back ribs in the winter - since I do them on the grill, they make me think of summer! My husband would be thrilled if he could have them all year long!
~Vanessa~ says
Those look absolutely wonderful! My son will want to move in with you if he finds this post!
Michele says
We love Sweet Baby Ray's sauce! I do mine in the crockpot too. They turn out tender every time. Your's look perfect!
Melissa says
Oooooh...these look super yummy!
Hornsfan says
Wow - these look great! Ribs are usually a summertime thing for me but I may have to go find some tomorrow!
gail says
These look fantastic! It seems rib recipes make me very hungry! (or it could be your cooking - much more likely!!) 🙂
Anonymous says
Shelby, those look fantastic! I do ribs often, but have never used the crockpot... just boiled them.
This will be tried soon. Kathye
Jessie says
Whoa! Now...we're coming to your house for dinner! Well done! They look amazing!
Hehe, if we keep this up, you know, we might just have to create some kind of Rib Festival. Hmmm...
xo
+Jessie
a.k.a. The Hungry Mouse
Gera says
Ohhh Shelby your recipe is simply mindblowing!!
With this and Jessie's weekly ribs my meat-diet is exploding 🙂
Gera .:. sweetsfoods
Meg says
Way to go! They look awesome!