Easy Slow Cooker Ribs are tangy, sticky and spicy. satisfying and virtually hands-off.
How to Make Slow Cooker Ribs
Hi friend, how are you?
I'm super good. I have a trustworthy, old friend.
Her name is slow cooker and she is marvelously efficient and trustworthy.
Thanks to her, I had a lazy couple of days and still stuffed my family full of barbecue ribs.
I wish I’d known years ago how easy it is to make slow cooker ribs in the slow cooker.
All you do is put together a rub, pat the ribs dry, cut them, wrap them in foil or not and put in a slow cooker.
You can finish them on a grill if you like or put them under your oven broiler for two minutes
But, so stinkin easy and basically hands off except for making the rub.
My husband and son love barbecue ribs but I never made them because they seemed difficult so they were relegated to ordering them at restaurants.
But, the thing with restaurant ribs is, they can be a bit paltry serving size wise.
Once I started making slow cooker ribs, the menfolk couldn’t believe how much meat was on homemade ribs.
Slow Cooker Ribs Dry Rub Recipe
I get this recipe from Bobby Flay. I’ve maybe seen his cooking show once, perhaps it isn't even on anymore but the man can cook.
I’ve converted another recipe of Flay's, a Habanero Garlic vinaigrette into a sauce for Spicy Shrimp Nachos, which is turning into one of my most popular recipes, in my kitchen and here on the site.
Bobby Flay’s Rib Rub
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
Supplies for Easy Slow Cooker Ribs
- Rub
- 2 racks of ribs (about three pounds each) spare ribs, baby back, St. Louis--whatever you can find
- Foil for wrapping up and putting in the slow cooker although not necessary
- Slow cooker liner
- Slow cooker, mine is a six quart, I think that’s the minimum size you want unless you want to make just one rack of ribs.
- Your favorite barbecue sauce to taste, approximately two cups
- Butcher paper or brown paper bags for letting the racks of ribs rest while they’re drying out before you cook them.
Unwrap the ribs and put them on a sturdy brown paper bag or kraft paper .
Use a paper towel to blot the ribs and dry them out.
I like to let them rest for maybe a half hour and air dry before putting the rub on them.
While the ribs are resting, make the rub.
Sprinkle a quarter of the rub evenly over each side.
Don’t be afraid to massage the rub into the meat.
To make it easier to fit two racks of ribs in my slow cooker, I like to cut each rack into three pieces using my kitchen shears.
You can then either put the pieces in a slow-cooker that you’ve lined with a slow cooker liner or you can wrap each piece in foil before putting in the slow cooker.
I think the flavor turns out a little better if you wrap them in foil first.
Turn the slow cooker on low and set the timer for eight hours.
Unwrap and slather with barbecue sauce.
To finish: you can put the ribs on a grill for a few minutes per side to give them a bit of char or you can broil them in the oven for two minutes.
If you don’t have barbecue sauce, just eat them as is out of the slow cooker, they are delicious just with the rub.
Serve with potato salad or baked potatoes and a green salad.
Do you need tips for making amazing salads?
Ribs also go great with grilled vegetables
They also go well with grilled asparagus.
Easy Slow Cooker Ribs
Easy Slow Cooker Ribs are tangy, sticky, spicy. satisfying and virtually hands-off.
Ingredients
- Dry Rub
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 racks of ribs (about two to three pounds each) spare ribs, baby back, St. Louis--whatever you can find
- Foil for wrapping up and putting in the slow cooker although not necessary
- Slow cooker liner
- Slow cooker, mine is a six quart, I think that’s the minimum size you want unless you want to make just one rack of ribs.
- Your favorite barbecue sauce to taste, approximately two cups
- Butcher paper or brown paper bags for letting the racks of ribs rest while they’re drying out before you cook them.
Instructions
Unwrap the ribs and put them on a sturdy brown paper bag or newspaper or newsprint. .
Use a paper towel to blot the ribs and dry them out.
I like to let them rest for maybe a half hour and air dry before putting the rub on them.
While the ribs are resting, make the rub.
Sprinkle a quarter of the rub evenly over each side.
Don’t be afraid to massage the rub into the meat.
To make it easier to fit two racks of ribs in my slow cooker, I like to cut each rack into three pieces using my kitchen shears.
You can then either put the pieces in a slow-cooker that you’ve lined with a slow cooker liner or you can wrap each piece in foil before putting in the slow cooker.
I think the flavor turns out a little better if you wrap them in foil first.
Turn the slow cooker on low and set the timer for eight hours.
Unwrap and slather with barbecue sauce.
To finish: you can put the ribs on a grill for a few minutes per side to give them a bit of char or you can broil them in the oven for two minutes.
If you don’t have barbecue sauce, just eat them as is out of the slow cooker, they are delicious just with the rub.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 185Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 18mgSodium 741mgCarbohydrates 29gFiber 1gSugar 23gProtein 4g
Frequently Asked Questions about Making Ribs
Should you sear ribs before slow cooking?
I don’t think it’s necessary.
However, having said that, I do sear roast beef and pork before putting it in the slow cooker.
But, there’s not a ton of meat on ribs to sear to begin with.
Do I need to put any liquid in the slow cooker?
No, the ribs will cook down and release their own juices.
Do I need to boil the ribs before cooking them?
My late grandfather’s girlfriend would always boil her ribs before putting them in the oven.
Again, I don’t think it’s necessary, especially with the slow cooker method.
Can I use St. Louis cut ribs instead of baby back ribs?
Yes. in fact you can use whatever cut of pork ribs you can find at the store.
Baby back, spare ribs, St. Louis style, they’ll all work.
The only thing I wouldn’t suggest because I haven’t tried it are beef ribs in the slow cooker.
How do you reheat cooked ribs?
Low and slow is best for reheating already cooked ribs.
Put the ribs in a 9x13 baking pan or cookie sheet lined with foil. Cover with foil. Bake at 250 F.
Bake ribs for at least 30 minutes then check them. Depending on how hot your oven runs, you may need to warm them up for 45 minutes to an hour.
Do you need a book about barbecue? I can recommend this one.
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Amazing Slow Cooker Spinach Lasagna
Your Turn:
Have you ever made barbecue ribs in a slow cooker?
What's your favorite slow cooker recipe?
