Crockpot Baby Back Ribs Recipe

Fall off the bone Crockpot Ribs

For me, baby back ribs are the epitome of a FUN MEAL. The only thing about ribs that I don’t love is having the oven on for several hours, especially if it’s already a warm day.

The oven heats up my small house and makes it into an unbearable sauna! By the time the ribs are ready, I’m so hot that I’m not even hungry anymore. So what am I to do?

Turns out that the slow cooker collecting dust in my basement is good for a lot more than crock pot beef stroganoff.

These crock pot ribs are the easiest, most fuss-free way to make baby back ribs, all year long. And best of all, they’re simple enough to make on a weeknight!

Crock Pot Ribs Recipe ingredients 

• baby back ribs – the star of the show. Baby back ribs are tender and flavorful, making them a popular choice for slow cooking.
• dry rub – a dry rub ensures that the ribs are seasoned throughly, and adds layers of flavor to the meat during the cooking process. Use my homemade dry rub for ribs or a store-bought version.
• barbecue sauce – the key ingredient for adding sweet and tangy flavor to this crock pot ribs recipe.
• garlic – throwing a handful of garlic cloves into the bottom of the slow cooker will add a savory depth of flavor.
• onion – a whole onion, cut into four big chunks is also put in the bottom of the crock pot to contribute a mild sweetness and aromatic flavor.
• apple juice – this serves as the flavorful liquid that will help tenderize the meat and prevent it from drying out as it cooks.

How to remove silverskin from Crock Pot Ribs

While I’d love to take the ribs out of their butcher paper and put them directly in the crock pot, crock pot ribs need a little bit more love. But don’t worry, crock pot baby back ribs are not hard at all.

First, if the butcher hasn’t done it already, you’ll need to remove the membrane (technically called silverskin) from the back sides of the rib racks. The Spruce has a tutorial on how to remove silverskin from ribs that shows you exactly how to do it (I do it this way, too).

If it’s your first time prepping slow cooker ribs, don’t stress out. It’s not important that you get every teeny tiny piece of the membrane. Just do the best you can, and your crock pot baby back ribs will be fine, I promise!

How to make Crockpot Baby Back Ribs

1. PREP. If necessary, remove the silver skin membranes from the backs of the rib racks (see “How to remove silverskin from Crock Pot Ribs” above). Then, if necessary, cut racks into halves or thirds to best fit into your slow cooker bowl.

2. RUB. Rub the ribs all over with the dry rub. Let the ribs stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

3. BRUSH. Brush the ribs all over with 3/4 cup barbecue sauce.

4. BOTTOM LAYER. Place the garlic cloves , onion and juice in your slow cooker bowl.

5. COOK. Place the ribs on top of the garlic and onion. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

6. CHAR. When the slow cooker time is up, remove the ribs from the slow cooker and brush them with the remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce. Then, use either a grill or broiler to lightly char them so they get delicious crusty bits in spots.

7. SERVE. Cut the ribs and serve immediately, with additional barbecue sauce for dipping.

How long to cook Ribs in Crock Pot

Baby back ribs benefit from a low and slow cooking time. But what exactly is low and slow? Most American slow cooker recipes seem to define it as 8 hours on the low setting. But why? This likely harkens back to the conventional 9 – 5 work day.

But look, lots of us aren’t working that conventional work day anymore, are we? Sometimes, I’m just not ready to start thinking about crock pot baby back ribs for dinner at 9 AM!

If that sounds like something you can identify with, don’t worry. There’s a second option for these crock pot ribs, and that’s 4 hours on the high setting.

And do you want to know a secret? These slow cooker ribs turn out EXACTLY THE SAME WAY with both methods.

So, feel free to start your ribs in crock pot on low in the morning, or on high around lunch time. Either way, you’ll be enjoying succulent, fall-off-the-bone baby back ribs at dinner time.

How to serve Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs

Cut up the ribs and serve them with additional barbecue sauce for dipping. Serve the ribs with elote corn salad and celery seed coleslaw for a meal.

We’ve also been known to have them for Easter dinner, with salad for Easter, potato cakes and Dr. Pepper baked beans.

How to store Crockpot Baby Back Ribs

Allow any leftover ribs to cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container. Ribs can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.

Crock Pot Ribs Recipe FAQs