Easy Slow Cooker Ribs Recipe (2024)

This Easy Slow Cooker Ribs Recipe makes the most delicious, tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs! No grill or oven is required with these amazing ribs!

Slow Cooker Ribs are incredibly easy to make and most people would never guess they were made in the slow cooker. Coated in BBQ sauce and slow cooked in the slow cooker for the ultimate, tender, juicy ribs!

Save time warming up the oven or standing over the grill’s heat if you want to make the absolute best ribs. These Slow Cooker Ribs are the most amazing, delicious, tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs ever, I think!

I absolutely love them and I’ve been told time after time that they are now so many other’s favorite ribs now too. And they couldn’t be easier. The secret is how I make them in the slow cooker.

How to Make Easy Slow Cooker Ribs

Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

To make these fabulous ribs, you’ll need the following:

Ribs
BBQ Sauce – you can use a favorite brand you purchase, but this sauce is scrumptious, simple to make and makes amazing ribs!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Arrange the ribs.

To make them, start by spritzing the slow cooker insert with olive oil spray or nonstick cooking spray.
Then, arrange the rack of ribs along the edges of the slow cooker. Depending on the size of your slow cooker and the size of your ribs, you can determine how many racks you can fit. For my 6-quart slow cooker, I’ve managed to snuggle in 5,about 2-pound each, racks of ribs.

Add the sauce.

Add about 3/4 cup of Homemade BBQ Sauce to the ribs.

Set the slow cooker and cook.

Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 8 hours on Low or cook on High for 4 hours.

Prep and Serve the ribs.

When ribs are done and before serving, cut the rack into individual ribs.
Brush ribs with around 1/4 cup of Homemade BBQ sauce to finish them off with a fresh glaze of BBQ sauce before serving.
Serve on a platter with some additional BBQ sauce on the side.

How Many Ribs Per Person Do I Need?

When planning to make these slow cooker ribs, you’ll want to determine how many people you’ll be serving. I always like to add a little extra to my estimate to have leftovers or extras if needed.

Minimum as part of the meal. My rule of thumb for determining how many ribs per person I need is to plan for 1/2 pound of ribs on average if I have a well-planned menu, including great side dishes.

Maximum as part of the meal. If I know I’ll be serving a lot of hungry people, and mainly hungry men, I go ahead and plan for 1 pound of ribs per person.

Buffet or Appetizer. If the ribs are part of an appetizer or other meats are being served, I plan between 1/4 and 1/2 pound of ribs per person.

Favorite BBQ Sauces for Ribs:

Homemade BBQ Sauce

Mama’s Coca Cola BBQ Sauce

Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce

Sweet & Spicy Molasses BBQ Sauce (from the Add a Pinch Cookbook)

You can also use your favorite prepared barbecue sauce if you wish.

Storage Tips

To make ahead. Prepare as directed. Cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

To freeze. Prepare as directed, cool completely, and store in a freezer-safe, airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Side Dishes for Slow Cooker Ribs

These ribs go with so many side dishes, from a simple House Salad to a favorite casserole. Here are some other sides we enjoy with them:

Southern Potato Salad

Southern Baked Beans

Coleslaw

Squash Casserole

Here’s my Slow Cooker Ribs recipe. I hope you love them as much as my family does!

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