Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs Recipe
These flavorful Slow Cooker Ribs turn out perfectly every time! The secret is coating them in a homemade dry rub, slathering them in sticky-sweet barbecue sauce, and slowly cooking them until they are so tender that the meat falls off the bone.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 581kcal
Tools
Ingredients
- 1 (3-5 pound) rack baby back ribs - OR, 2 (1½-2½ pound) racks
- 3 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar - packed
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½-1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1½ cups BBQ Sauce - homemade or store-bought, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Remove the membrane. Place the ribs so the bone side faces up. Use a butter knife (or your fingers) to lift a corner of the membrane from one end of the rack. Grab the loosened end with a paper towel and pull it off in one slow, steady motion.
- Cut the rack and pat them dry. If your rack is too large to fit in your slow cooker, cut it into 2-3 sections to fit. Pat both sides dry with paper towels.
- Mix the dry rub. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Coat with Dijon mustard. Use a pastry brush to rub the Dijon mustard over both sides of the ribs (the mustard helps the seasoning stick).
- Apply the rub. Generously season both sides of the ribs with the seasoning mix.
- Arrange in the slow cooker. Spread ¼ cup of barbecue sauce in a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker and arrange the ribs to fit. Top with the remaining BBQ sauce.
- Cook on low or high. For fall-off-the-bone ribs, cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours (still tender but slightly firm). If possible, baste the ribs with the BBQ sauce every 2-3 hours.
- Broil (Optional): Carefully remove the ribs from the slow cooker and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with additional BBQ sauce and broil on high for 3 minutes, until caramelized and slightly charred.
- Rest and Serve. Let the ribs rest for 5 minutes, then slice between the bones. Serve with extra BBQ sauce if desired.
Notes
The Nutritional Information is based on a recipe using 4 pounds of baby back pork ribs. The calculation is for six servings, but this will vary depending on how hungry people are.
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- For the most tender ribs, cook on LOW for 6–8 hours. If you're short on time, HIGH for 4–5 hours will work, but low heat is best.
- Ribs: I prefer this recipe with baby back ribs, but pork spare ribs will also work.
- Two racks of ribs, approximately 5 pounds total, will fit in a 6-quart slow cooker. However, it's best not to overcrowd the slow cooker.
- Make-Ahead: The ribs can be prepped, coated in the spice rub, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking.
- Storage: Cool to room temperature, then place them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in foil. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Wrap them tightly in foil, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 15 minutes, brushing with extra BBQ sauce if needed. You can also microwave them in 30-second intervals, though this may dry them out.
Nutrition
Calories: 581kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 1347mg | Potassium: 679mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 535IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 2mg
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