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Crockpot BBQ Ribs (Fall Off The Bone)

ByMelissa Jo Posted on Updated on
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A plate of saucy barbecue ribs served on top of creamy mashed potatoes, with some sauce drizzled around the food. The dish is presented on a white plate with a dark rim.

You know those meals that make your whole house smell amazing all day long? This is one of them! I don’t know about you, but there is just something about a rack of tender BBQ ribs that makes everyone suddenly appear in the kitchen asking, “How much longer?” And the best part? The crockpot does almost all of the work!

Now let me tell you the biggest secret to these ribs… do not rush them! I know it’s tempting to crank that slow cooker up to high, but trust me on this one. Low and slow is exactly what gives these ribs that fall-off-the-bone, melt-in-your-mouth texture we’re after. It’s worth every single minute. But don’t worry if you don’t have a crockpot, I also have my Fall Apart BBQ Ribs In The Oven recipe that’s just as good if not BETTER!!

I love making these on a Sunday while I’m puttering around the house because by dinnertime they’re perfectly tender and swimming in the most incredible buttery, smoky BBQ sauce. Serve them with my Creamy Potato Salad, Easy Honey Butter Cornbread, or my Street Corn Pasta Salad for the ultimate backyard BBQ spread. Throw out some pickles, grab extra napkins, and call everybody to the table—these ribs are messy in the best possible way!

Whether you’re cooking for family dinner, a cookout, game day, or just because you’re craving some good old-fashioned comfort food, these Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs are about to become one of those recipes you’ll make over and over again.

I also have to tell you about the BBQ sauce because it deserves a little spotlight. My boyfriend and I were walking around a festival in Delray Beach when I stumbled across Scott’s Smoked Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce. I tried it and immediately fell in love. I knew these ribs would be the perfect recipe for it! If you can’t find it, don’t worry—I included a few easy substitutions because this recipe is delicious with just about any good BBQ sauce.

A hand with red nail polish uses a paper towel to pat dry a raw rack of ribs on a wooden cutting board in a kitchen.
Pat dry and remove the membrane of your ribs!
A person with red nail polish holds a can of Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning above a raw rack of pork ribs on a wooden cutting board in a kitchen.
Tonys Seasoning is the BEST!!!
A person with red nail polish seasons a rack of raw pork ribs with dry rub on a wooden cutting board in a kitchen.
Now pile on the flavor! Season both sides with the Sweet & Smoky seasoning followed by Tony’s Creole Seasoning.
A slab of raw, seasoned pork ribs sits inside a black slow cooker, ready to be cooked. The ribs are coated with a reddish spice rub.
Cut the rack in half so it fits perfectly into your slow cooker!
A raw meatloaf topped with ketchup sits inside a slow cooker, ready to be cooked. The ketchup is spread in thick lines across the top of the meat mixture.
Another little brush of BBQ sauce, more flavor never hurts!
A slab of seasoned raw pork ribs sits in a slow cooker, ready to be cooked. The meat is coated with a reddish spice rub.
Layer the second half of the ribs right on top, then brush on more BBQ sauce!
A slab of raw meat coated in a barbecue sauce, topped with three square pats of butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar, placed in a dark pan or slow cooker.
Dot the ribs with the pads of butter. This melts down into the most delicious buttery BBQ sauce while everything cooks low and slow!
A slab of seasoned meat topped with three pats of butter and brown sugar sits on a bed of sliced red onions in a slow cooker, ready to be cooked.
Finish with the remaining butter, sprinkle on the brown sugar, tuck the sliced onions all around the ribs, and top it all off with one last sprinkle of Sweet & Smoky seasoning.
A close-up of a slab of meat covered in a red tomato-based sauce, cooking in a slow cooker or crockpot with visible juices and seasonings.
A hand holding metal tongs lifts a saucy, cooked rack of ribs from a slow cooker filled with barbecue sauce in a bright kitchen.
Falls right off the bone!!
A smiling woman in a black shirt serves saucy ribs from a slow cooker onto a plate of mashed potatoes in a bright kitchen.

🤔 Common Questions

Can I cook these on HIGH instead?

I really don’t recommend it. The secret to these ribs is cooking them on LOW for 6-8 hours. That’s what makes them incredibly tender.

What kind of ribs should I buy?

Baby back ribs are my favorite because they’re tender and cook beautifully in the slow cooker, but St. Louis ribs work just as well.

Crockpot BBQ Ribs

These Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs are unbelievably tender, juicy, and loaded with smoky BBQ flavor. The best part? The crockpot does all the work. The secret is simple, cook them low and slow for 6-8 hours. Don't rush them on high! Layered with butter, onions, brown sugar, and plenty of BBQ sauce, these ribs come out fall-off-the-bone delicious every single time.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

Step 1

  • Pat the ribs completely dry with paper towels. Turn them bone-side up and use a butter knife to loosen the thin membrane from the back of the ribs. Once you loosen the membrane take a paper towel, grab the sticky membrane, pull it back, and it will peel right off the back of the ribs. Removing the membrane helps create incredibly tender ribs.

Step 2

Step 3

  • Cut the rack of ribs in half so they'll fit inside your slow cooker. Dont worry about sticking th grubs on top of each other in the slow cooker, they will both turn out incredibly perfect and tender!

Step 4

  • Place one half of the ribs into the crockpot. Brush additional BBQ sauce over the top and place a few butter pads on top.

Step 5

  • Place the second half of the ribs on top. Brush with more BBQ sauce.

Step 6

  • Add the rest of the butter over the top!

Step 7

  • Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the ribs.

Step 8

  • Arrange the sliced red onion around the ribs inside the crockpot.

Step 9

Step 10

  • Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. Do not cook these on HIGH. The low temperature is what creates that incredibly tender, fall-off-the-bone texture.
Keyword bbq, BBQ ribs, Ribs, sweet and tangy
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or covered in a 300°F oven until warmed through. They also freeze well for up to 3 months.


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