Easy Slow Cooker Ribs Recipe
Easy Slow Cooker Ribs Recipe – the most delicious, tender, and juicy ribs! Only 6 ingredients. And no grill is required with these ribs!
Baby Back Ribs vs. Spare Ribs
Baby back ribs have more meat. But they tend to take longer to cook and don’t “fall off the bone.” Spare ribs do fall off the bone. But they have less meat and more fat.
Griffin and I prefer baby back ribs because you can pick them up with your hands and eat all the meat off. Versus eating spare ribs with a fork.
I also think baby back ribs are easier to get out of the crockpot and onto the baking sheet to broil. Spare ribs are so fall off the bone you can’t really pick them up.
But you can definitely use spare ribs in this recipe instead of baby back ribs. Just follow the same recipe directions!
Recipe modifications
I keep this recipe super simple by using my favorite store bought BBQ rub and BBQ sauce. But you can make your own if you want!
How many ribs per person do I need?
I do about 1/2 pound up to 1 pound per person when serving as a the main dish. This recipe will serve about 4 people. If you have a 6 or 7 quart crockpot, you can double this recipe and make it all in one crockpot. I would add an hour to the cooking time if you double it though.
What to serve with this easy slow cooker ribs recipe?
These with sweet potato fries or roasted sweet potatoes and a kale salad is my favorite!! The sweet potatoes go so well with the BBQ flavoring.
But you could also serve them with cornbread and southern baked beans!
Or these loaded baked potatoes!
Watch the recipe video here:
Easy Slow Cooker Ribs Recipe
The most delicious, tender, and juicy ribs! Only 6 ingredients. And no grill is required with these ribs!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup apple cider (or apple juice)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup yellow mustard
3-4 Tablespoons bbq seasoning (I like the Jack Daniel’s Pork Rub)
1 (2 lb) rack baby back ribs or spare ribs
3/4 cup Barbecue Sauce (or do 1/4 cup apple butter and 1/2 cup bbq sauce mixed together!)
Directions:
Remove the “silver skin” (Here is a video tutorial)
The silver skin is a pale white skin, like plastic stretched over the bone side of the ribs.
Lay the slab of ribs bone-side up so that they curve towards you.
Slide a butter knife under the skin in between the middle bones. If the membrane is too tight, try loosening it anywhere along with the rack.
Using a paper towel, gently lift up the membrane and pull it off the ribs.
Cut the rack in half (or thirds if you have a small slow cooker).
In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider, apple cider vinegar, and yellow mustard.
Brush the ribs with mustard mixture.
Liberally season the ribs on all sides with bbq seasoning.
Pour the remaining mustard mixture into the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the ribs to the slow cooker.
Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours. You can keep the ribs on warm until ready to serve.
Preheat the oven to broil.
Remove the ribs from the slow cooker and transfer to a baking sheet. Generously brush bbq sauce on top of the ribs.
Broil for 3-4 minutes until the bbq sauce starts to bubble and caramelize.
Remove from the oven and top with a little more bbq sauce. Broil for another 2-3 minutes until the bbq sauce starts to bubble again.
Cut the rib rack into individual ribs. Serve with extra bbq sauce.
[this isn’t a sponsored post, there are a few affiliate links above based on things I purchase on my own and love]
