set-and-forget, fall off the bone, slow cooker barbecue baby back ribs;
This post was originally published January 28, 2016. Updated October 19, 2020 for content and clarity.
This here is your one-stop recipe for homemade, no stress barbecue baby back ribs! Really, this slow cooker meal could not be easier. Literally all you need is five ingredients. And that’s including salt and pepper as two of those ingredients. So you might even say this recipe is only three ingredients. You just pop the ribs in the slow cooker, set it and forget it! Then come back to a delicious-smelling kitchen that will have you drooling to eat dinner.
And when I say fall of the bone, I mean it. You really might have trouble taking these barbecue baby back ribs out of the crock pot. I usually do because the meat will fall of the bone. It’s actually annoying for taking delicious photos, let me tell you. It looks much nicer when they’re on the bone! But I scraped together the ones that were most in tact from this batch to get a couple good photos!
The trick to slow cooker barbecue baby back ribs is picking a good barbecue sauce. The recipe is called barbecue baby back ribs after all. Because there’s so few ingredients, you’re really relying on the flavor and moisture from the barbecue sauce. My personal favorite is KC Masterpiece, though I’ve actually had some trouble finding it at groceries. My next best option is Sweet Baby Ray’s and it still comes out super yummy.
This is a perfect crowd pleaser, though you may be limited by the size of your slow cooker. I managed to fit a whole rack into my slow cooker by curling the rack in a kind of spiral within the basin of my slow cooker. You can cut them into smaller sections if you have to, but I recommend making as few cuts as possible. The smaller they are, the more likely they are to get dry, rather than tender. You also don’t want to overcrowd your slow cooker. It’s not an exact science, but I’d stick to a rack of ribs, and borrow another slow cooker if you’re going for multiple racks of barbecue baby back ribs.
Warning! The ribs and the bones will be super hot when they come out of the slow cooker! Do not use your hands. I recommend tongs to avoid burning your fingers. The result might not always look pretty due to the tendency to fall off the bone, but I promise these barbecue baby back ribs deliver on flavor.
Secrets to Success
- Pick a good barbecue sauce. There’s so few ingredients in this recipe, you’re relying on your barbecue sauce for flavor. Don’t skimp. I use KC Masterpiece or Sweet Baby Ray’s as my preferred barbecue sauces.
- Don’t cut the rack of ribs if at all possible. The more cuts you make, the more likely it is for the ribs to dry out, so if possible, try to keep the rack in tact in your slow cooker basin. It might require some folding or twisting as needed.
- Save the juices! I love mixing some of the juices into extra barbecue sauce for serving. That way you get all that extra richness and flavor (and let’s be real–fat) from the cooking juices.
- Don’t take the ribs out of the slow cooker with your hands! They’re HOT. The bones will be too. Use tongs, or wait for them to cool.
Looking for other easy recipes? Check out these options:
- No bake apple butter truffles make for a perfect sweet snack!
- Need a dessert to go with your entree? Try this easy fruit cobbler.
- Easy cheesy beef empanadas make for another great weeknight meal.
slow cooker barbecue baby back ribs;
Ingredients
- 2 lbs baby back ribs
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1½ cups barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Rub ribs with brown sugar, then season with salt and pepper
- Add ribs to slow cooker, curling around the inside of the basin as needed. Cover with barbecue sauce and top with lid. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Remove and serve with additional BBQ sauce. (As time permits, remove to the fridge and remove fat from top before warming to serve.)
3 Comments
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