Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
These Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs deliver tender, sticky, and flavorful pork ribs without the need for a smoker or grill. Perfectly cooked low and slow, they're a crowd-pleaser that’s easy to make at home.
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 pounds pork ribs cut into 4 pieces if desired
- 1 cup barbecue sauce your favorite, see note if gluten-free
Instructions
Instructions
- Mix the paprika, brown sugar, black pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend onto the ribs, thoroughly coating all sides.
- Arrange the ribs standing up in a slow cooker and pour the barbecue sauce on top.
- Cook on high for 4-6 hours, until the ribs are tender and done to your liking. Transfer the ribs to a broiler-safe pan.
- Strain the sauce and juices left in the slow cooker through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan. If there is a lot of fat on top, use a spoon to scoop most of it off.
- Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat so the sauce simmers. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until significantly reduced.
- Brush the ribs with sauce and broil for about 10 minutes, pulling them out 2-3 times during that time to brush on more sauce, until the ribs are darkened and sticky but not burned.
- Serve hot, with additional sauce on the side.
Notes
You can use baby back or St. Louis style ribs for this recipe. Cutting the ribs into a few segments before cooking makes it easier to fit them into a small slow cooker and easier to get out once they're done. At four hours, the ribs should be cooked through but should still hold together in pieces for serving. At six hours, they'll be totally falling apart and even more tender, so adjust the cooking time according to your preferences. The flavor of the finished ribs depends a lot on the barbecue sauce you use, so be sure to choose one that you love. Not all commercial barbecue sauces are gluten-free so be sure to check, if needed, or use your favorite homemade barbecue sauce to keep the recipe gluten-free.