My Slow Cooker Country Style Pork Ribs are cooked low and slow until they’re moist, delicious, and so tender that they almost melt in your mouth. Meatier than other ribs, and served with barbecue sauce, they’re a hearty meal your whole family will love!
Slow Cooker Country Style Pork Ribs is one of my favorite slow cooker recipes. It’s made with simple ingredients and only takes ten minutes of prep work.
Using a slow cooker to make my country style ribs not only takes all the work out of cooking, it also guarantees these ribs will come out tender and juicy, every time.
If you love slow-cooker ribs, make sure to check out my slow-cooker baby back ribs and short ribs recipes.
If you don’t have a slow cooker, try my oven-baked country-style pork ribs.
Ingredients to make Slow Cooker Country Style Pork Ribs
Gather the ingredients needed to make our slow cooker country-style pork ribs recipe. Culinary professionals call this the Mise en Place, which means “Everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also helps ensure you have all of the ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
How to make Slow Cooker Country Style Pork Ribs
- In a small bowl, add the chili powder, kosher salt, cumin, dried oregano, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Mix to combine.
- If your ribs didn’t come precut, cut them into sections.
You may find that some companies package country-style pork ribs boneless. - Rub the spice blend into the ribs. Then, let them sit for 15-30 minutes to marinate and come to room temperature.
- Spray the bottom of the slow cooker with cooking spray. Then, add the chopped onions and garlic to the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Place the seasoned ribs on top of the onions in a single layer if possible.
- Add the barbecue sauce and chicken broth to the slow cooker, pouring it over the ribs.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook the ribs on low for 3 – 4 hours or until tender but not falling apart.
- Remove the ribs from the sauce, place them on a serving platter, and cover them with aluminum foil to keep warm.
- Remove the sauce from the slow cooker and place it in a small saucepan. Skim off any excess fat. Then, heat it over medium-high heat until it has thickened.
If needed, add additional barbecue sauce; if it’s too thick, thin it out with water or chicken broth.
Brush the country style pork ribs with the heated barbecue sauce and serve with your favorite side dishes.
For crispy, caramelized ribs, place them on a sheet pan under the broiler for 3-5 minutes or until they have crisped up to your liking. Making sure not to let them burn. Brush with additional sauce and serve.
Store any leftover ribs refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Reheat in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Recipe FAQ’s
Although country-style ribs aren’t actually ribs, people refer to them as ribs because most cuts have bones running through them, and they contain more meat and less bone than “real” ribs..
Country-style pork ribs come from the shoulder area of the pig. Chefs don’t actually consider them ribs; instead, they take this cut from the blade end of the pork loin close to the shoulder. This cut includes parts of the pork shoulder blade bone and features a good amount of marbling, making it tender and flavorful when cooked.
Two factors can lead to the meat being tough.
Not having enough liquid in the pan during the cooking process, or not cooking the meat long enough.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Slow Cooker Country Style Pork Ribs
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 3 – 4 lbs country style ribs
- 1 large sweet onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup barbecue sauce your favorite brand
- ½ cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Add the chili powder, kosher salt, cumin, dried oregano, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to a small bowl. MIx to combine.
- Rub the spice blend into the country-style pork ribs and let them sit to come to room temperature for 15-30 minutes.
- Spray the bottom of the slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Add the chopped onions and garlic to the bottom of the slow cooker
- Place the seasoned ribs on top of the onions in a single layer if possible.
- Add the barbecue sauce and chicken broth to the slow cooker, pouring it over the ribs.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook the ribs on low for 3 -4 hours or until the ribs are tender, but not quite falling apart.*You can also cook the ribs on high for 1½ – 2 hours.
- Remove the ribs from the sauce to a serving platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
- Remove the sauce from the slow cooker and place it in a small saucepan. Skim off any excess fat from the sauce. Heat the sauce over medium-high heat to reduce until it has thickened. If needed, add additional barbecue sauce, or if it's too thick, thin it out with water or chicken broth.
- Brush the ribs with the heated barbecue sauce and serve with your favorite side dishes.
- If you want the ribs to be crispy and to caramelize the barbecue sauce, place them on a sheet pan under the broiler for 3-5 minutes or until they have crisped up to your liking. Just make sure not to let them burn.Brush with additional sauce and serve.
Dave Nartowicz says
Yum! Thanks for the delicious recipe. Couldn’t pass on 99 cents per pound ribs, and this easy crockpot recipe was truly a keeper.
Chef Dennis Littley says
You’re welcome and I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the ribs!
Nancy Sue Hart says
I always sear my meat when using crock pot! Do i do that before it afer the rub?
Chef Dennis Littley says
You can sear them with the seasoning. Just add a little liquid to the pan when your done and add all of the juices from the pan to the slow cooker.
Chris says
Absolutely delicious! I made a smaller portion and we still have leftovers. Will make again.
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the ribs! I do love my slow cooker.
Veronika says
Loved these ribs, they came out so juicy and the mix of spices was perfect for them. Slow cooker takes a whole but it’s so much easier than anything else! Getting one was the best purchase I’ve made!
Tammy says
I love country style ribs, and yours were amazing. Low and slow gives the best results 😀
Mikayla says
Melt in your mouth, fall off the bone, every bite made us close our eyes with delight. WONDERFUL ribs.
Debbie says
These Slow Cooker Country Style Pork Ribs are amazing . They slow cooked to tender perfection. I love that this called for very simple ingredients that I mostly had on hand. I will be making this again.
DK says
This slow cooker pork rib recipe was really good! The meat was so soft and tender, it literally just fell off of the bone!
Elaine says
This slow cooker country style pork ribs recipe is so tender and delicious! They practically fell off the bone. Will definitely make again! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Jacqueline Debono says
I love this way of cooking pork ribs. They turned out fall off the bone tender and the sauce was really yummy!
Vicky says
There’s nothing better than a melt in your mouth pork rib and your recipe was amazingly delicoius!
Leslie says
Everything about this Slow Cooker Country Style Pork Ribs recipe is perfection! So tender and so full of flavor! It was a perfect meal!
veenaazmanov says
They were delicious! Everyone raved about the ribs and the slow cooker made it easy to prepare.