My Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs Recipe is a great way to enjoy delicious bbq ribs without the muss and fuss of a barbecue grill!
All you need to make delicious tender fall-off-the-bone ribs is a slow cooker or crockpot and a few simple ingredients.
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There is no need to marinate the ribs or go to the trouble of making your own barbecue sauce, just use your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce ( I use Sweet Baby Ray’s).
My recipe uses ginger beer for the cooking process, but you can easily make this recipe using Coke, Dr. Pepper, Root Beer or your favorite bottled beer.
There is no added brown sugar, so the recipe depends upon the sugar in the ginger beer and the natural sugar in the oranges for that delicious caramelization we love in barbecue! That being said you can always add to the recipe if you want to kick up the seasonings with chopped garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder and even cayenne pepper.
If you love ribs here are some great rib recipes for Dry Rub Grilled Baby Back Ribs and Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs.
What ingredients do I need to make slow cooker barbecue ribs?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
How do you make Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs?
- Split the rack of ribs in half or in thirds so they fit into your crockpot or slow cooker.
- Pat the ribs with paper towels to dry them off.
- Add seasoning to the top of the ribs (fat side up)
Add in the ginger beer, barbecue sauce, and oranges to the slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to the high setting and cook for 4 hours and 30 minutes for very tender ribs, or 5 hours for fall-off-the-bone ribs.
When the timer goes off the ribs are ready.
Drain off the liquid from the ribs into a medium saucepan removing any excess fat that’s pooling on top of the liquid.
Place the saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat and allow the sauce to reduce until thick, and bubbly.
Spoon some of the sauce over the ribs and if you want them to caramelize place them under the broiler for a few minutes.
This easy ribs recipe will be your new favorite way to make pork ribs. You can use your favorite kind of ribs. Spare ribs, baby back ribs, or St. Louis style ribs, will all work well with my slow cooker rib recipe. You’ll get the most perfect, succulent, tender, and flavorful ribs every time, and that’s a promise!
More Slow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love!
Slow Cooker Ginger Beer Barbecue Baby Back Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back pork ribs cut two pieces
- 2 cups barbecue sauce I used Sweet Baby Rays
- 12 ounces ginger beer or your favorite premium beer, Coke, Dr. Pepper, or Root Beer.
- 1 tablespoon Montreal steak seasoning for ribs
- 2 oranges leave the peel on cut into pieces
Instructions
- Rinse the rack of ribs under cold running water and then pat them dry with paper towels.
- Season the top of the ribs with Montreal seasoning according to taste, then place them into a slow cooker. *Be careful too much seasoning will make these very peppery.
- Add the barbecue sauce, ginger beer and cut oranges into the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and turn it on high setting, and cook for 4 hours and 30 minutes for very tender ribs. For fall of the bone tender ribs cook for 5 hours.
- When the timer goes off turn off the slow cooker and remove the cooking liquids. adding them to a saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over medium-high heat to allow the sauce to reduce, until thick and bubbly (about 10 minutes).
- Spoon some of the sauce over the ribs and if you want them to caramelize place them under the broiler on a foil-lined sheet pan for a 3-5 minutes
- Serve up your deliciousness with your favorite sides!
Tony V says
These ribs were delicious! I followed the instructions exactly, but I was concerned because I had to overlap the rib sections in my slow-cooker, and also because I may have used too many (large) orange slices – but it turned out perfectly! I served them with your great baked beans recipe and also cole slaw. Definitely a HIT meal! Thanks for the great recipes.
Chef Dennis Littley says
You’re very welcome and I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the ribs.
Edie says
Chef Dennis – I have 2-3 racks of baby backs and if they fit in the crock pot, should I double the recipe ingredients? Thank you.
Raquel Quiroz says
Hi! Does the “silver skin membrane “ need to be removed or not necessary?
Chef Dennis Littley says
I haven’t had to remove the silver skin in a long time, most of the racks I buy have any thick membrane removed. You can remove it if you like, but I don’t think its necessary.
Sandra T. says
We don’t eat pork in our home, so can BEEF spare ribs or a LAMB RACK be substituted for the pork and if so, will the cooking time be the same in the slow cooker? The ribs look absolutely wonderful and would like to make them for the weekend.
Chef Dennis Littley says
The cooking will be the same for beef ribs or lamb ribs. I don’t know if I’d cook a rack of lamb that way, but the ribs would be fine.
Carl says
Is it possible to pre-cook them and then reheat in the oven? I have a 6qt slow cooker, 2 racks of ribs (8lbs) therefore need to cook in 2 batches.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Yes, you can cook them, then when you’re ready to serve, apply barbecue sauce and give them some time in the oven to reheat.
I’ve also got a really easy oven baked rib recipe, and you could cook them all at the same time -> https://www.askchefdennis.com/easy-oven-baked-baby-back-ribs/
Carl says
Thank you so much Chef for your prompt response and for the other recipe – I will try them both and let you know how they worked out.
Bob c says
Chef, want to make these ribs tonight, I will be using a Ninja slow cooker, recipe says cook on high. Do you mean High stove top or high slow cooker mode on the ninja?
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Bob
High on your Ninja slow cooker mode. That’s the slow cooker I have too.
Amanda says
Will two racks of ribs cook in amount of time? I want to try these tonight, sounds amazing!
Chef Dennis Littley says
As long as they both fit in your slow cooker without overstuffing it, the cooking time shouldn’t be affected.
Lisa says
My new go-to recipe for ribs! These were so easy and delicious. I didn’t have ginger beer so I substituted a can of Guinness, and used KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce. Fall off the bone fork tender. This is a keeper!!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks for the feedback Lisa, I’m very happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, ribs cooked this way are a wonderful thing! I made some last night for a small family gathering using regular beer and they were wonderful!
Ronni says
Excited to try it, but I have a problem with Oranges can you please suggest a substitute… Pineapple, tomato and ketchup will not work either for my citrus family intolerant system…
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Ronni
You can just leave out the oranges, no problem. If you want to add more flavor, you can add onions and garlic to the mix. You mention you can’t have ketchup, but the barbecue sauce normally is a ketchup-based sauce. If you have an alternative to that, use whatever bbq sauce your diet will allow.
GailLLC says
I have some confusion about “ginger beer.” Are you referring to beer that has ginger in it, or the brewed (and amazing!) versions of the soda pop commonly called ginger ale? Being a soda-style ginger beer aficionado but not someone who typically has beer around, I’m hoping it’s my type because these ribs sound awesome! Sweet Baby Ray’s is our go-to bottled BBQ sauce, too. Thanks.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Ginger beer is more of an adult ginger ale with a more robust flavor, but you can use regular ginger ale or your favorite beer instead. Enjoy the ribs!
Annamaria @ Bakewell Junction says
Chef Dennis,
Your ribs look finger-licking good. Pinning.
Annamaria
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you Annamaria, they were delicious!
GERRY SJODIN says
Hi Chef,
Gonna be trying this for sure – sounds delish
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks Gerry, hope you enjoy the ribs!
Liz says
Yum – thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Glad you like it Liz!
Tommy A Canyon says
Excellent on game meat,Elk, Deer, Javalina, any rib meat. Enjoyed it very much.
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m sure it would be great on game meat Tommy, thanks!
tina collins says
so very good just can;t belive it there just so good.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks Tina!