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    Home » Recipes » Pork Recipes

    Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs

    Published: Jul 8, 2022 · Modified: Dec 30, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    760 shares
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    • Yummly
    5 from 43 votes
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    pinterest image for slow cooker barbecue baby back ribs

    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.

    2 half racks of bbq sauced baby back ribs on white plate

    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.

    overhead view of 2 half racks of bbq sauced baby back ribs on white plate

    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?

    ingredients for slow cooker bbq 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?

    seasoned half racks of ribs in slow cooker
    • 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)
    ribs and all ingredients in slow cooker

    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.

    finished ribs in slow cooker

    When the timer goes off the ribs are ready.

    liquid from slow cooker in saucepan

    Drain off the liquid from the ribs into a medium saucepan removing any excess fat that’s pooling on top of the liquid.

    finishwed barbecue sauce in a saucepan

    Place the saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat and allow the sauce to reduce until thick, and bubbly.

    close up of slow cooker bbq ribs on white plate

    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!

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    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    close up of slow cooker bbq ribs on white plate
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 43 votes

    Slow Cooker Ginger Beer Barbecue Baby Back Ribs

    My Ginger Beer Barbecue Baby Back Ribs are fall off the bone delicious and so very easy to make using your slow cooker. Definitely a family pleaser!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time5 hrs
    Total Time5 hrs 10 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 626kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    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 tbsp Montreal steak seasoning for ribs
    • 2 oranges leave the peel on cut into pieces
    US Customary – Metric
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    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!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 626kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1602mg | Potassium: 808mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 61g | Vitamin A: 525IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

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    1. Bob c

      October 31, 2017 at 9:34 am

      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?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        October 31, 2017 at 9:39 am

        hi Bob

        High on your Ninja slow cooker mode. That’s the slow cooker I have too.

        Reply
    2. Amanda

      June 01, 2016 at 3:41 pm

      Will two racks of ribs cook in amount of time? I want to try these tonight, sounds amazing!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        June 02, 2016 at 7:24 am

        As long as they both fit in your slow cooker without overstuffing it, the cooking time shouldn’t be affected.

        Reply
    3. Lisa

      April 12, 2015 at 9:37 am

      5 stars
      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!!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        April 12, 2015 at 11:45 am

        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!

        Reply
        • Ronni

          December 28, 2022 at 7:44 am

          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

          December 28, 2022 at 8:43 am

          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.

    4. GailLLC

      April 10, 2015 at 5:19 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        April 11, 2015 at 2:56 pm

        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!

        Reply
    5. Annamaria @ Bakewell Junction

      March 26, 2015 at 11:56 pm

      Chef Dennis,
      Your ribs look finger-licking good. Pinning.
      Annamaria

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        March 27, 2015 at 6:49 am

        Thank you Annamaria, they were delicious!

        Reply
    6. GERRY SJODIN

      March 25, 2015 at 11:01 am

      Hi Chef,

      Gonna be trying this for sure – sounds delish

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        March 25, 2015 at 2:39 pm

        Thanks Gerry, hope you enjoy the ribs!

        Reply
    7. Liz

      March 25, 2015 at 10:04 am

      Yum – thank you!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        March 25, 2015 at 10:16 am

        Glad you like it Liz!

        Reply
    8. Tommy A Canyon

      March 25, 2015 at 9:42 am

      Excellent on game meat,Elk, Deer, Javalina, any rib meat. Enjoyed it very much.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        March 25, 2015 at 10:13 am

        I’m sure it would be great on game meat Tommy, thanks!

        Reply
    9. tina collins

      March 25, 2015 at 12:16 am

      5 stars
      so very good just can;t belive it there just so good.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        March 25, 2015 at 10:14 am

        Thanks Tina!

        Reply

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