I’ve side eyed my slow cooker that I received as a house warming gift for years. However, that all changed almost a decade ago when I learned about freezer meals and all the things you can make in a slow cooker. My slow cooker is one of the most used tools in my kitchen. The woman who gifted it to me is very wise and she is also my mom, lol. If you haven’t used your slow cooker yet or just using it for that occassional roast beef then get ready to be inspired because I am sharing a family favorite. These slow cooker barbecue ribs are so good they are melt-in-your-mouth incredible!
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Table of Contents
Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
There are two secrets to these slow cooker barbecue ribs. The first is how the ribs are cooked. Slow cooked always gives meat time to become tender and absorb all the flavor. Add the use of a slow cooker and you have a great dish with very little effort. Seriously, what is better than letting your slow cooker do all the work and coming home to the amazing aroma of barbecue ribs?!
By the way I can see my mom sitting with the world’s biggest smile as I tell her something else I learned to make in the slow cooker. She loves hearing what new thing I’ve made in my slow cooker and she also loves the fact that she’s the one who introduced me to the wonderful world of slow cooking.
Once the ribs are finished slow cooking broil for 3-5 minutes. This gives it that just-off-the-grill look and makes it even more amazing.
The Barbeque Sauce
The second secret is – the sauce. You can use a store bought sauce but I love the flavor of homemade barbecue sauce. Honestly, I never knew how easy it was to make until I was on vacation and we forgot to buy the barbecue sauce. The stores were across the bridge and in Florida that bridge is long and far. My mother-in-law was disappointed but luckily, I had an iphone and Pinterest. What can’t you find on Pinterest? That day I found this amazing recipe for barbecue sauce and won some points with my mother-in-law. It’s so good that we always make it and sometimes customize it with honey, bourbon or extra spices like garlic. You can definitely use your favorite store bought bbq sauce for this recipe but this one is pretty dang good! I recommend trying it at least once 🙂
The Ingredients:
Most of these ingredients are usually in my pantry and the flavor makes the little extra effort worth it for me. I love using this as a base and experimenting with different flavor. For exact measurements scroll down to the recipe box.
– Ketchup
-Brown sugar
-Apple cider vinegar
-Dried oregano
-Worcestershire sauce
-Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
-Chili powder
Preparation
Combine ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
Sprinkle Complete Seasoning on baby back ribs (membrane removed). Place ribs in slow cooker, and cover in the sauce.
Cook in slow cooker on low for 8 hrs or on high for 4 hours. I like to cook them on low because they give the best results and have plenty of time to soak up the flavor of the sauce.
After the ribs are done, place on foiled cooking sheet. Spoon the bbq sauce over the ribs and place in oven to broil for 3-5 minutes.
Cut the ribs, serve with even more bbq sauce and enjoy!
So You Don’t Have a Slow Cooker?
Oh man, you don’t have a slow cooker?! A slow cooker is an amazing and a great investment. I have the Power XL Air Fryer Combo 6 quart. It is 12-in-1 kitchen tool that helps maximize space and minimize the need for additional kitchen tools. It’s an indoor grill, air fryer, slow cooker, roaster, rice maker…it’s pretty amazing. That thing has a permanent place on our counter because we use it daily.
I highly recommend investing in a slow cooker because it helps you regain some of your time. This is time that you can spend with your family or enjoying alone. It is also great for busy weeknights when you don’t want to feed your kids takeout or junk. Set your slow cooker in the morning and come home to a cooked dinner your family can enjoy and be ready for be in no time. Hit the buy now button – It’s worth it!
Slow Cooking Ribs in the Oven
In the meantime if you still want melt-in-your-mouth ribs and the slow cooker is in the mail or still sitting in your online cart you can also make these in your oven. Fair warning it is more involved than if you were to use a slow cooker.
- Pre-heat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit cook for 2.5 hours covered with aluminum foil.
- Increase oven temp to 350 degrees Fahrenheit add a little bbq sauce to the ribs and cook for 1 hour uncovered.
- Increase temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for an additional 30 mins. Serve with bbq sauce on the side and enjoy!
Commonly Asked Questions
What goes with slow cooker ribs? Mashed potatoes, potato wedges, baked potato, mashed sweet potato, baked sweet potato, salad, rice, macaroni and cheese are a few options that come to mind.
Can I use beef ribs instead? Of course!
Can I add Coke to slow cooked ribs? I don’t see why not. I have done roast with coke and loved it.
Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs Recipe
Here’s the recipe for you to try. I hope that you enjoy them. Be sure to come back and let me know how they came out, modifications made and whether your family loved them as much as mine does. Basically, I want all the deets – lol. It helps future readers decide to make this recipe with the best outcome. Your comments also fuels me to keep sharing recipes. You can also email me anytime.
With love from Catt
~XO
Slow Cooker Melt-in-Your-Mouth Barbecue Ribs
Ingredients
- 3 lbs baby back ribs
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp chili powder
Instructions
- Combine ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle Complete Seasoning on 3 lbs of baby back ribs (membrane removed). Place ribs in slow cooker, and cover in the sauce.
- Cook low in slow cookeron low for 8 hrs or on high for 4 hours. I like to cook them on low because they give the best results and have plenty of time to soak up the flavor of the sauce.
- After the ribs are done, place on foiled cooking sheet. Spoon the bbq sauce over the ribs and place in oven to broil for 3-5 minutes.
- Cut the ribs, serve with even more bbq sauce and enjoy!
Notes
Tried This Recipe?
If you tried this recipe let me know your thoughts. You can leave a comment here or snap a pic and tag me on IG @Withlovefromcatt I look forward to reading your comments and seeing your pictures.Get More Inspiration
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