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Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs

These slow cooker ribs are the best — they turn out perfect every time! They cook in a crockpot until tender, then are covered with barbeque sauce and finished in the oven for fall-apart ribs. Perfect for during the week as the slow cooker does most of the work!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine French
Servings 6 people
Calories 3970.8 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Slow Cooker Large enough to hold 3 pounds of ribs.
  • 1 Baking Sheet
  • 1 Oven
  • 1 Tongs For handling hot ribs.
  • 1 Sharp Knife For trimming ribs.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 3 pounds baby back ribs trimmed
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ onion sliced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 18 ounce bottle barbeque sauce

Instructions
 

  • Gather all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Season ribs with salt and pepper. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Pour 1/2 cup water into the slow cooker, then add ribs. Scatter onion and garlic over top. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • When the ribs are almost finished, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  • Transfer ribs from the slow cooker to a baking sheet; discard onion and garlic. Coat ribs with barbeque sauce. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Bake ribs in the preheated oven until sauce caramelizes and sticks to meat, 10 to 15 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Enjoy! Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Ribs: For about six servings, you’ll need three pounds of trimmed baby back ribs. 
  • Seasonings: The ribs are simply seasoned with salt and pepper. 
  • Water: You’ll need about ½ cup of water. 
  • Onion and garlic: Sliced onion and minced garlic lend bold flavor. 
  • Barbecue sauce: Use store-bought or homemade barbecue sauce. 
  • Add all the ingredients (besides the sauce) to the slow cooker. 
  • Cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours. 
  • Coat the ribs with sauce and bake until the sauce caramelizes. 
  • Corn Fritters 
  • Grandma's Collard Greens 
  • Southern Dill Potato Salad

Notes

For exceptionally tender ribs, ensure the silvery membrane on the back of the ribs is removed before seasoning. A slight dry rub applied before slow cooking can add a deeper layer of flavor. To achieve maximum caramelization on your BBQ sauce in the oven, consider finishing the ribs under a broiler for the last 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning. Do not overcrowd the slow cooker, as this can lead to uneven cooking. Adjust seasoning to your preference, and feel free to elevate the dish with a homemade or premium quality barbeque sauce. Consider adding a splash of apple cider vinegar to the slow cooker for added moisture and tang.