Name: Slow Cooker Pork Ribs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 10 min
Ingredients: 3-4 pounds pork ribs (spare ribs, country-style ribs, or baby back ribs); 1/2 cup reduced-sodium beef broth; 1/4 cup honey barbecue sauce; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 3 tablespoons honey mustard; 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar; 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon paprika; 3/4 teaspoon cumin; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 3/4 teaspoon black pepper; 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

If you love an easy crockpot dinner recipe, you will love Slow Cooker Pork Ribs! It produces fork-tender ribs using simple ingredients, and the sauce is so flavorful you will want to smother everything in it! This is a slow cooker recipe that makes dinnertime a breeze!

Whether you’re feeding the family or dinner guests, this slow cooker recipe will make your job easy and deliver an amazing pork rib dinner. You will get tender and flavorful ribs with very little work…the slow cooker does most of it for you!

As a bonus, the house will smell intoxicating while the pork ribs braise to melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. It’s hard to resist digging into the ribs right away, and the sauce is so good you will want to pour it on everything!

Easy prep:

So easy, the preparation takes minutes. You can throw everything into the slow cooker, turn it on, and forget about it for hours. Then, return to a steaming pot of ribs and sauce you can’t wait to dive into! Here’s a quick rundown of how to make this easy pork rib recipe:

Remove the silver skin on the ribs if you have a rack of ribs.
Make the simple dry rub and apply it to the pork ribs.
Combine the simple sauce ingredients.
Place the ribs into the slow cooker/crockpot.
Combine the sauce ingredients, then pour it over the ribs.
Turn it on and forget it for a few hours!
Broil the ribs in the oven to caramelize the sauce and crisp up the exterior.

Ingredients needed:

Good news!! The ingredients are easy to use. There is no chopping involved. Except for the pork, everything comes from the pantry. All you need to do is measure and mix.

Pork ribs—spare ribs, country-style ribs, or baby back ribs. I like to use spare ribs or country-style ribs. Baby back ribs are the leanest cuts of ribs, and they cost a little more. Because of the leanness, baby back ribs can dry out more easily. Check for doneness sooner rather than later with this cut.
Barbecue sauce—I use Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Barbecue Sauce. It adds body and fantastic flavor.
Beef broth—for moisture and depth of flavor. Use less sodium to control the saltiness.
Honey mustard—to add flavor and a touch of acidity.
Brown sugar—imparts sweetness and stickiness.
Red pepper flakes—provide warmth to the sauce without making it spicy.
Soy sauce—adds saltiness and rounds out the flavor.
Cornstarch—for thickening the sauce.
Dry rub—made simply with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. It’s rubbed directly onto the ribs.

Recipe highlights:

If you are using a rack of ribs, remove the silver skin from the underside to allow the sauce and seasoning to be absorbed. This step is optional but highly recommended.
Combine the salt, black pepper, and garlic powder for the dry rub, then apply directly onto the ribs.
Spray the interior of the slow cooker with cooking spray. Add the ribs.
Combine the sauce ingredients, then pour it over the ribs. Cover with the lid.
Turn the slow cooker on low for 7-9 hours or high for 3-5 hours.
Transfer the ribs onto a baking sheet and baste with the sauce. Broil on high for a few minutes to crisp up and caramelize the outside.
Refer to the recipe card below for detailed instructions.

Why remove the silver skin?

The silver skin is a tough membrane located on the bony underside of the rack of ribs. While it’s not necessary to remove the silver skin, it does serve two purposes. First, it’s more aesthetically pleasing because the skin is chewy and rubbery…not very pleasant to bite into. Secondly, removing the skin allows for better penetration of seasoning and the sauce for flavoring. If you want to skip this step, you should alternatively score the skin with a sharp knife in a criss-cross pattern to allow the seasoning to seep through.

Removing the silver skin is simple. Wedge the tip of a butter knife between the membrane and the bone to separate them. Next, use your bare hand (or use a paper towel for a better grip) to grasp onto the membrane and pull it up and away from the rack of ribs.

I did not use a rack of ribs for this post, so I did not have to remove the silver skin. The Spruce Eats has a tutorial on how to do it if you need visuals. It’s not complicated at all!

How to tell when the ribs are done:

I always recommend using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Although pork ribs are technically done at 145° F, they should be cooked to a higher temp to break down the collagen to obtain tender and juicy ribs. For the most flavorful and tender ribs, the internal temperature should be between 195°-203° F.

If you don’t have a meat thermometer, use visual cues. The meat should be tender and pulled back slightly away from the bone. If you have a rack of ribs, it should be flexible and bend downward when held in the middle. When you pierce the meat with a knife, it should slide in smoothly, and the juices should not be pink.

How to store leftovers:

You’re going to want to have leftovers to enjoy at a later time! They are so easy to store and reheat.

Refrigerate—store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Freeze—wrap the pork in plastic wrap and then in double layers of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the ribs to defrost in the refrigerator 24 hours before reheating.
To reheat—microwave at short intervals in a covered plate or container until the ribs are heated through. If reheating in the oven, place the ribs in a baking pan equipped with a rack. Add some hot water to the bottom of the pan to keep the pork moist. Don’t let the water level touch the ribs. Cover tightly with foil and bake in a preheated 350° F oven until heated through.

Serving suggestions:

This crockpot dinner can easily be made any day of the week. It’s comforting, flavorful, and completely suitable for entertaining guests. It’s the perfect hearty fall dinner! I love it with white rice with a generous drizzle of the sauce. Certainly, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and scalloped potatoes all go well with these ribs. Let’s not forget mac and cheese! In addition, any one of these sides is a perfect accompaniment:

Recommended supplies:

(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or come highly rated.)

Slow cooker—this 6-quart slow cooker has lid clips to prevent spills to make the slow cooker easy to transport.
Kitchen tongs—these tongs have silicone tips, which are great for use on nonstick surfaces.
Basting brush—this set of 2 brushes is made of silicone and is heat resistant.
Baking sheet—this extra large pan has a corrugated surface and is nonstick. It is PTFE, PFOA, and BPA-free and is wrap-resistant.

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