I’ve made baby back ribs enough times to know where they go wrong. Cook them too hot and they dry out. Rush them and they stay tough. They need steady heat and time.

How To Get Fall Off The Bone Ribs

Using our slow cooker makes it easier to get tender ribs without second-guessing yourself. They cook evenly, and you’re not chasing flare-ups or moving racks around to keep them from drying out.

How To Cook Them

Season both sides of a a rack of ribs, then baste with BBQ sauce
Place the sauced ribs in the crockpot, then sauce the bottom side. Pour more sauce over the top.
Cook the ribs low and slow for five hours
Base with the remaining sauce, then broil until bubbly and caramelized.

How To Check For Doneness

You’ll know they’re ready when a fork slides in easily and the meat has pulled back from the ends of the bones. Those signs matter more than how long they’ve actually been in the slow cooker.

Fork testing slow cooker BBQ baby back ribs for fall-off-the-bone tenderness

Once they’re tender, take them out. Leaving them longer than necessary can dry them out or make them too soft.

If you’re looking for other ways to cook ribs, try our Best Ever Pork Ribs or our Slow Cooker Country-Style Ribs.

Slow Cooker BBQ Baby Back Ribs

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These delicious Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs are rubbed with spices, slow-cooked, and finished under the broiler for sticky, caramelized BBQ perfection—no grill or smoker needed.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5 3

Total Time 5 13

Servings

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Equipment

6 to 7 quart slow cooker

Ingredients

3 to 3 ½ pounds pork baby back ribs (my rack of ribs was 3.25 lbs)

BBQ Rub

2 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin

BBQ Sauce

2 ½ cups BBQ sauce, your favorite brand (divide 2 cups and ½ cup)

Instructions

Before coating the ribs in the BBQ rub, you will need to carefully remove the opaque membrane that covers the underside of the ribs with a small sharp kitchen knife. Removing this tough chewy membrane helps improve not only the texture of your ribs, but also the flavor. Lift the corner edge of the membrane and carefully slide the knife’s edge underneath. Continue lifting the membrane up while cutting. Once you have this process started, you should be able to use your fingers to pull the membrane away. (I also recommend wearing disposable gloves while handling any raw meat as a general safety precaution)
In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, kosher salt, paprika, onion powder, pepper and cumin and stir to combine.
Spread ⅔ of the rub over the meaty side of the ribs, and then spread the remaining ⅓ over the underside where the membrane was removed.
Spray a 6 to 7 quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
Use either a spoon, or a basting brush to spread 1 cup of the BBQ sauce over the meaty side of the ribs.
Place the coated meaty side of the ribs against the sides of the slow cooker.
Next spread ½ cup of the BBQ sauce on the inside of the ribs.
Pour ½ cup of the sauce over the top ridge of ribs. (This will leave ½ cup for coating before you place the finished ribs under the broiler)
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 hours.
Just before the 5 hours on the slow cooker are up, preheat the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Using tongs and/or a large spatula, transfer the ribs from the slow cooker to the prepared baking sheet. (The ribs will be very tender, and you may have to transfer in sections)
Baste with the remaining BBQ sauce and broil for about 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and caramelized. Monitor closely since broilers can vary greatly in intensity and could burn the sauce quickly. Serve while hot.

Notes

You can skip the broiling step and just serve immediately after the slow cooker time.
You can line your slow cooker with a liner instead of spraying with nonstick cooking spray. This will make a quick job of cleaning up.

Tips for the Best Results

If you prefer, you can use the slow cooker drippings in place of the ½ cup of BBQ sauce when placing the ribs under the broiler.
It is important to remove the thin membrane that covers the underside of the ribs. If not removed, the ribs texture will go from a tender, melt in your mouth rib, to a tough to chew rib. It’s well worth the effort.
If you serve your ribs with baked beans, the slow cooker drippings can be added to the beans for extra flavor.

BBQ Sauce Options

Both store-bought and homemade BBQ sauce work well for this rib recipe. A good-quality bottled sauce is a practical option, while homemade sauces allow more control over flavor.

BBQ sauce is added in two stages:

A light coating early in the cooking process to help season the ribs as they become tender
A second layer added at the end creates a thicker, stickier finish. This final application affects texture more than flavor.

If you prefer homemade options, sauces like a Carolina mustard–style BBQ sauce or a spicier BBQ sauce both pair well with slow-cooked ribs.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover baby back ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Freezing is not recommended as slow cooker ribs can become overly soft once thawed and reheated.

To reheat, place the ribs in a covered baking dish and warm them in the oven until heated through. Brush with additional BBQ sauce before reheating, and finish uncovered if needed to restore the surface. Keeping the ribs covered and well-sauced helps prevent them from drying out.

Serving Suggestions

Slow cooker baby back ribs pair well with classic BBQ sides that balance their rich, saucy flavor. Baked beans, corn on the cob, fries or a simple pasta salad all work well and can be prepared ahead of time for easy serving.

For a more substantial plate, add hearty sides like green beans and potatoes or a corn casserole.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs