These simple slow cooker country style ribs are coated with a fantastic dry rub, then cooked for hours until they're fall-off-the-bone tender. These country style ribs in the crock pot require very little effort to prepare and always a hit at any get-together.
I consider myself an expert when it comes to ribs! Not only have I eaten my fair share but I've also experimented with lots of different methods and used pork ribs and beef ribs!
Cooking country style ribs in the slow cooker is one of my favorites. Not only is it easy, but they taste so tender, juicy, and flavorful. Each bite is simply delicious.
If you love ribs then you definitely need to try these smoked beef ribs, my Instant Pot short ribs, oven baked beef ribs or my Slow Cooker Pork Riblets. They're all delicious and perfect for your next BBQ or cookout.
Why You Will Love Country Style Ribs in the Crockpot
- These ribs are super easy to make and cleanup is a breeze.
- Slow cooking makes ribs incredibly tender.
- The combination of seasonings and BBQ sauce gives the ribs a deep, rich flavor.
- The perfect comfort food all year long and can easily be doubled or tripled to accommodate a crowd.
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make the slow cooker ribs dry rub that helps make these slow cooker country style ribs turn out so delicious.
You'll find everything you need at your local grocery store in just a few minutes. See the recipe card at the end of the post for exact quantities.
- Ribs: You can use back, side, or boneless pork ribs.
- BBQ sauce: You can use any brand or flavor you enjoy.
- Rub for the ribs: It's made with a blend of spices including smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper or red pepper flakes.
What Kind of Ribs to Cook in the Slow Cooker?
Here's a quick look at the ribs you can use for cooking in the slow cooker.
- Country Style Pork Ribs: Contrary to their name, country style ribs aren't ribs at all. They get their name because their flavor and texture is almost identical to ribs. These "ribs" come from the shoulder blade. Their meat-to-fat ratio is perfect for the traditional low and slow method of cooking pork ribs.
PRO TIP: In my honest opinion, these are the BEST option for cooking slow cooker ribs and it’s what makes these Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs.
If you prefer to use other ribs, here are a few other options:
- Baby Back Ribs: These are the most commonly available variety of pork ribs. They make an affordable option while they are lean and meaty with just a little cartilage.
- Pork Spareribs or Side Ribs: These are big and fatty, with the least amount of meat of any kind of pork rib. But that’s great because all that fat makes the meat that is on them exceptionally tender, juicy, and flavorful especially when slow-cooked in your Crockpot.
- St. Louis Style Ribs: St. Louis ribs are flatter ribs and have more meat on the top side of the bone. These ribs are usually trimmed and squared off to make a rectangle. They're super tender when cooked low and slow for a long period of time.
Substitutions and Variations
Don't have the correct ingredients on hand? Or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this crockpot country style pork ribs.
- Spicy: Add a bit of our jalapeno powder or chipotle chili powder to the rub mixture for a bit of heat.
- Skip the Rub: We think it adds lots of flavor but if you want you can skip it and use only the sauce to make your ribs.
- Add Liquid Smoke: A few drops of liquid smoke added to the BBQ sauce will give your ribs a smoky flavor without the need for charcoal or wood chips.
- Add Onion: After you prepare the slow cooker with cooking spray, add a sliced onion across the bottom to rest your ribs on while cooking.
- Save the Sauce: After the ribs are cooked, save the juices and onions left in the slow cooker, add a slurry of cornstarch and water to thicken, and you have a delicious sauce to serve with your ribs.
How to Cook Country Style Ribs in the Crockpot
Making these crockpot country style ribs is easier than you might think and is simple enough for any level cook. Here are the highlights but you'll find the complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Trim the membrane from the ribs if you're using back or side ribs. You can loosen the edge a bit with a knife and then pull it off from the entire backside.
- Combine the ingredients for the dry rub and mix together.
- Add it to the ribs and rub it to coat both sides of the ribs.
- Add the ribs to your slow cooker after spraying it with cooking spray. You can also add BBQ sauce here if you are using it.
- Cook the ribs on low until the meat pulls away from the edge of the bone by about an inch.
- Transfer the ribs to a foil-lined baking.
- Brush them with BBQ sauce.
- Broil them in the oven to caramelize the top.
Hint: Avoid overcooking ribs and remove the ribs once you notice that the meat has shrunk back on each rib bone, about half an inch.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy these Crockpot honey BBQ chicken legs or our Air Fryer Short Ribs recipe.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store for up to 3 days in an air-tight container.
Freezer: Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container.
Reheat: Defrost the ribs overnight. Before heating, set them on the counter for about 30 minutes. Add more BBQ sauce to the ribs, loosely wrap them in foil, and bake at 250 degrees until warmed through. You can also cook them on low in the slow cooker for 1 to 2 hours until heated through.
What to Serve with Country Style Ribs
Looking for some ideas for an entire meal? Here are some of our favorites.
- Coleslaw is a classic choice that pairs perfectly with country style ribs. Try making a sweet coleslaw and a spicy jalapeno coleslaw.
- Potatoes offer a variety of options for creating delectable side dishes. Mashed potatoes give your meal a sense of comfort or you might try some roasted baby potatoes, baked parmesan potato halves, or a creole smoked potato salad.
- Corn on the cob or another one of these best corn side dishes always tastes great with your ribs.
- Salads are always a good option. Try a fresh mixed green salad, bell pepper salad, asparagus salad, or Mediterranean tortellini salad.
- Other side dishes include green beans, mac and cheese, or even some freshly baked corn muffins.
You will appreciate this easy slow cooker ribs recipe as much as I do and will add them to your Spring slow cooker recipes rotation as well!
Tips
- Cook the ribs on low for 6 - 8 hours to ensure the ribs become tender and fall apart.
- Make sure to use all the dry rub. It may seem like a lot but it's not.
- Let your ribs rest before cooking. After adding the rub to the ribs, wrap them up in tin foil and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours before cooking. You will be so glad you did.
- Ask your butcher to remove the membrane from the back of your ribs. It saves a lot of hassle.
- Let the ribs rest before serving for a few minutes to allow the juices to redistribute and ensure moist, tender meat.
- Don't overcook your ribs. Overcooked ribs can become dry and lose their flavor, We remove the ribs once we notice that the meat has shrunk back on each rib bone, about half an inch. You can check for doneness with a fork. If the meat pulls apart easily, it's done.
FAQ
The best way to tenderize country-style ribs is to cook them low and slow with a dry rub or marinade, in a crock pot or slow cooker. This method results in tender and flavorful meat.
To make Sweet Baby Ray's country style ribs in a slow cooker, first season the ribs with our rub, place in the slow cooker, and pour Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce over, making sure all the ribs are coated. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the ribs are tender and cooked through. For extra flavor, add additional sauce and broil the ribs in the oven before serving.
Country style ribs are meaty, thick-cut pork ribs usually from the shoulder of the pig. They are not true ribs but have a similar flavor and texture.
Video
More Easy Rib Recipes Recipes
Do you like ribs? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pork ribs Usually 2 racks, back membrane removed. You can also use baby back ribs, pork spareribs, St Louis style ribs, or traditional country style ribs.
- 1-2 cups barbecue sauce store bought or homemade - approximately
- cooking spray
Rib Rub
- 1 tblsp smoked paprika
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tblsp garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked sea salt kosher salt or sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Rinse the ribs to make sure there are no bone shards and trim visible fat. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
- If desired, remove the back membrane off the ribs by using a pairing knife to gently slide under the membrane and pry it up. You'll be glad you did this. It is worth the effort. As the skin lifts I shove my finger underneath. Use a paper towel to grab a hold of the membrane and pull it off. As the skin lifts up more you pull it towards the other end of the rack. Almost like pulling off a band aid, very, very slowly.
- Throw the membrane away. I find it easier to cut my rib racks in half to cook them. It is up to you. Trim any visible fat from your ribs. Rinse and pat dry.
- Once membrane removed, cut the ribs in half, if desired.
- Place the brown sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. Mix to combine.
- Rub the spices evenly all over both sides of the ribs. We use our hands to do this. It might like seem like a lot of seasoning, but you should use all of it. Allow ribs to sit for 30 minutes to come to room temperature covered in rub.
- Spray the slow cooker and/or insert with cooking spray. Place the ribs, covered with rub, in the slow cooker, around the edges first if possible. You can add some BBQ sauce on top if you want. Slow cook for 4-5 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
- Exact cooking time will vary depending on your slow cooker and the thickness of your ribs. We remove the ribs once we notice that the meat has shrunk back on each rib bone, about a half an inch.
- Place the broiler setting on high. Carefully remove the ribs from the slow cooker, they will be extremely tender.
- Place the ribs on a rimmed baking sheet covered in tinfoil for easy cleanup, if desired. Brush the bbq sauce generously all over the ribs. Carefully broil under your broiler until lightly charred and you begin to see lots of tiny bubbles all over the surface of your ribs. You can baste again with more sauce and let it bubble again to caramelize the sauce some more if desired. We generally do.
- Serve immediately while ribs are hot
Make Ahead
- If you are preparing your ribs the night before remove membrane and cover with seasoning. Place each rack or half rack on a piece of tin foil or parchment paper, and wrap each rack up. Put inside a plastic bag and store inside the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before needed.
Notes
- Cook the ribs on low for 6 - 8 hours to ensure the ribs become tender and fall apart.
- Make sure to use all the dry rub. It may seem like a lot but it's not.
- Let your ribs rest before cooking. After adding the rib, wrap them up in tin foil and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours before cooking. You will be so glad you did.
- Ask your butcher to remove the membrane from the back of your ribs. It saves a lot of hassle.
- Let the ribs rest before serving for a few minutes to allow the juices to redistribute and ensure moist, tender meat.
- Don't overcook your ribs. Overcooked ribs can become dry and lose their flavor, We remove the ribs once we notice that the meat has shrunk back on each rib bone, about half an inch. You can check for doneness with a fork. If the meat pulls apart easily, it's done.
Nutrition
This post was originally published July 2016. It has been updated with new images and content.
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