My husband is a huge fan of barbecue ribs. I didn’t really like all the hassle involved in cooking them until I discovered the slow cooker method. This changed my whole rib cooking experience.
Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs
Let me tell you, this is the easiest way to make fall-off-the-bone tender ribs that are so juicy and delicious you won’t believe it.
Once they are cooked, you finish them in the oven. Baste them with your favorite barbecue sauce, bake them for 15 mins and you are done!
The secret here is to slow cook them with sliced onions and chopped garlic, which infuse the meat with so much flavor, and the slow cooking makes them really tender.
You just put them in the crockpot and forget about them. I am certainly never making them any other way again!
INGREDIENTS:
- Baby back ribs: for me, these are the best ribs. They have lots of lean meat, they are smaller than spare ribs so they fit perfectly inside the crockpot and take less time to cook. Overall, I just love the flavor and tenderness of the meat.
- Onion and garlic: these two wonderful ingredients add so much flavor to the ribs. Slice the onions and mince the garlic and just put them on top of the ribs. The slow cooking method will infuse the meat with all its wonderful flavor. Discard them after cooking time is over.
- Barbecue sauce: just use the one you like the most. Or if you are like me, use a different one every time and change the flavor of your ribs. I love them all. Honey barbecue, chipotle, smoky, original, you name it!
- Water: it is important to add ½ cup of water to the crockpot to create steam. This is what actually cooks the meat.
HOW TO COOK PORK BABY BACK RIBS IN THE SLOW COOKER?
- Season the ribs with salt and pepper on both sides and cut them in half to fit inside the slow cooker.
- Pour ½ cup water into the slow cooker and place the ribs inside with the sliced onions and minced garlic over them. Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Take the ribs out of the slow cooker carefully, they will be very tender! Place them on a baking sheet and brush them with barbecue sauce. Bake them for 10-15 mins until the sauce caramelizes.
CAN YOU FREEZE COOKED BABY BACK RIBS?
You sure can. Wait until they cool down completely, wrap them in foil then put them inside freezer bags and freeze for up to three months.
Remember to label them with the date you made them and the “best eaten by” date.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH SLOW COOKER BABY BACK RIBS?
I love to serve them with coleslaw and baked potatoes, but french fries work just as well. You can also serve them with white rice and salad of your choice.
OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY;
- CHICKEN AND GRAVY
- SLOW COOKER POOR MAN’S STEW
- CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
- SLOW COOKER BEEF AND POTATO AU GRATIN
Ingredients
- 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 ounces) bottle barbeque sauce
Instructions
- Season the ribs with salt and pepper on both sides and cut them in half to fit inside the slow cooker.
- Pour ½ cup water into the slow cooker and place the ribs inside with the sliced onions and minced garlic over them. Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Take the ribs out of the slow cooker carefully, they will be very tender! Place them on a baking sheet and brush them with barbecue sauce. Bake them for 10-15 mins until the sauce caramelizes.
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