These slow cooker country style ribs are absolutely delicious and the smells wafting throughout the house are hard to resist! Pair these beauties with baked potatoes and sweet corn for a fabulous weeknight dinner.
Serve my KFC Coleslaw recipe, so good and a perfect side!
Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs
This is one of the easiest ways to cook ribs. Set it and forget it. The crockpot that is! The results are tender, fall apart pork ribs that everyone loves.
Related Recipe – Instant Pot Beef Ribs
I love my slow cooker, though sometimes I forget about it all tucked away in the cabinet. I’ve been trying to bring it out more, and aside from my crockpot macaroni and cheese, this is one of my favorites meals to make in it. While this recipe uses pork ribs, I’m looking forward to trying these slow cooker braised short ribs too!
Ingredients you need for these ribs:
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 large onion sliced into rings
- 1 large apple sliced into rings
- 5 pounds country style pork ribs
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Ingredients for the dry rub
- 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt finely ground
- 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
Everyone has a favorite crock pot rib recipe, but if you don’t have one yet I encourage you to try this one. You’ll love me for it.
How to make country style ribs in the crockpot
Basically you’ll mix up the rub and then rub that all over the meat, brown them in a pan and add them to the crock on a bed of onion and apples. Ad barbecue sauce and cook!
- Mix the liquid smoke into the barbecue sauce and set aside.
- Layer onion in the bottom of the slower cooker. Layer the sliced apples over the onions.
- Mix all the rub ingredients together. Rub all over the ribs.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet. Brown the ribs on all sides. You may have to work in batches. Add remaining olive oil to the skillet if needed.
- To the slow cooker, add a layer of ribs (start with any that contain bones) on top of the apples and onions. Cover those ribs with about 1/3 cup of the barbecue sauce mixture, brushing on to cover the meat.
- Layer remaining ribs on top of the first layer and pour on the rest of the barbecue sauce. Use a brush to ensure all ribs are covered.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high 4-5 hours.
More slow cooker recipes
If you enjoyed this, you may like some of my favorite slow cooker recipes, I’ve hand picked them below. Or you can have a look at all my slow cooker recipes here. And check this out if you are looking for kid friendly slow cooker recipes!
- Crockpot Roast Beef
- Crockpot Sticky Chicken
- Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash & Noodles
- Slow Cooker Java Brisket
- If you prefer to make your own, try this Tangy Memphis BBQ Sauce!
Slow Cooker Barbecued Country Style Ribs
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
For the Ribs
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 large onion sliced into rings
- 1 large apple sliced into rings
- 5 pounds country style pork ribs
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
The Rub
- 1 ½ tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt finely ground
- 1 ½ teaspoons mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Mix the liquid smoke into the barbecue sauce and set aside.
- Layer onion in the bottom of the slower cooker. Layer the sliced apples over the onions.
- Mix all the rub ingredients together. Rub all over the ribs.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet. Brown the ribs on all sides. You may have to work in batches. Add remaining olive oil to the skillet if needed.
- To the slow cooker, add a layer of ribs (start with any that contain bones) on top of the apples and onions. Cover those ribs with about 1/3 cup of the barbecue sauce mixture, brushing on to cover the meat.
- Layer remaining ribs on top of the first layer and pour on the rest of the barbecue sauce. Use a brush to ensure all ribs are covered.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high 4-5 hours.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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Debra says
Do you have to use ribs with bone in it? Can you use boneless ribs?
Amanda Formaro says
Yes that will work fine!
Carolyn says
Slow Cooker Barbecued Country Style Ribs can they be cooked in oven
have no slow cooker and do not want to leave anything cooking when not home.
thank you
Amanda Formaro says
This should work:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Put a small amount of water in a baking pan, about 1/16″. Place seasoned ribs in a baking pan. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake for 2 hours. Drain any fat and/or liquid. Pour BBQ sauce over the ribs. Replace foil on pan. Reduce oven temp to 275 F and put ribs back in. Bake 40 minutes.
Bill says
For 5# of country ribs what size slow cooker do you recommend
Amanda Formaro says
A 5 or 6 quart should work great!
David says
Do you serve the apples and onions with the ribs or are they just for flavor?
Amanda Formaro says
I just use them for flavor. By the time it’s all done the apples and onions are mush.
Kristie Rogers says
I have my country style ribs in the crock pot now I followed your recipe. I am 5 hours into it and there seems to be a lot of liquid in there. Should I drain?
Amanda Formaro says
Sorry I’m just seeing this comment. No need to drain it, that’ how crock pots work. They create liquid from the steam that the cooker creates. :) Just remove the ribs when all done and add a little more sauce on top!.
Judy Pilcher says
Going to try these for Mothers Day dinner. How many will this feed?
Amanda Formaro says
4-6
Okg says
Does anyone know how many calories or other nutrition values on this recipe?
Amanda Formaro says
Okg – that will depend on how well you trim the ribs and it will depend on the sauce that you use. There are roughly 370 calories in a 4-ounce country style rib. That doesn’t count the seasonings or the sauce.
Mike says
Made this twice – once with the liquid smoke and once without. Its hard to remember which one we liked better. Both ways were delicious. Fall apart tender and moist. Paired it with some fresh corn and a salad. Shredded the leftover pork and warmed it to make sandwiches on fresh baked hamburger buns.
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Mike! So glad you enjoyed it so much! I do the same thing if there are any leftovers and make it into sandwiches. I agree about the smoke flavoring too, with or without are both great :) Thanks!
Scfevre says
What a fabulous recipe! This will be my slow cooker rib recipe from now on. Ribs fell off the bone and had the right amount of heat. Way to go, Amanda! Thank you!
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks so much Scfevre! I’m so glad you enjoyed them just as much as we do! :)