Description
Tender and flavorful baby back ribs slow-cooked in a crock pot and finished under the broiler with a tangy barbecue sauce for a perfect charred glaze. This easy recipe delivers fall-off-the-bone ribs with minimal effort, ideal for a comforting meal anytime.
Ingredients
Scale
Ribs and Seasoning
- 2 racks baby back ribs (about 3 to 4 pounds)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons rib rub (store-bought or homemade as per notes)
Vegetables and Liquid
- 1 onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- ½ cup water
Sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ½ cup chili sauce
- ½ cup barbecue sauce of choice
Instructions
- Prepare the rub: If you are making a homemade rib rub, combine all the rub ingredients in a bowl based on the recipe provided in the notes.
- Prep the ribs: Remove the silver membrane from the back of the ribs to ensure tenderness. Rub both the front and back of the ribs thoroughly with the rib rub to coat evenly.
- Load the slow cooker: Place the sliced onion, garlic, water, and seasoned ribs inside the crock pot.
- Cook the ribs: Cook on high heat for 4 hours or on low heat for 8 hours until the ribs are fork-tender and easily pull apart.
- Make the sauce: While the ribs cook, combine ketchup, chili sauce, and barbecue sauce in a bowl and mix well.
- Broil the ribs: Preheat your oven’s broiler. Once ribs are done, brush the sauce mixture generously over the ribs. Place under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce chars slightly and caramelizes, creating a delicious glaze.
Notes
- Removing the silver membrane is key to tender ribs; use a paper towel to grip and pull it off easily.
- Homemade rib rub can include paprika, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper for a balanced flavor.
- This recipe can be adapted to a gas grill finish instead of broiling for a smoky flavor.
- Make sure to baste the ribs with sauce before broiling to prevent drying out.
- Leftover ribs reheat well and can be used in sandwiches or salads.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: crock pot ribs, slow cooker ribs, baby back ribs, barbecue ribs, easy ribs recipe, slow cooked ribs
