Description
Tender and flavorful St. Louis-style pork spareribs slow-cooked to perfection in a crockpot with a smoky paprika and brown sugar rub, finished with a rich barbecue sauce reduction. This easy recipe yields fall-off-the-bone ribs ideal for any casual gathering or family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Ribs and Rub
- 6 pounds St. Louis-style pork spareribs (or baby back ribs)
- 3 tablespoons smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Barbecue Sauce
- 24 ounces BBQ sauce (store-bought or homemade, such as Blue’s Hog Original)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (optional, if the BBQ sauce is sweet)
Instructions
- Prepare the slow cooker: Spray the slow cooker and the underside of its lid generously with nonstick cooking spray to facilitate easy cleanup after cooking.
- Remove membrane: Carefully remove the silver membrane from the back of the ribs if it has not been removed already, to ensure tender meat. Refer to instructional videos for guidance if needed.
- Make dry rub: In a small bowl, whisk together smoked paprika, brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to form the dry rub mixture.
- Apply dry rub: Rub the dry spice mixture evenly over all surfaces of the ribs, ensuring each piece is well coated for maximum flavor.
- Brush with sauce: Lightly brush both sides of the ribs with barbecue sauce to help lock in moisture and flavor before cooking.
- Arrange ribs in crockpot: Place the ribs standing upright with the meaty side against the inside wall of the slow cooker to maximize space and even cooking.
- Add sauce and vinegar: Pour the remaining barbecue sauce over the ribs. If using a sweet barbecue sauce, drizzle the apple cider vinegar evenly over the ribs to balance the sweetness.
- Cook slowly: Cover and cook on low heat for 5 to 6 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and easily pulls away from the bone.
- Reduce sauce: Remove the ribs carefully and strain the cooking juices through a fine-mesh strainer into a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sauce reduces to about 2 cups, intensifying its flavor.
- Slice and serve: Slice the ribs between the bones and serve with the reduced barbecue sauce alongside extra store-bought BBQ sauce if desired.
Notes
- Removing the membrane from the ribs helps achieve more tender meat.
- If you prefer less spicy ribs, reduce or omit the crushed red pepper flakes.
- Using apple cider vinegar helps cut through the sweetness if your barbecue sauce is very sweet.
- Be careful when standing ribs upright to avoid overcrowding the slow cooker to ensure even cooking.
- The ribs can be made a day ahead and reheated gently in the oven or slow cooker for convenience.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: crockpot ribs, slow cooker ribs, pork ribs recipe, barbecue ribs, St. Louis style ribs, easy ribs recipe
