These Slower Cooker Spare Ribs are meaty, sweet, and tangy. The ribs are cooked in the Slow Cooker for 4 to 6 hours until tender, flavorful, and mouth-watering good!
If you enjoy eating ribs but, don’t have time to cook them in the oven or on a grill you should try cooking pork ribs in a slow cooker.
This recipe is the perfect meal to throw in the slow cooker and forget about it for a few hours.
Also, if you love trying different types of ribs like honey glazed ribs or coca cola ribs, you’ll love our homemade rub and the recipe for our semi-homemade Apple barbecue sauce.
The slow cooker spare ribs with the Apple barbecue sauce taste incredible!!
There’s even a secret ingredient in the barbecue sauce that will please your taste buds. It’s a hint of cinnamon. There I gave away the SECRET. LOL!!
So, whether you’re having a busy day at work or a busy day at home, these ribs are the perfect quick and easy meal to enjoy after a long day.
Plus, the whole family will love these Slow Cooker Spare Ribs.
Do you have a favorite recipe for barbecue ribs? What kind of barbecue sauce or dry rub do you use?
How to Make Slow Cooker Spare Ribs
First, make your dry rub and your semi-barbecue sauce. See recipe card below for full recipe and instructions. Next, preheat the broiler.
Second, pat the ribs dry and remove the membranes. Next, rub the ribs with the dry rub. Shake off any excess.
Third, broil the ribs on a baking sheet in the oven for 5-10 minutes on each side until they get a nice caramelized color.
Once the pork ribs are finished broiling in the oven, place them in the slow cooker in a circle. See photo below.
Fourth, using a basting brush baste the ribs with the semi-homemade apple bbq sauce. Make sure to pour any remaining sauce over the ribs.
Last, pour one cup of water at the bottom of the slow cooker and cook the ribs for 4 to 6 hours. Once the pork ribs are finished cooking, remove them carefully and enjoy!
Don’t the ribs look delicious? The pork ribs can be paired perfectly with these Instant Pot Corn on the Cob or this Homemade Creamy Coleslaw. And, even my Instant Pot Mac and Cheese.
My family loves these AMAZING tender and delicious ribs we hope your family loves them too!
Slow Cooker Spare Ribs
These Slow Cooker Spare Ribs are the perfect quick and easy meal. The ribs come out of the slow cooker tender, flavorful, and mouth-watering good.
Ingredients
For Rib Dry Rub
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp seasoned salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
For Semi-Homemade Apple Barbecue Sauce
- 1/2 cup favorite store bought BBQ sauce
- 1/3 cup no-sugar added applesauce
- 1 tsp cinnamon
For Slow Cooker Spare Ribs
- 1-2 racks of Spare Pork ribs, depending on what your slow cooker can hold.
- Rib Dry Rub. You may sub out any dry rub you prefer.
- Semi-Homemade Apple BBQ sauce
- 1 cup water
Instructions
For Dry Rub
- Combine together until well blended. Store extra in a cool dark place in a sealed container.
For Semi-Homemade Apple Barbecue Sauce
- Combine until blended. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
For Slow Cooker Spare Ribs
- Preheat broiler or grill to high heat.
- Pat ribs dry, and remove any membrane on the bone side of the ribs.
- Liberally rub ribs with the Rib Dry Rub. Shake off any excess.
- Grill or broil ribs for 5-10 minutes each side, or until they get a nice color.
- Carefully place ribs into the slow cooker as shown in photo above in post.
- Using a brush, baste the ribs with the Semi-Homemade Apple BBQ sauce. Try and reach most areas, and finish by pouring any that remains on top of the ribs.
- Carefully pour 1 cup water into the bottom of the slow cooker (less if your slow cooker is small. You want a shallow water layer at the bottom of the slow cooker). Do not pour over the ribs, you want that sauce to stay on there!
- Cook on low for 4-6 hour.
- Once cooked carefully remove and enjoy!
Notes
You could also grill the ribs for 5-10 minutes on each side instead of placing them under the broiler in the oven.
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B. says
This looks really good and doing things without heating the oven for a long time is always good in my book.
Thanks I’ll have to try this soon.
Kim Seghers says
Thank you so much! Yes we love recipes especially during the summer months that he be done without using an oven but still taste delicious! We hope you get to try this recipe! Kim