BBQ Crockpot Beef Ribs

If you’re after deeply rich and savory, fall-of-the-bone tender crockpot beef ribs, this is the recipe you want to make!

Beef ribs get coated in a smoky, savory spice blend—paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and black pepper—then head straight into the crockpot where they’re slathered with barbecue sauce. As they cook low and slow, the meat becomes incredibly tender. Right before serving, a quick trip under the broiler caramelizes the sauce, giving it a sticky, glossy finish that’s completely irresistible.

I love this recipe for so many reasons. After about ten hours in the slow cooker, the ribs are truly fall-off-the-bone tender, with deep, developed flavor from just a simple spice rub and your favorite BBQ sauce. The crockpot does all the hard work, which makes this one of those magical recipes that’s both easy and impressive. It’s perfect to start in the morning on a busy day, but special enough to serve to guests—and since there’s no grilling involved, it’s a year-round ribs recipe I come back to again and again.

The low-and-slow cooking method of crockpots is ideal for deep, rich beefy flavors! Make this crockpot beef stew next.

Which BBQ sauce should I use for slow-cooker beef ribs?

The truth is, slow-cooked beef in any BBQ sauce tastes amazing! We’ve experimented with these beef back ribs using various homemade or store-bought BBQ sauces, and they always turn out great. If you have a favorite BBQ sauce, use that one! Here are some of our top picks:

• Homemade: This chocolate BBQ sauce or this bourbon BBQ sauce are both delicious, or make our BBQ sauce for chicken or BBQ sauce for pork.
• Super spicy: Crazy Mooskies makes a spicy (and sugar-free) BBQ sauce.
• No sugar added: G Huges Smokehouse Sugar Free BBQ Sauce.
• Popular: We all know that Sweet Baby Ray’s is always a solid option.

How do I store leftover slow-cooker beef short ribs? If you have leftover crockpot beef ribs, store them in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze them in a freezer-proof container for up to three months.

Watch how to make crockpot beef ribs

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BBQ Crockpot Beef Ribs Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 10 hours hrs

Total: 10 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

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If you're after deeply rich and savory, fall-of-the-bone tender crockpot beef ribs, this is the recipe you want to make!

8

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon paprika
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, pepper, and salt
• ▢ 8 beef back ribs
• ▢ 1 cup bbq sauce (divided – see notes)

Instructions 

• In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, pepper, and salt.
  1 tablespoon paprika, 1 ½ teaspoons EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, pepper, and salt
  
• Sprinkle the spices evenly over both sides of the ribs.
  8 beef back ribs
  
• Place the ribs into your slow cooker, pour ¾ cup of the BBQ sauce over the ribs, and set your slow cooker for 10 hours on low.
  
• When the ribs have finished cooking, preheat your oven to broil with a rack in the top third of the oven. Carefully remove the ribs (they will be tender!) from your slow cooker and place them on a baking sheet.  Baste one side with the remaining ¼ cup of BBQ sauce then broil them for 5-6 minutes, until the BBQ sauce is bubbling and starts to caramelize and smell extra sweet.
  
• Remove the ribs from the oven and serve right away.
  

Video

Notes

Note 1: We’ve placed this recipe in the gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and paleo recipe categories. If any of these are important to you, make sure you choose BBQ sauce that suits your needs.

Note 2: If your ribs come in a rack (rather than cut like in the pictures), there may be a thin, papery membrane on the back. Peel this off before sprinkling the spices on the ribs. You can put the whole rack of ribs into your slow cooker without cutting them.

Note 3: We like to sprinkle the ribs with a little minced parsley before serving, but this is mostly to give them a little pop of color. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 saucy beef rib, Calories: 444kcal (22%), Carbohydrates: 16g (5%), Protein: 55g (110%), Fat: 18g (28%), Saturated Fat: 8g (50%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 181mg (60%), Sodium: 1016mg (44%), Potassium: 924mg (26%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 12g (13%), Vitamin A: 143IU (3%), Vitamin C: 2mg (2%), Calcium: 60mg (6%), Iron: 6mg (33%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

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