Slow Cooker Sticky Barbecue Ribs
Baby back ribs cooked until tender but not collapsing, brushed with a tangy molasses sauce, and broiled just long enough to char the edges. Removing the membrane and seasoning the rack before it goes into the cooker are the two small steps that make these taste deliberately made.
- Course
- Slow Cooker
- Time
- 6 hr 20 min
- Servings
- 6
Cooking Notes
- Remove the thin membrane from the bone side of the ribs if it is still attached. That tough layer does not soften much during cooking and can make the finished rack harder to eat.
- Use the slow cooker to make the ribs tender, then use high heat to build the sticky exterior. Sauce caramelizes much better under a broiler or hot oven than inside the moist cooker.
- Brush on barbecue sauce in thin layers during the final high-heat step. Thick sauce can scorch before it sets, while several lighter coats create a glossier, more even finish.
Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Sticky Barbecue Ribs
By Gabriella
- Category
- Slow Cooker
- Total Time
- 6 hr 20 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
Ingredients
- 2 racks baby back pork ribs
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- 1
Slip a knife under the membrane on the bone side of each rack, grip it with a paper towel, and pull it away in one piece.
- 2
Mix the salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne, then rub the seasoning thoroughly over both sides of the ribs.
- 3
Cut each rack into sections that fit the cooker and stand them around the edge with the meaty side facing outward. Cook on low for six hours.
- 4
Simmer the ketchup, molasses, vinegar, Dijon, and Worcestershire for five minutes while the ribs finish, then carefully transfer the sections to a foil-lined pan.
- 5
Brush with sauce and broil for four to six minutes, watching closely, until the glaze bubbles and chars in spots. Rest briefly before cutting between the bones.
