Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs {No Sugar}

Marinated overnight and cooked in a slow cooker all day, these incredibly flavorful BBQ ribs are melt-in-your-mouth, fall-off-the-bone tender. They are so easy to make and perfect to feed the whole family.

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with a lot of slow cooker recipes to keep things interesting with not much effort.

I’m determined to make some healthier alternatives without sacrificing flavors. 

I’m especially excited about this recipe because one of Tom and I’s guilty pleasures is going out to a BBQ place and getting ribs.

Now, I can make them at home. Slow-cooked all day, finished off with a few minutes under the broiler to achieve a nice crisp char, those BBQ ribs are absolutely delicious and yet easy to make.

Why I Love These Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

One of my favorite things about these ribs is that you can use this recipe for any occasion.

They are perfect game-time food for any sports gathering (just in time for the big game!), great for any summer BBQ or picnic, and they even hit the spot on a cold winter day.

They are also sugar-free, gluten-free, and keto-friendly so you don’t need to feel any guilt about eating these babies.

Truthfully, no one would be able to tell they were a healthy version if you didn’t tell them (shh). 

Another reason I love these ribs? They are SO easy to make.

It’s pretty much a set-it-and-forget-it kind of recipe. Simply marinate the ribs overnight and pop them in the slow cooker or instant pot. Easy-peasy, right? 

How to Make These Slow Cooker Ribs

As I stressed previously, these ribs are so easy to make. Season the ribs with the dry rub, sugar-free BBQ sauce and let them marinate overnight.

Then, throw them in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours.

Lastly, broil in the oven for about 5 minutes to get a perfectly crispy char on top.

If you are short on time, you can set your crockpot to high and cook for 4 hours, but low and slow is the best method here and I highly encourage you to allow yourself enough time to let them cook for 8 hours.

Besides using a slow cooker, you can pressure cook the ribs in your Instant Pot, they can cook in about 20-30 minutes and then finish them off under the broiler for another 5 minutes.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the dry rub, you probably have most, if not all, of these ingredients already on hand.

All you’ll need for this recipe is

• paprika
• allspice
• chipotle chili powder
• cumin
• salt, pepper
• garlic powder
• cinnamon.

You could add 1/4 cup of brown sugar in this for even more layers of flavor too.

How to Store BBQ Ribs

If you need to store any leftovers you can do so in an airtight container in the fridge; they’ll last for ~5 days (if no one finishes them for that long, I doubt it.) These leftovers still taste great cold, but if you do want to reheat them it’s best to use the oven.

To reheat the leftover ribs in the oven, preheat oven to 250-300 F. Slather BBQ sauce over ribs and completely cover with foil.

It is important to make sure they are covered completely to prevent them from drying out, so don’t skip this step if you want to keep your ribs nice and juicy!

The safe internal temperature of your meat should be 145 F when it’s done reheating. 

That’s it! Super-simple and delicious one pot crockpot BBQ ribs! 

How do you like to cook your ribs? Leave a comment below!

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Get the recipe:Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs {No Sugar}

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 8 hours hrs

Total Time: 8 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Marinated overnight and cooked in a slow cooker all day, these incredibly flavorful BBQ ribs are melt-in-your-mouth, fall-off-the-bone tender.

4.89 stars (9 reviews)

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Ingredients

• ▢ 3 lb baby back pork ribs
• ▢ 3 tsp chipotle chili powder
• ▢ 2 tsp smoked paprika
• ▢ 2 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• ▢ 1/4 tsp cumin
• ▢ Salt and Pepper to taste
• ▢ Dashes of cinnamon and nutmeg
• ▢ 2 cups of BBQ Sauce
• ▢ 3-4 tbsp brown sugar, optional
• ▢ 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• ▢ 1/4 of a medium yellow onion, roughly chopped

Equipment

• ▢
  Programmable Crock Pot

Instructions 

• Turn the rib bone side up, and use a small knife to scrape off an edge of the membrane. Peel it off slowly until it is all removed. Cut the ribs in half (if it is too long to fit in the slow cooker as it is).
  
• Stir together all the seasoning. Rub mixture all over the top and sides. Then brush about half of the BBQ sauce over the ribs.*
• Place the rib in the slow cooker. Add chopped onion, garlic and 1/4 cup of water or stock.
• Cover and cook on low for 7.5 – 8 hours.
  
• Preheat the oven to high broil. Gently take the ribs out of the slow cooker and place on a parchment paper-lined baking pan. Brush the rest of the BBQ sauce on top and all the sides (or reserve some for dipping later). Broil for 4 -5 minutes to charr.

Notes

1. * For best result, let the rib marinate in the dry rub overnight.
2. Increase/decrease the ratio of the seasoning depending on the amount of ribs you are working with or your preference to taste.
3. Note: Nutrition Facts below may vary depending on the BBQ sauce you choose to use.

Serving: 1g, Calories: 286kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 79mg, Sodium: 274mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g

The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.

Author: Shuang Shuang Liang

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American