Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Ribs (Baby Back Ribs)
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These Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Ribs are an easy way to make tender, flavorful pork ribs without spending all day tending a grill. The sweet and savory honey garlic BBQ sauce makes them feel special enough for cookouts, birthdays, and Fourth of July, but easy enough for a family dinner any night of the week.
*This is a sponsored post in partnership with the Iowa Pork Producers Association. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Why We Love Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Ribs
- Sweet And Savory Flavor – The combination of honey, garlic, and BBQ sauce gives these ribs a sweet, savory flavor that tastes like something you’d order at your favorite barbecue restaurant. We love this flavor, and I also made a slow cooker Dr. Pepper ribs recipe for another flavor idea.
- Tender Every Time – If you love fall-off-the-bone ribs, this recipe is for you. The slow cooker does all the hard work. Mixing some of the cooking juices into the sauce adds extra flavor while helping the honey glaze caramelize beautifully under the broiler.
- Family Favorite – These ribs are easy enough for a weeknight dinner but special enough for Fourth of July, birthday dinners, cookouts, and family gatherings.
Ingredients For Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Ribs
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions below in the recipe card.
- pork baby back ribs – also called back ribs
- garlic powder – you can substitute 3-4 cloves of fresh minced fresh garlic in the sauce if you prefer
- onion powder
- paprika
- salt
- black pepper
- apple cider vinegar
- chicken broth – I use low sodium, can also use a beef broth or vegetable broth
- soy sauce – I use low sodium
- honey
- BBQ sauce – I use Sweet Baby Rays, but you can use your favorite
What’s The Difference Between Baby Back Ribs And Spare Ribs?
Baby back ribs are a leaner cut of meat that comes from closer to where pork chops come from. They are easy to work with, and the leanest cut of pork ribs.
Spare ribs are thicker and tend to be fattier and are cut from near the belly in the lower part of the rib cage. They have a little richer flavor due to the fat rendering into the meat when cooking.
Either type of ribs could be used in this recipe interchangeably, though expect spare ribs will take longer in the slow cooker to be tender. I usually make this recipe with baby back ribs because they cook up tender and juicy in the slow cooker, but spare ribs work well too if that’s what you have.
How To Make Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Ribs
Prepping The Ribs
- Remove the ribs from the packaging and place them bone-side up on a large cutting board. Pat dry with paper towels. Slide a butter knife under the thin membrane on the back of the ribs, then use a paper towel to grip and pull it away. The membrane may come off in one piece or several smaller pieces. Removing it helps the ribs become more tender and gives them a better texture after cooking.
If the membrane is slippery, grab it with a paper towel for a better grip. It makes pulling it off much easier.
- In a small bowl mix together garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Slice the ribs into two large pieces by slicing between the bones to fit in the slow cooker. Flip the ribs over so you have the meat side up and spread half of the spice mix on the ribs. Flip the ribs and rub the remaining spice mix on the ribs.
- Spray the inside of a 6 quart slow cooker with pan spray if desired, and turn the slow cooker on to low. Place the ribs bone side up into the slow cooker. Add the apple cider vinegar, chicken broth and soy sauce to the slow cooker.
- Close the lid and cook the ribs for 6-7 hours on low. The ribs should be very tender. The ribs are done when the meat pulls away from the bones easily and can be shredded with a fork.
Prepping The Sauce
- Add honey to a large two cup pyrex measuring cup or medium sized bowl. Pour in BBQ sauce and add garlic powder. Stir well with a spoon, then cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place sauce in the refrigerator for later.
Don’t Burn The Honey!
I make the BBQ sauce and then mix it with the sauce at the end before adding it to the ribs. If you put the sauce into the slow cooker while the ribs are raw, often the honey begins to scorch and burn when cooked that long. By mixing the cooking liquids with the sauce, we get a ton of flavor without scorching the honey.
Finishing The Ribs
- Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with spray oil. Carefully remove the ribs from the slow cooker with large tongs and place on foil-lined sheet pan, saving the liquid in the slow cooker.
- Mix together one half cup of the liquid from the slow cooker with the honey and the BBQ sauce until well mixed. (If using a glass measuring cup you can just fill until the sauce is now at 1 ½ cups.) Brush the sauce on the ribs very generously on both sides with a silicone brush, using about half of the sauce.
- Broil in the oven for 3-4 minutes, just enough to make the sauce begin to caramelize. Watch carefully, as under the broiler the ribs can sometimes burn easily. Then carefully flip the ribs so they are bone-side up, then slice between the bones into pieces. Serve with the extra BBQ sauce and enjoy.
Can I Prep These Slow Cooker Garlic Honey Ribs Ahead Of Time?
You can remove the membrane and apply the dry rub to the ribsthe night before and refrigerate covered in the slow cooker. Then the next day you add the apple cider vinegar, chicken broth and soy sauce and start cooking.
Can I Cook These Ribs On High Instead Of Low Heat?
You can cook on high for 3.5–4 hours, but the texture is better low and slow.
Do I Have To Broil The Ribs?
No, the ribs are fully cooked when they come out of the slow cooker. The broiler simply caramelizes the sauce and gives them a stickier finish.
Why Are My Ribs Still Tough?
They likely need more cooking time. Ribs become tender as the connective tissue breaks down. If they’re still tough, cover and continue cooking until they pull apart easily with a fork.
What To Serve With Slow Cooker Garlic Honey Ribs?
These slow cooker honey garlic ribs pair well with all your favorite barbecue sides. For a classic cookout-style meal, serve them with my 10 minute coleslaw and honey butter skillet corn.
If you’re feeding a larger crowd, add dishes like my classic Italian pasta salad, loaded potato salad, and a batch of buttermilk cornbread to round out the menu.
How Many People Will A Rack Of Ribs Serve?
One full rack of ribs will make about 3-4 servings. This does depend on how many other sides you have, and how much your family chows down on ribs!
How Long Will Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Ribs Last?
Expect leftovers of these ribs to last for about three days when stored in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Reheat leftovers in the microwave by heating just until warm. Leftovers can also be frozen for about 2-3 months, and reheated in the microwave.
More Pork Recipes
Slow Cooker Country Style Pork Ribs
Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper Ribs
Amazing Pork Loin In The Crock Pot Every Time
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Ribs (Baby Back Ribs!)
Ingredients
For The Ribs
- 3 pounds pork baby back ribs also called back ribs, anywhere from 2-4 pounds per rack works well
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
For The Sauce
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup BBQ Sauce – I used Sweet Baby Rays but you can use your favorite. Ketchup can also be used
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Prepping The Ribs
- Remove the ribs from the packaging and place them bone-side up on a large cutting board. Pat dry with paper towels. Slide a butter knife under the thin membrane on the back of the ribs, then use a paper towel to grip and pull it away. The membrane may come off in one piece or several smaller pieces. Removing it helps the ribs become more tender and gives them a better texture after cooking.3 pounds pork baby back ribs
- In a small bowl mix together garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Slice the ribs into two large pieces by slicing between the bones to fit in the slow cooker. Flip the ribs over so you have the meat side up and spread half of the spice mix on the ribs. Flip the ribs and rub the remaining spice mix on the ribs.
- Spray the inside of a 6 quart slow cooker with pan spray if desired, and turn the slow cooker on to low. Place the ribs bone side up into the slow cooker. Add the apple cider vinegar, chicken broth and soy sauce to the slow cooker.
- Close the lid and cook the ribs for 6-7 hours on low. The ribs should be very tender. The ribs are done when the meat pulls away from the bones easily and can be shredded with a fork.
Prepping The Sauce
- Add honey to a large two cup pyrex measuring cup or medium sized bowl. Pour in BBQ sauce and add garlic powder. Stir well with a spoon, then cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place sauce in the refrigerator for later.
Finishing The Ribs
- Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with spray oil. Carefully remove the ribs from the slow cooker with large tongs and place on foil-lined sheet pan, saving the liquid in the slow cooker.
- Mix together one half cup of the liquid from the slow cooker with the honey and the BBQ sauce until well mixed. (If using a glass measuring cup you can just fill until the sauce is now at 1 ½ cups.) Brush the sauce on the ribs very generously on both sides with a silicone brush, using about half of the sauce.
- Broil in the oven for 3-4 minutes, just enough to make the sauce begin to caramelize. Watch carefully, as under the broiler the ribs can sometimes burn easily. Then carefully flip the ribs so they are bone-side up, then slice between the bones into pieces. Serve with the extra BBQ sauce and enjoy.
Notes
What Is The Membrane?
The membrane, also called the silver skin, is a tough but thin white piece that runs along the bone side of the ribs. Butchers often remove the membrane for you, but in most regualr grocery stores the membrane is still attached to the ribs. If left on the ribs the membrane won’t have a good texture. Unless you remove the membrane, the ribs will be really tough. A butter knife can be used to loosen the membrane when slid underneath if you have trouble removing it.How Do I Know When The Ribs Are Done Cooking?
For safety, all pork ribs need to be cooked until at least 165 degrees to be safely eaten. Unlike other cuts of pork, ribs need to be cooked longer and to a higher temperature to be tender so they are falling off the bone. My ribs when testing ranged between 180-190 degrees when they were falling off the bone. You can also use the bend test to tell if your ribs are done by holding the ribs with a pair of tongs. The end of the ribs not being held by the tongs should bend towards the ground. Ribs can also begin to split in between each bone as you hold it with tongs when they are tender. Pick the up carefully so you don’t drop them!Can I Cook More Than One Rack Of Ribs?
I can fit up to two racks of ribs in my 6 quart slow cooker successfully and they were deliciously cooked on low using these same instructions. You will need to double the spice rubs and double the sauce.Nutrition
Did You Make This?
I would love to see it! Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!
