Country style ribs in crock pot without bbq sauce

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Slow cooker country style ribs are rich, meaty, fall-apart pork ribs with a tangy BBQ sauce.

Country style ribs in the crockpot are easy to prep, and your whole family will love the tender meat with maximum barbecue flavor.

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Some recipes can bring me back to my childhood in an instant.

My mom didn’t make a lot of slow cooker meals, but when she did dig out the Crock Pot, we knew we were in for a treat.

Her boneless ribs in the Crock Pot were easy to prep, and slow cooking them throughout the day left the house smelling amazing.

Knowing our plates would be piled high with meaty, BBQ goodness made my mouth water and always ensured I’d be home in time for dinner.

Mom liked to serve these ribs with egg noodles or rice, and there was always a healthy portion of green beans on the side.

I’ve made Instant Pot country style ribs for years but wanted to get back to my roots with a crock pot version that my mom would approve of.

When I serve my family BBQ country style ribs over a pile of egg noodles, I feel like I am sharing a part of my food history with them.

To Serve With Country BBQ Ribs:

  • Instant Pot Southern Style Green Beans
  • How to Make Jiffy Cornbread
  • Instant Pot Potato Salad

Fork Tender Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs

Normally when I cook meat, I prefer boneless cuts because they’re just so easy. I know many people prefer bone-in cuts, though.

For this recipe, I think boneless pork ribs in the crock pot are the way to go!

It’s easy to scoop the fork-tender BBQ country style ribs onto noodles or rice, and not having to deal with bones is a definite advantage.

I also love how easy it is to change up the flavor of this recipe by using different brands of BBQ sauce. If we’re craving something spicy, I choose a zestier sauce. If I’ve got a picky eater, I choose something sweet and mild.

How to Make Country Style Ribs In The Crock Pot

It’s really easy to make BBQ country style ribs.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

  • Boneless Country Style Pork Ribs
  • BBQ Sauce
  • Water

How to Make It:

(Full printable recipe is available below)

Add Meat and Sauce. First you’ll layer the bottom of the crockpot with the boneless ribs and top them with your favorite BBQ sauce.

Add Water and Cook. Next you’ll add the water, lightly stir, then cover the crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Serve. Last, you’ll scoop the ribs and sauce over noodles (or rice) for serving.

Notes and Adaptations:

  • Don’t overcook the ribs or they’ll get dry and the BBQ sauce will take on a burnt flavor. I start checking around 4-5 hours to see if they’re done, then give them a little more time if needed. The actual time can vary based on your slow cooker. For food safety, the internal temperature of the ribs should reach at least 145F, but the ribs may still be tough at that point. Continue cooking until they practically fall apart when pierced with a fork or knife.
  • I most often use Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce, but you can use whatever variety you prefer, or even make your own sauce!
  • Feel free to add sliced onions to the ribs before cooking, or add in some brown sugar, chili powder, or Worcestershire sauce to “doctor” it up a bit.
  • We like to serve these ribs and sauce over egg noodles or rice.

Recommended Equipment:

  • Crock Pot slow cooker

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 6 hours 4 seconds

Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes 4 seconds

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs boneless country style pork ribs
  • 18-oz bottle BBQ sauce
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  1. Arrange the boneless ribs in the bottom of your slow cooker, then pour the BBQ sauce over the ribs.
  2. Add the water (I like to add the water to the empty BBQ sauce bottle--just fill the bottle about halfway--and give it a good shake to get what's left of the sauce out). Lightly stir to thin the BBQ sauce with the water.
  3. Close the lid. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, until ribs are fall-apart tender.

Notes

  • Don't overcook the ribs or they'll get dry and the BBQ sauce will take on a burnt flavor. I start checking around 4-5 hours to see if they're done, then give them a little more time if needed. The actual time can vary based on your slow cooker. For food safety, the internal temperature of the ribs should reach at least 145F, but the ribs may still be tough at that point. Continue cooking until they practically fall apart when pierced with a fork or knife.
  • I most often use Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, but you can use whatever variety you prefer, or even make your own sauce!
  • Feel free to add sliced onions to the ribs before cooking, or add in some brown sugar, chili powder, or Worcestershire sauce to "doctor" it up a bit.
  • We like to serve these ribs and sauce over egg noodles or rice.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 679Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 1432mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 1gSugar: 42gProtein: 46g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.

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Can you put ribs in slow cooker without liquid?

Don't worry that the ribs go into the slow cooker without liquid; the heat is gentle enough that the ribs do not burn, and the meat releases liquid as it cooks, so it braises in its own spiced juices.

What can I use if I don't have BBQ sauce for ribs?

You can use a sweet and tart Teriyaki sauce or a sticky and spicy plum sauce. And if you're not looking to glaze your ribs, maybe use something like a chimichurri or mayo dip. All of these work great in place of BBQ sauce.

How long does it take to cook country ribs in a crockpot?

Place the lid on the Crock Pot and cook on HIGH for 6-7 hours or LOW for 8 hours until the ribs are done. Remove the ribs to a serving platter, and spoon over the sauce from the bottom of the Crock Pot. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

Can you get ribs without sauce?

The Memphis style is a no sauce, dry rib in the fact that there is no BBQ sauce served on them.

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