Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient BBQ Ribs

Ingredients:

Serves 6-8 generously

4-5 lbs bone-in country-style pork ribs
1 (18-20 oz) bottle thick barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Ray’s, Stubb’s, or your favorite)
½ cup packed dark brown sugar

For Finishing:

Nonstick cooking spray
Aluminum foil

Instructions:

Step 1: Prep Your Ribs

Take your country-style ribs straight from the refrigerator and pat them completely dry with paper towels on all sides. This step is crucial—moisture on the surface prevents the sauce from adhering properly and you’ll end up with sauce that slides right off. Trim only thick, hard fat caps if you see any, but leave all the beautiful marbling intact—that fat is what makes these ribs tender and juicy. Lightly spray your 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray and spread about 2 tablespoons of your barbecue sauce across the bottom to prevent sticking.

Step 2: Build Your Sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the entire bottle of barbecue sauce and the dark brown sugar until the mixture is completely smooth and glossy. This takes about 30 seconds of vigorous whisking.
The sugar won’t fully dissolve right away—it will break down completely during the long cooking process, creating that sticky, caramelized coating you’re after.
Dark brown sugar is better than light here because the molasses notes add depth that balances the sauce’s acidity.

Step 3: Layer the Ribs

Arrange the ribs in your slow cooker in a single layer.
If your slow cooker is on the smaller side, you can overlap them slightly, but try to avoid stacking them on top of each other—stacked ribs steam instead of braising and won’t get as tender.
Pour the barbecue sauce and brown sugar mixture over the ribs, then use tongs to flip each piece and coat it thoroughly. Spoon extra sauce into all the crevices and over any exposed meat.

Step 4: Cook Low and Slow

Put the lid on your slow cooker and set it to LOW for 7-8 hours (ideal for fall-apart, pull-apart texture) or HIGH for 3.5-4 hours if you’re shorter on time.
Here’s the crucial discipline: do not lift that lid before at least 6 hours on LOW or 3 hours on HIGH. The trapped steam is what makes these ribs tender—every peek releases that steam and adds time to your cook.
The ribs are done when the meat pulls apart easily with just a fork and the internal temperature reaches 195-203°F for optimal tenderness.

Step 5: The Non-Negotiable Broiler Finish

This step is what separates good ribs from genuinely incredible ribs.
Preheat your oven’s broiler to HIGH. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray or brush it with oil. Using tongs, carefully transfer the ribs from the slow cooker to the prepared baking sheet, leaving all that excess liquid behind (but save about ½ cup of the sauce for glazing).
The ribs will be very tender and might want to fall apart—that’s perfect. Brush the ribs generously on all sides with the reserved sauce.

Step 6: Broil to Caramelized Perfection

Position your oven rack in the upper-middle position (about 6 inches from the broiler element) and slide the baking sheet in.
Broil for 3-5 minutes, watching constantly—and I mean constantly—until the edges start to bubble and char slightly in spots.
The sugar in the sauce burns fast, so you cannot walk away. Rotate the sheet halfway through for even browning. You want sticky, caramelized edges with some charred bits, not burnt sauce everywhere.

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