Crock Pot Barbecued Country-Style Pork Ribs

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 08/9/21
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for the Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer and product tester at Food Network. 
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 7 hrs
Total: 7 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Boneless country-style pork ribs are an excellent choice for the slow cooker, and your favorite barbecue sauce, along with a little apple juice and garlic, make these ribs even more flavorful. In this recipe, the country-style ribs are slow-cooked with brown sugar, onions, apple juice, garlic, and other seasonings, and then they're finished with store-bought barbecue sauce; feel free to use your favorite.

Contrary to their name, country-style ribs don't necessarily come from the ribs of the pig. They are generally cut from the sirloin or rib end of the loin, but they might also come from the shoulder. They are a budget-friendly cut and benefit from slow cooking.

Serve the pork with mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and corn or a green vegetable for a satisfying family dinner.

Crockpot barbecued style ribs recipe

The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

"Signature slow cooking at its best. Big flavors with minimal hands-on prep and few ingredients. The traditional process of slow cooking the ribs creates intensely flavored, fork-tender meat. Hold on to this recipe because you'll definitely be making it again!" —Diana Andrews

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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil or other neutral oil, for greasing

  • 3 to 4 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs

  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced lengthwise

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider

  • 1 (16-ounce) bottle barbecue sauce, or about 1 1/2 cups homemade bbq sauce

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for barbecued country-style pork ribs
    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn 

  2. Using the canola oil, lightly grease the crockery insert of a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker.

    Crockpot
    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  3. Trim and discard any excess fat from the ribs and pat dry with paper towels.

    Trim meat
    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  4. Scatter the sliced onions in the bottom of the slow cooker, then place the ribs on top.

    Sliced onions in crockpot
    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  5. Sprinkle the pork with the salt and pepper, brown sugar, and minced garlic; turn the pork ribs to coat all pieces. Pour the apple juice evenly over the pork. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or until almost fork-tender (start checking doneness at 5 hours).

    Pork ribs in slowcooker
    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  6. Carefully drain the liquids from the slow cooker and discard. Pour the barbecue sauce over the pork and stir slightly to distribute the sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 1 hour longer.

    Pour barbecue sauce on
    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

How to Store and Freeze Barbecue Ribs

  • Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, wrapped well in foil or in an airtight container.
  • For longer storage, wrap the ribs in foil and freeze in zip-close freezer bags for 3 to 6 months.

Are Country-Style the Same as Short Ribs?

Although both short ribs and country-style can be boneless, these two types of ribs are different from each other. First and foremost, short ribs are beef and come from a cow compared to most other types of ribs, including country-style, that come from a pig. Short ribs are also from a part of the cow's ribcage while country-style are from the front end of the loin near the shoulder, and are not ribs at all. They are great for the grill, stovetop, oven, and slow cooker because they are meatier than other rib cuts.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1017 Calories
58g Fat
43g Carbs
81g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 1017
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 58g 75%
Saturated Fat 20g 100%
Cholesterol 290mg 97%
Sodium 1202mg 52%
Total Carbohydrate 43g 16%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 36g
Protein 81g
Vitamin C 10mg 49%
Calcium 79mg 6%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 1581mg 34%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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