5-Star Reader Comment
I have NEVER left a comment on any recipe. But these ribs slap as my kids would say! The ribs were awesome! Will be making it during Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Foyeke
I’ve Put These on the Table More Times Than I Can Count.
Some recipes just have a way of making the whole house smell like something good is happening. This is one of them.
I have been making these slow cooker country style ribs for years. The homemade sauce is rich, a little tangy, and deeply savory — and after a long slow cook, these ribs practically fall apart when you look at them.
The sear is the step most people skip. Do not skip it. Two minutes in a screaming hot cast iron skillet and you get a golden crust that keeps all that flavor locked inside the whole time it cooks. It is worth every second.
Enjoy!
What Nobody Tells You About Slow Cooker Ribs
Sear in a screaming hot cast iron skillet. Let it get fully hot before the ribs go in. Work in two batches so the ribs are never touching — crowding the pan drops the temperature and you lose that golden crust.
Do not rush the low setting. Low and slow is always the right call here. The connective tissue needs time to break down completely. High heat gets you there faster but the texture is never quite the same.
Finish under the broiler. Transfer the ribs to a foil-lined baking sheet, brush with the sauce from the pot, and broil for three to five minutes. The sauce caramelizes, the edges get a little crispy, and suddenly these look like something you spent all day on.
Let them rest. Five minutes before you plate them. Every bite is better for it.
Save every drop of that sauce. Spoon the cooking liquid from the bottom of the crock pot right over the top. It is too good to leave behind.
Wait — These Are Not Actually Ribs
Country style pork ribs are cut from the shoulder end of the loin, close to the pork butt. That means they cook more like pulled pork than traditional ribs — low and slow, with plenty of fat and connective tissue that breaks down beautifully over time.
You will find them bone-in or boneless at the grocery store. Both work great for this dish. Here is the quick breakdown:
| Cut | Cook Time on Low | Texture |
| Bone-In | 8 hours | Slightly more flavor, falls off the bone |
| Boneless | 4 to 6 hours on high | Easier to serve, still very tender |
What Goes In and Why It Works
- Bone-in country style pork ribs are the foundation of this dish. The bone adds flavor as it cooks and the fat keeps the meat moist through the long slow cook.
- A sliced sweet onion layered in the bottom of the crock pot softens completely during cooking and infuses the whole dish with a sweet, savory depth that makes the sauce even better.
- Olive oil is for the sear. Get a cast iron skillet screaming hot and let this do its job.
- Ketchup is the base of the sauce. It gives body, sweetness, and a deep tomato flavor that mellows beautifully over the long cook.
- Brown sugar adds a gentle caramel sweetness that balances the tang of the vinegar and deepens the smoky flavor of the finished sauce.
- Honey adds natural sweetness and helps the sauce caramelize beautifully when you finish the ribs in the oven under the broiler.
- Soy sauce brings the savory depth. It is the ingredient people cannot quite identify but always ask about.
- Apple cider vinegar cuts through the richness and balances every other flavor in the pot.
- Black pepper is simple but essential. A generous amount goes in before the sear and again in the sauce. Do not be shy with it.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, thyme, parsley, and dried mustard — this spice blend gives the sauce that slow-simmered smoky flavor from the very first bite.
How To Make It
Season the ribs with salt and black pepper, then sear them in a hot cast iron skillet until golden. That crust is everything.
Stir together the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Place the ribs over the sliced onions in the crock pot and pour the sauce over the top.
Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 to 6 hours until pull apart tender.
Finish on a foil-lined baking sheet under the broiler for three to five minutes until caramelized and sticky. Full details are in the recipe card below.
Serve these ribs with Deviled Egg Pasta Salad and a slice of warm Green Chili Cheese Cornbread for a wholesome Southern comfort food dinner that’s loaded with flavor.
Make-Ahead Tips
Cook them the day before and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The flavor gets even better overnight as the sauce continues to work into the meat.
Reheat gently in a covered baking dish in the oven at 325 degrees with a spoonful of the reserved sauce spooned over the top to keep them moist. About 20 minutes and they taste just made.
Freeze for up to three months. Store the ribs and sauce together in a freezer-safe airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as above.
More From My Kitchen, Made for Your Table
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds bone-in country style pork ribs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup red wine or apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried mustard
- chopped fresh parsley – optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet or heavy bottom pan. Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper and sear, on all sides, until golden. Remove the ribs from the pan and place them in the Crock Pot.
- To a medium-size bowl, add ketchup, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, onion powder dried thyme, dried parsley, and dried mustard. Whisk together and pour over the ribs. 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.
Video
Notes
- For this recipe, getting a good sear on the ribs is best. It helps impart extra flavor. I use a cast iron skillet (get it screaming hot) to brown the ribs. Work in 2 batches so the ribs do not touch while searing the meat and fat.
- Store any leftover ribs with the homemade barbecue sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven until warmed through.
Nutrition
Make It Your Own
- Add extra BBQ sauce on the side for dipping. The homemade sauce in this recipe is incredible but a smoky store-bought BBQ sauce alongside never hurts.
- Swap the soy sauce for coconut aminos if you are cooking for anyone with a soy allergy. It works beautifully and most people cannot tell the difference.
- Double the sauce and reserve half before cooking. Brush the reserved sauce on during the broil step for an even deeper caramelized finish.
- Add a splash of liquid smoke to the sauce if you want an extra layer of smoky flavor without firing up the grill.
- Make it a full Southern plate. Serve over creamy mashed potatoes with the crock pot sauce spooned right over the top and a side of Southern green beans.
Questions I Get Every Time I Make This
You do not have to — but you really should. The sear adds a depth of flavor and texture that the slow cooker alone cannot replicate. It takes ten minutes and it is worth every second.
Yes. The ribs are perfectly tender and full of smoky flavor straight from the crock pot. The broil in the oven just takes them to the next level with caramelized edges and a stickier sauce. If you have the time, do it.
The ribs should pull apart easily when you press them with a fork. If they are not quite there, give them another thirty minutes on low. Every slow cooker runs a little differently.
Creamy mashed potatoes with the crock pot sauce spooned over the top is my first choice every time. Southern green beans, crock pot baked beans, and creamy coleslaw are all perfect alongside.
If you tried this Crock Pot Country Style Pork Ribs Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
My New eBook!
Top 25 Viral Recipes
Whether you’re cooking for two, feeding a busy family, or filling your home with friends, I’m cheering you on from my kitchen. I hope this eBook brings you comfort, creativity, and plenty of delicious moments around your table.
The Best of the Best: Easy Southern Recipes!
GET THIS FREE GUIDE: Easy Southern favorites for nights when you want the flavor, not the chore.
I’m just wondering as a newbie crock pot user do I have to sear the ribs before putting them in the crock pot? Also why do some sear before cooking and others sear after? Thank you in advance!!
Hey there Kimberly!
Wow! I am so happy to hear that you’re getting into slow cooking, once you’ve gotten the hang of it, your Crock Pot is going to become your best friend in the kitchen! For this rib recipe you’ll want to sear the ribs before putting them into the crock pot, I’m not sure why folks would sear after slow cooking, you want to do it before to tenderize the meat and impart a little extra flavor. If you’re looking for more Crock Pot recipes and information on slow cooking, I have a post for you that I’ll link below. The post goes through every aspect of slow cooking from how it actually works to which crock pot to use for each recipe. I hope this is helpful, thank you so much for your interest in this recipe and for your support. Let me know how everything turns out, I really hope you enjoy!
https://www.asouthernsoul.com/amazing-crock-pot-recipes/
~Donya
Yikes all I have is boneless is their anything I need to adjust to accommodate boneless?
You don’t need to alter the recipe at all. Go for! The ribs will turn out great. Let me know how you like the recipe.
Thanks so much,
~Donya
What if I have 6.47 lbs. of the ribs? should I double the recipe or do one batch in two separate pots? or do one dose of ingredients and a quarter of ingredients?
Hey there Shane!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, that’s a terrific question! If you have about 6.5 pounds of ribs, then I would recommend separating the portion in half and then cooking the recipe as it’s written in two separate crock pots, with 3.25 lbs in one crock pot and the same weight in the other. I hope this is helpful, let me know how everything turns out, I’d love to hear what you think!
~Donya
By far the best country ribs I’ve ever made! I will never make them any other way! Thank you Donya!
WHAT! Thank you. I am humbled by your comment and dancing around the kitchen with happiness.
Wend, you’ve made my day!
❤️ Donya
This was tasty! Came together easily with items I already had in the kitchen, cooked up juicy, tasty, and not overly sweet. Roughly doubled it, and the only substitution I made was coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. Would definitely use this recipe again.
Hey there Kim!
Wow! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, I totally agree that the best part of this dish is the fact that uses common pantry ingredients! If you enjoyed this recipe, you should check out my Crock Pot Chicken Thighs, the recipe is just as easy to make and you can use coconut aminos as a soy sauce substitute in that dish as well. Thank you so much for your kind words and your fantastic rating, I really appreciate your support!
~Donya
Great recipe and really a nice one. Will surely try this
Hey there Chris!
Thank you so much for your kind words of support, I really hope you do give these ribs a try! This recipe is super easy to make and delivers fantastic flavors. If you have any questions about the recipe, don’t hesitate to ask, I hope you enjoy!
~Donya
It turned out wonderful
Hey there Janet!
Thank you so much for letting me know how everything turned out, I am thrilled to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! Country Style Pork Ribs are a one of a kind main dish, I always like to serve it with my Everyday Green Salad recipe, it adds the perfect fresh touch to the meal. Thank you for your support, if you ever have any other questions about a recipe don’t hesitate to reach out!
~Donya
You have dried parsley and dried thyme mentioned in directions but no amounts.
Hey there Janet!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, it really is comfort food at it’s finest! I really appreciate you pointing that out, I have edited the post to include the ingredient amounts in the recipe card. I hope you enjoy this rib recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions, I’d be more than happy to help!
~Donya
You might want to proofread the question “How Long Do Pork Ribs Cook In The…”
🙂
Hey there Bud!
I appreciate you pointing out that typo, I just corrected it to Crock Pot! Thank you so much, let me know how the recipe turns out, I hope you enjoy!
~Donya
Haven’t made these ribs yet but the Taco Spaghetti Bake was yummy!
Hey there Debbie!
Thank you so much, I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the Taco Spaghetti bake, it is a perfect weeknight meal! I really hope you make these ribs, they are so delicious and easy to make thanks to the Crock Pot. If you have any questions about a recipe, please feel free to reach out!
~Donya