How To Make Delicious Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

This recipe is so simple, anyone can do it! Pork ribs, a sweet and spicy dry rub, a bottle of Coca-Cola and a slow cooker are all it takes. Featured photo: slow cooker Coca-Cola ribs by Barbara Curry, Butter & Baggage, one of the other versions below.

Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs at a glance

You’ll need: black pepper, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, Coca-Cola, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pork ribs, salt
Why cola? BurningCereal’s reasoning: the cola’s acidity helps tenderize the meat, and its sugar adds to the sticky, sweet finish.

Watch how it’s made

Video: BurningCereal, “Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs – RECIPE”.

Why it stands out

No grill, no smoker and no oven. The rub is all pantry spices, and the brown sugar and cayenne give it a sweet-heat balance that kids and adults both like. If you have a favorite rub of your own, it works here too. The slow cooker does almost all the work, which makes it a good lazy-weekend recipe. Thanks to BurningCereal for this amazing recipe!

Two more cola ribs worth trying

Coca-Cola Ribs by Butter & Baggage

The shortest list you’ll find: baby back ribs, Coca-Cola, salt and a good bottled BBQ sauce. Barbara cooks them low and slow all day, so it suits anyone who wants dinner ready when they get home from work.

Serves: 4
Time: about 8 hours, almost all hands-off
You’ll need: baby back ribs, BBQ sauce, Coca-Cola, salt

Get the full recipe from Butter & Baggage →

Slow Cooker Coke Ribs by Sweet Caramel Sunday

Stacked glazed slow cooker Coke ribs — Photo: Adrianne Jamieson, Sweet Caramel Sunday

Faster than most slow cooker ribs, and the smoked paprika and Worcestershire give a deeper, smokier glaze.

Serves: 4
Time: about 3 and a half hours
You’ll need: baby back pork ribs, barbecue sauce, black pepper, Coke, garlic powder, mustard powder, onion powder, salt, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce

Get the full recipe from Sweet Caramel Sunday →

Tips for slow cooker ribs

Remove the membrane on the bone side of the rack. It turns tough and chewy and keeps the rub out.
Stand the rack on its side, curled around the inside of the pot, so it fits without cutting it into small pieces.
Finish under the broiler for a few minutes with extra sauce. Slow cookers make ribs tender but not sticky; the broiler adds the caramelized edges.
Pork is safe at 145°F, but ribs only turn truly tender at a much higher internal temperature, when the meat pulls back from the bones.

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