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A rack of ribs coated in thick, orange barbecue sauce on a foil-lined tray.
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Crockpot Baby Back Ribs with Apple Cider

Crockpot baby back ribs slow cooked in apple cider with a sweet savory rub, then broiled with BBQ sauce. Fall-off-the-bone tender and hands-off all day.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 15 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: crockpot baby back ribs, slow cooker baby back ribs
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 478kcal
Author: Ansley Beutler

Ingredients

For the rub

  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

For the ribs

  • 1 rack baby back ribs membrane removed
  • ½ cup apple cider not apple cider vinegar, you can also use apple juice
  • 8.5 oz BBQ sauce divided (homemade or store-bought; I used Primal Kitchen)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Stir the coconut sugar, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, cinnamon, and sea salt together in a small bowl or jar.
    2 tablespoons coconut sugar, 2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • Pat the ribs dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the rub over both sides of the rack and rub it in until the ribs are well coated.
    1 rack baby back ribs
  • Pour the apple cider into a 6-quart crockpot. Stand the rack of ribs upright along the wall of the crockpot.
    ½ cup apple cider
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender.
  • Set an oven rack in the middle position and turn the broiler to HIGH. Carefully transfer the ribs to a foil-lined baking sheet, meat side up. Spread half of the BBQ sauce evenly over the ribs and broil for 3 to 4 minutes.
    8.5 oz BBQ sauce
  • Take the ribs out and spread on the remaining BBQ sauce, covering any bare spots. Broil for another 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Let the ribs cool slightly, then slice between the bones and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 478kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1344mg | Potassium: 603mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 333IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 3mg