Juicy Dr. Pepper Slow Cooker Ribs are melt in your mouth succulent and fall off the bone tender. You're going to love how simple and easy it is to make saucy ribs in the crock pot with just 4 ingredients -- season your pork ribs with a dry rub, add your favorite barbecue sauce, and pour in bubbly Dr. Pepper soda. My crockpot ribs is a great recipe to set up in the A.M. for a weeknight dinner, to bring to the cookout, or make for game day during football season!
Okay, was I the only kid who was the 'rib' kid? You know, at restaurants if they had ribs, you were getting them? It's not hard to impress a kid who's only choices are well-done steak, boxed mac, and chicken fingers.
I later found out that the secret to these ribs was that they were boiled then sauced and broiled. And that's how you could get these family-favorites, tender and consistent, at any chain restaurant any time of the year. Well, we can easily replicate that at home with more flavor and simple ingredients to make the best ribs!
And when the long summer days get too hot to crack on the oven for oven-baked ribs or too cold to go outside and smoke ribs -- you know what, when I just want to make dinner with absolutely no effort-- these saucy, juicy ribs are going to be loved by the entire family.
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Easy BBQ Crock Pot Dr Pepper Ribs
Using the slow cooker makes these ribs a simple and no-nonsense type of recipe.
We start with a dry rub -- I use a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to keep things well seasoned and flavorful, honey.
Rub those ribs down in the slow cooker and add the dr. pepper and barbecue sauce to the bottom of your slow cooker. Cook low and slow for a few hours then pull the ribs out and throw them under a broiler to sauce them up.
All in all? Prep is quick and easy, cooking is hands off, and dinner is flavorful and juicy with ribs so tender you can cut them with a butter knife!
Ingredients Needed for CrockPot Pork Ribs
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Pork Ribs - this recipe works with spare or baby back ribs. I personally love spare ribs much more than baby back: they're meatier, juicier, and more flavorful, in my opinion!
- Your Fave Spice Rub - I made my own and will include the measurements for my dry rub ingredients in my recipe notes, but you don't have to! Use your favorite dry rub or just season with simple salt and black pepper.
- Your favorite BBQ Sauce - I've used homemade BBQ sauces in the past when on hand, but I love a good Sweet Baby Rays. I've also seen there's Dr. Pepper bbq sauce if you want to double down on that.
- Dr. Pepper - we all know the joke that Dr. Pepper is basically BBQ flavored soda. It does make a delicious BBQ rib, let me tell ya.
How to Make Slow Cooker Dr Pepper Ribs
Part 1: Cook the Ribs in the Slow Cooker
Step 1 | Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. This is a pretty important step; the membrane is tough, it doesn't get tender with cooking and it blocks sauces and seasoning from getting into the meat. It's easy to remove with a good grip and a paper towel.
Step 2 | Rub the ribs down with the spice mixture and place the ribs into the slow cooker. Then pour the bbq sauce on the ribs and add the soda.
Slow cook the ribs for your desired cooking time, cook on high for 5-6 hours for buttery tender ribs (or low for 6-8 hours) or on high for 3-4 hours if you like your ribs to have some bite. Remove the ribs from the crockpot and...they won't be cute. But we're not done yet!
Part 2: Broil the Rack of Ribs
Step 3 | Mix a little of the cooking liquid and some additional barbecue sauce to slather all over the top of the ribs.
Step 4 | Broil them on a baking sheet for 15-20 minutes on low until the sauce gets perfectly sticky and delicious. So easy!
Variations and Pro Tips
- Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil to easy clean up. In fact, use a slow cooker liner, too! An easy recipe with no dishes?! A total win.
- If the racks of ribs are too big, cut the ribs in half so the racks can fit.
- Other types of ribs work in this recipe. Try flanken cut beef ribs or boneless country-style ribs for a different spin on meaty, juicy crockpot dr pepper ribs.
- If you really want that 'grilled' kind of flavor, try adding chili powder and liquid smoke to the rib rub.
BBQ Ribs Side Dishes
Dinner isn't complete without side dishes! Here's a few of my faves that are a must have with ribs.
- Corn on the Cob - a BBQ classic, this corn recipe cooked in milk and butter is like a sweet, creamy hug for your taste buds. It's the best way to bring out the sweetness of summer corn!
- Dr. Pepper Baked Beans - if your ribs have got a Dr. Pepper flair, then your beans should, too! These baked beans take the sweetness of Dr. Pepper and marry it with savory spices for a side dish that perfectly complements your ribs.
- Southern Baked Mac and Cheese - Forget boxed mac and cheese—this is the real deal. My family-favorite southern baked mac and cheese is gooey, cheesy, and gloriously indulgent. It’s comfort food at its finest, with a crispy golden crust on top and a velvety center that makes you wonder why you ever ate anything else.
- Louisiana Red Beans and Rice - Hearty and full of Southern soul, this dish is a feast in itself! The beans are slow-cooked to perfection with spicy sausage and aromatic seasonings, creating a side dish that’s rich, savory, and full of flavor.
- French Fries - There’s something about crispy, golden French fries that makes them irresistible. They’re the crunchy, salty sidekick that every plate of ribs deserves. How else will you scoop up any extra sauce?
Storage and Reheating
Keep leftover crock pot ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer until heated through.
Equipment I Used
- Slow cooker or instant pot - you'll need an oval 6-quart crock pot or a 7-quart, it's the appropriate size to hold ribs without having to stack them up high. You can also use your instant pot on the slow cooker setting.
- Baking sheet
- Tongs
- Silicone pastry brush - for slathering on that extra bbq sauce!
More CrockPot Recipes
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Dr Pepper Slow Cooker Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 pork spare ribs racks, membrane removed, about 4-5 pounds
- ¼ cup your favorite spice rub, or use my spice blend in the notes below
- 1 (12 oz) can of Dr. Pepper
- 2 cups barbecue sauce, divided
Instructions
Slow Cook the Ribs
- Cover the ribs in your spice blend on all sides, then place them at the bottom of your slow cooker. If the racks of ribs are too big, cut them in half before seasoning them.2 pork spare ribs racks, ¼ cup your favorite spice rub
- Pour the soda and 1 cup of barbecue sauce into the slow cooker. Use tongs to kinda move the ribs around to coat them in the barbecue sauce and soda. It doesn't need to be perfect, they'll absorb the flavor as they cook.1 (12 oz) can of Dr. Pepper, 2 cups barbecue sauce
- Cover the slow cooker with its lid and let the ribs cook on high for 3-4 hours for tender ribs with some bite, or 5-6 hours for fall off the bone tender ribs or on low for 8 hours for fall off the bone tender ribs.
Broil the Ribs
- Remove the ribs from the slow cooker and place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Turn your broiler on low.
- Take ¼ cup of the cooking liquid and mix it with the remaining barbecue sauce in a bowl. Slather the barbecue sauce mixture all over the top and sides of the ribs.2 cups barbecue sauce
- Broil the ribs for 15-20 minutes until the sauce thickens up on the ribs. Slice between the rib bones and serve hot!
Recipe Notes
My Slow Cooker Rib Spice Rub Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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