My recipe for Smithfield BBQ Ribs involves a two-step process that result in tender, fall off the bone, juicy ribs perfect every time. This is an easy grilling recipe perfect for summer your whole family will love.
Stop over-thinking how to make ribs and follow these easy instructions!
Don't let the grilling fun stop with this recipe! Fire up those grills and explore a whole world of flavor with my collection of Easy Summer Grill Recipes!
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Table of Contents
- Smithfield Baby Back Ribs
- How do you Cook BBQ Ribs in a Crock Pot?
- How can you tell the difference between baby back ribs and spare ribs?
- Quick Tip
- Main Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions and Variations
- Crock Pot Instructions
- Add Smithfield's BBQ Sauce
- Grilling Instructions
- Storage Tips
- Freezing Tips
- Thawing and Reheating Tips
- More Recipes to Love
- LOVE this recipe? SAVE it for Later!
- 🗒️Shopping List
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
The best part about Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs is that they great all year long! Not just during the typical summer grilling season.
Slow coking ribs breaks down the connective tissue on the back of the ribs. That in turn helps make the ribs fall apart and become really tender.
And...you can enjoy barbecue ribs any time of year. Which is exactly what we do.
Looking for more Family Dinner Ideas? Try my recipe for Barbecue Chicken in the Crock Pot, Grilled Barbecue Chicken Legs and Thighs or my Chicken Kabobs with Pineapple Recipe.
Smithfield Baby Back Ribs
Smithfield® Ribs are extra-tender and juicy and are your secret weapon for making great ribs on the grill! There's no need to be afraid that the ribs are going to be tough or tasteless!
How do you Cook BBQ Ribs in a Crock Pot?
Growing up my mother used to first boil the ribs in a large pot of water on top of the stove. Then she would place them on our charcoal grill in the backyard of our house in Queens, NY.
I never enjoyed ribs the way my mother made them...sorry mom. They were tough, not tender.
A few years ago, I decided to try cooking them first in the slow cooker and then finishing them off on the grill. And they were amazing. The meat really did fall off the bone. My husband and son loved them.
Check out my collection of Crock Pot Recipes for ribs.
How can you tell the difference between baby back ribs and spare ribs?
Baby back ribs come from the part of the ribs that are connected to the backbone. They're called baby ribs because they’re shorter than spare ribs which are cut from the ends of baby back ribs. Baby back ribs are more tender than spare ribs.
Quick Tip
If you would like detailed steps on how to remove the back membrane from the ribs, please read my Oven-Baked Barbecue Ribs recipe.
Main Ingredients Needed
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. Find the exact amounts and click the Instacart button to easily add them to your cart – all in the printable recipe card below!
- Your favorite BBQ rub
- 1 can of Coke soda
- 1 package Smithfield® Extra Tender Ribs
- Homemade Barbecue Sauce - or your favorite jarred sauce.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap out the Coke for Dr. Pepper to introduce a subtly different flavor profile with notes of cherry and spice.
- Add a few dashes of hot sauce or cayenne pepper to the BBQ rub for an extra kick.
- Add a few tablespoons of honey or maple syrup to the BBQ sauce for extra sweetness and depth of flavor. Or you can add a tablespoon of grated fresh ginger and the zest of one orange to your BBQ rub for a bright, zesty flavor.
Crock Pot Instructions
- Step 1: Sprinkle the seasoned salt or your favorite BBQ rub all over the ribs.
- Step 2: Place the ribs in the slow cooker. Slice the ribs to fit into your crock pot. I cut my rack of ribs into 3 pieces. Empty the can of soda on top of the ribs.
- Step 3: Cook on low 6 hours or on high 4 hours or until the ribs are fork tender.
- Step 4: The ribs can now be placed directly on the grill to finish cooking. You can also refrigerate them overnight and finish cooking the next day.
Add Smithfield's BBQ Sauce
- Step 5: Baste the ribs with Smithfield BBQ sauce or your favorite sauce.
- Step 6: You can even use a homemade barbecue sauce recipe.
Grilling Instructions
- Step 7: Place them on the grill at medium-high heat for about 8 to ten minutes on each side; longer if they were refrigerated overnight.
- Step 8: Grill on both sides until they're slightly charred.
- Step 9: Remove from the grill and add more sauce just before serving.
Storage Tips
- The best way to store leftover barbecue ribs is in an airtight container or freezer bag and refrigerate them as soon as possible.
- This will keep them fresh for four to five days.
Freezing Tips
- You can also freeze any leftovers in an airtight container or freezer bag.
- They will be fresh for up to three months.
- Be sure to label the container or bag with the date so that you can keep track of how long they have been stored.
Thawing and Reheating Tips
- Remove the ribs from the freezer and allow them to defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
- When you are ready to reheat the ribs, you can do so in a preheated oven or on place them on the grill until they are heated through.
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📖 Recipe Card
Smithfield BBQ Ribs Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons seasoned salt or your favorite BBQ rub
- 1 can cola soda
- 1 package Smithfield® Extra Tender Ribs
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
Equipment
Method
- Sprinkle the seasoned salt or your favorite BBQ rub all over the ribs.
- Place the ribs in the slow cooker. Cut them if you need to for them to fit properly. I cut my rack into 3 pieces.
- Empty the can of soda on top of the ribs.
- Cook on low 6 hours or on high 4 hours or until the ribs are fork tender.
- The ribs can now be placed directly on the grill to finish cooking. You can also refrigerate them overnight and finish cooking the next day.
- Baste the ribs with barbecue sauce.
- Place them on the grill at medium-high heat for about 8 to ten minutes on each side; longer if they were refrigerated overnight.
- Grill until warmed through and slightly charred.
- Remove from the grill and add more sauce just before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
This recipe was originally a sponsored post. It has been updated since it first appeared in 2016 with new photos and new information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!
Pat says
Hi. Grill these on low? Med? High? Thanks.
Lois says
Place the ribs on the grill at medium-high heat. Thank you for visiting. Hope you enjoy the recipe.
Pat says
They were yummy but a tad overcooked. I started the grill out at high to give it a good sear then turned it down to med. I think my grill runs hot so I will try medium high throughout next time and only cook them 8 minutes per side. Thank you!
Maren Daley says
You don’t mention removal of the membrane. Isn’t the membrane still attached to the Smithfield racks of ribs? Removing this is important to the tenderness. When and to what size (how may bones) do you cut the racks into? There’s no way you could stuff a single rack into a crock pot. Details like these are important to newbie rib cookers. Please help.
Lois says
For this recipe, I didn't remove the membrane. I talk about removing the membrane and how to do that in the following post: https://walkingonsunshinerecipes.com/oven-baked-barbecue-ribs/
I did cut the rack of ribs into 3 pieces to fit into my crock pot. There was about 12 ribs in the full rack. You can see they were cut when I add them to the barbecue grill.
I updated the post to include these steps that you suggested. Thank you for your input!
S. Meredith says
My husband and I could eat loads of these! Gosh, they look so good! Thanks for linking up with Delicious Dishes Recipe Party!
David Dial says
It's supposed to be a sunny weekend up here in New York, and I think it's time to get some ribs on the grill! Thanks for sharing! #client
Joanne DiPalo says
Oh, this is the best recipe. I love that you prepare in the slow cooker and then grill when you're ready. Ribs are my favorite.
Tracy Iseminger says
Looks delish! Ribs are my girls favorite meal too. I might need to try this recipe sometimes 🙂