Crockpot Pork Ribs with Apple Barbecue Sauce

These Crockpot Pork Ribs are fall off the bone delicious and cooked to perfection.

Try my Crockpot Pork Ribs along with this Apple Barbecue Sauce that will serve as a great main dish for the holidays. You’ll love these pork ribs!

---

Around the holidays there are many main dishes to choose from that would make a great meal or any occasion. Let’s see, I have made Herb Roasted Turkey Breast, Bourbon and Cinnamon Baked Ham, and Garlic and Rosemary Crusted Prime Rib. However, those options can become redundant and typical. So why not change up the pace and make these Crockpot Pork Ribs with Apple Barbecue Sauce? I have made pork ribs several times, but this recipe is my absolute best attempt at making ribs. Slow cooking these Crockpot Pork Ribs allows the fat that is in the rib meat to break that meat down to become incredibly succulent and juicy. I wish I had these Crockpot Pork Ribs a time or two when I was growing up!

Okay, I have another funny and interesting fact to share with you guys, when I was growing up, I hated ribs. I know, it’s such a catastrophe to us meat eaters.  Let me explain to you why I didn’t like ribs. When ribs were made in my family, the process seemed a bit interested that always resulted in tough meat. My family would boil the ribs for a long period of time. I guess they did this to tenderize the meat? Anyway, they would boil the ribs, season them, and then grill them on a charcoal grill. So the ribs were almost always tough and never fall off the bone. I hate biting into a rib and have to make sure I floss right after because the meat would get stuck in my teeth. I don’t know where this is a rule or a thing that is acceptable, but I highly do not recommend this method. In fact, if there is such a method that anyone knows where this method is okay and has turned out to be successful, please let me know. In the meantime, let me tell you about how cooking your pork ribs in a crockpot may just be the best way to make ribs.

First, let me say that I have never made ribs in a crockpot before. I was a bit nervous and had all types of questions. Will the ribs come out more steamed than roasted? Will the seasoning stick to the meat? Will the meat come out looking all grey rather than pink and luscious? I know some of these questions may seem a bit silly but at the time they were all valid to me. I had no idea what to expect using this method to cook ribs. My husband (the non-pork eater) thought these Crock Pot Pork Ribs were a genius idea. So, I went ahead and made a basic rub using common seasonings and spices that most of us have. I didn’t want to get too fancy. I removed the membrane from the back end of the pork rib rack like I normally do. Then, I placed the rack in my crockpot on low heat for about 8 hours. I did have to cut the rib rack so it would fit but the ribs still cooked evenly, so no worries there.

 

To my wonderful surprise, after 8 hours of cooking in the crockpot on low heat and using common and simple seasonings and spices, I had the extreme pleasure of tasting some of the most amazing ribs I have ever tasted in my life. I mean that in all seriousness. These Crockpot Pork Ribs taste like how ribs are supposed to taste. Flavorful, juicy, and tender. In fact, I had a problem when it came time to take pictures of these ribs. It was actually a good problem if I must say so myself. The meat from the pork ribs kept falling off the bone! It was so hard to get the ribs out of the crockpot so I can take pictures of them. I had to use a few utensils to keep them whole as I placed them on the cutting board. Don’t even get me started on my homemade Apple Barbecue Sauce. All I can say is that I need to bottle this stuff and sell it in the store. I love the sweet, salty, and tangy flavor elements that you get from this barbecue sauce. Because apples go so well with pork, I decided to make an apple based barbecue sauce. I added some applesauce and apple cider vinegar to a basic barbecue sauce base to cover the ribs. I was eating and taking pictures at the same time. In fact, I had to stop myself otherwise I would’ve eaten my subject for my pictures.

These Crockpot Pork Ribs with Apple Barbecue Sauce is the perfect entree for any dinner. But if you want to switch things up for the holidays, you can’t lose by making these ribs. All you have to do I put them in the crockpot before you start opening presents on Christmas morning and enjoy your time with your family! This dish is that easy!

Print