Slow Cooker Beef Ribs

Slow cooker (crockpot) beef ribs are tender, succulent, and very flavorful. They are slowly cooked, then glazed with a reduction of the delicious cooking juices.

The other day, I spotted gorgeous beef back ribs at Whole Foods, and bought them without the faintest idea on how to make them.

At home, after some research, I developed the following recipe, which resulted in tender, succulent, very flavorful ribs.

What are beef back ribs?

After enjoying my dinner, I did some more research. As it turns out, they come from the rib area of the cow (not surprising, really). They are what’s left after the butcher cuts a boneless rib roast. Usually, a strip will have 7 ribs.

Because rib roasts are expensive, butchers tend to cut them very close to the bone, leaving very little meat on top. So most of the meat is between the bones. However, this meat is wonderful – tender (when slow-cooked), flavorful and fatty.

The ingredients you’ll need

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:

1. Beef back ribs
2. Light soy sauce (or a gluten-free alternative)
3. Sesame oil
4. Rice vinegar
5. Honey
6. Hot sauce
7. Kosher salt and black pepper
8. Garlic powder
9. Cornstarch

How to make beef ribs in the crockpot

It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

1. First, place the ribs in the crockpot.
2. Whisk together the remaining ingredients (except for the cornstarch) and pour on top of the ribs. Rub the marinade all over them.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
4. Keep the ribs warm while you reduce the cooking liquids on the stovetop into a rich glaze.
5. Brush the glaze over the ribs and serve.

It’s a truly easy recipe! It just takes time

Slow cooker beef ribs are wonderful thanks to being cooked for many hours in very low heat. Otherwise, the meat would be tough and unpleasantly chewy.

But despite requiring several hours of cooking, they are very easy to make. The crockpot basically does all the work for you.

I would say that the only somewhat challenging part of this recipe is reducing the cooking liquids until they’re just the right consistency to make a wonderfully rich glaze.

But adding cornstarch helps a lot with properly thickening the juices. I try to use organic cornstarch to avoid GMOs, and I don’t worry too much about the very small amount of carbs that the cornstarch adds.

Are slow cooker beef ribs healthy?

I believe they are. Current dietary advice is to limit red meat. But fresh unprocessed meat is very nutritious.

As long as one doesn’t overindulge, or have a specific issue that requires them to limit saturated fat (which is generally not harmful), I believe that red meat does have a place in a healthy diet.

As for this recipe’s carb content, despite the cornstarch and honey in the sauce, a serving of this recipe is quite low in carbs.

And while soy sauce is not paleo, I believe it’s fine in moderation. Although you should obviously use an alternative if you need this recipe to be gluten-free.

What to serve with them?

I like to serve slow cooker beef ribs with any of the following side dishes:

• Loaded mashed cauliflower
• Cauliflower potato salad
• Creamed spinach

What about leftovers?

If you have leftovers of these crockpot beef ribs, they keep well in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. Gently reheat them in the microwave, covered, on 50% power.

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4.96 from 97 votes

Slow Cooker Beef Ribs

Slow cooker beef ribs are tender, succulent, and very flavorful. They are slowly cooked, then glazed with a reduction of the delicious cooking juices.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time6 hrs 15 mins

Total Time6 hrs 30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef, ribs

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 342kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

INGREDIENTS

• 3 lb. beef back ribs
• 1/4 cup light soy sauce (or use a gluten-free alternative and add salt as needed)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place the ribs in your slow cooker. If you bought a slab like I did, you’ll probably need to cut it in half with a sharp chef’s knife to fit in your slow cooker.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients except for the cornstarch. Pour over the ribs, and use your clean hands to rub the sauce into the ribs, on all sides.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, until the meat is fall-apart tender (and smells amazing!).
• Set the slow cooker to WARM. Transfer the cooked beef ribs to a plate for a minute. Strain the liquids from the slow cooker into a wide saucepan, then return the ribs to the slow cooker and cover, to keep them warm while you reduce the cooking juices into a glaze.
• Heat the strained cooking juices on medium-high. Whisk the cornstarch with a little cold water and add to the saucepan. Keep cooking on medium-high, whisking often, until the sauce has thickened into a rich glaze, 5-10 minutes. Brush over the ribs and serve.

NUTRITION INFO Nutrition info is approximate. It is calculated using the SparkPeople.com recipe calculator, and the carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Please read the disclaimers in our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Please verify they are before using.

Nutrition Facts

Slow Cooker Beef Ribs

Amount Per Serving

Calories 342 Calories from Fat 243

% Daily Value*

Fat 27g42%

Sodium 590mg26%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 23g46%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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