Slow Cooker Pork Western Shoulder Ribs with BBQ Rub and Sauce are an easy weeknight dinner.
My kids just started school, so this week I'm featuring weeknight dinners. Today, I'm using my slow cooker...and I'm cheating. Oh, the shame...
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I'm almost embarrassed to publish this as a recipe. It's almost too easy. Almost. But, because this is an attempt to simulate low and slow barbecue, it works
The key to this recipe is to find pork shoulder cut into 1" to 2" thick strips. My local grocery store calls these Western Ribs; make sure you see the words pork shoulder somewhere on the label. Country Ribs, which are cut from the pork loin, will dry out if they are cooked for this long. The loin doesn't have the fat and connective tissue that the shoulder does, and that connective tissue is what makes the shoulder "ribs" so tender and juicy after the long cooking time.
Are these really ribs? No. Is this real barbecue? Absolutely not. Is it as good as real, low and slow, smoke kissed pork shoulder? Not a chance. But...if you need some tender, juicy pork to feed the family after a long day at work (for you) and school (for them), this will get the job done nicely.
This recipe is a simple version of my Crockpot Pork and Sauerkraut - if you're looking for a fancy recipe, try that one.
Recipe: Slow Cooker Pork Western Shoulder Ribs with Barbecue Rub and Sauce
Equipment:
- 6 quart or larger slow cooker (Crock Pot brand is fine, but I like my fancy ones from All-Clad
and KitchenAid
)
- Fat Separator
Slow Cooker Pork Western Shoulder Ribs with Barbecue Rub and Sauce
- Total Time: 8 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
Slow Cooker Pork Western Shoulder Ribs - strips of pork cut from the shoulder - sprinkled with rub and cooked with barbecue sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork shoulder western ribs (or cut a pork shoulder into 1 ½" thick strips, or use pork shoulder chops)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon barbecue rub (My homemade barbecue rub recipe is here; or use your favorite rub.)
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup barbecue sauce plus ½ cup barbecue sauce (My homemade barbecue sauce recipe is here; or use your favorite store bought sauce)
Instructions
- Prepare the ribs: Sprinkle the ribs evenly with the kosher salt and the barbecue rub.
- Slow cook the ribs: Put the ribs in the slow cooker, add the ½ cup water, and slow cook for 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. Add 1 cup of barbecue sauce to the cooker, and cook for another 30 minutes to to 1 hour.
- Serve: Remove the ribs to a platter. Spoon ½ cup of the liquid from the crock into a measuring cup. (If you have time, pour all the liquid into a fat separator and let rest for ten minutes, then pour ½ cup of the the defatted juices into a measuring cup). Add the remaining ½ cup of barbecue sauce to the measuring cup, and stir to combine. Serve, passing the juices/sauce at the table.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
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Notes
- Tex-Mex ribs: substitute ground ancho powder or chili powder for the barbecue rub, and substitute tomato salsa for the barbecue sauce. (This works best if you shred the ribs with a fork, and serve with tortillas as a taco filling).
- Serve with cheap white bread (for sopping up juices and barbecue sauce), dill pickle slices, cole slaw, and potato salad. And a cold beer, of course. Or, rough chop the ribs into chunks, and serve with hamburger buns as rib sandwiches.
- Normally, I will brown meat before putting it in the slow cooker; it adds an extra depth of flavor to the recipe. In this case, the small amount of water in the cooker leaves most of the ribs exposed, and the cooker browns the ribs for me. That said, if you have the time, brown the ribs before putting them in the slow cooker. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat until just showing wisps of smoke, then put the (salted, bbq rubbed) ribs in the pan and sear for 3 minutes per side or until well browned. Put the ribs in the slow cooker crock, then add the ½ cup water to the pan over medium heat. Once the water comes to a simmer, scrape the pork bits from the bottom of the pan and pour the water into the crock. Cook the rest of the recipe as described.
What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts:
Slow Cooker Pork Pot Roast
Slow Cooker Caribbean Black Beans and Rice
How to make Instant Pot Spare Ribs
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Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Broiling the ribs after brushing with barbecue sauce is a great idea, and will caramelize the sauce, adding more flavor.
But, it won't brown the meat of the ribs - the sauce will protect the meat, browning before the meat does. If you want the best flavor, do both - brown the ribs before cooking, and then broil with sauce after cooking.
And, yes, I know that's asking for a lot of work. Doing one or the other is better than nothing, so use whichever one works best for you.
Chris Peterson says
This is a great recipe! When I've made it, I've finished the ribs in the broiler afterwards, to caramelize the BBQ sauce. With sufficiently high heat, will this enable a Maillard reaction, negating the need to brown beforehand?
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Ms. T. says
Love this! I'll have to buy extra ribs next time. Everyone loved it! This was a great choice for a family rib night 🙂
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
You're welcome - I'm glad you enjoyed them!
Josie says
I have NEVER made shoulder ribs so tender until I made these last night! LOVED it! Same with my teenage boys...I think they went into a food coma after eating so much! Thank you so much!
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Browning them is a good idea, but be very gentle when you transfer them - they will be falling apart tender.
Alison_R says
Glad I found this, just picked up some shoulder ribs on clearance last night, going to fill the crock pot right now! Thinking of browning them afterwards on the grill really quick prior to serving. Will definitely use the juice + BBQ sauce on the table.
Nickelle Walther says
I love this recipe. I am from Nashville, and am extremely picky about my ribs & bbq. This is a quick and delicious comparison. I serve it with cheddar hashbrowns, bisquits and a roasted veggie..
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Great! I'm glad she likes it.
Jess Wood says
I have made this 3 times now, and I think it gets better every time! Bonus that my 2-year-old gobbled it down when she rarely eats meat at dinner!
gina says
I bought these shoulder country style strips from our grocer the other day and have been wondering what exactly they are and how to cook them. Thank goodness I found your site :). That's a chunk of meat with a confusing name! I can't wait to try this recipe today!
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Good luck!
diana says
thanks so much, I am so trying this right now, i love that they will cook in 3-4 hrs seeing as i got a slow start.
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Put them on a baking sheet with a rim (or a roasting pan), wrap with foil, and cook at 250°F for 3 hours, or until the ribs are tender.