Slow Cooker Honey Chipotle Ribs

You’ll swoon over these lip-smacking, fall-off-the-bone Slow Cooker Honey Chipotle Ribs that are perfect for summer potlucks and beyond. Seasoned with a spicy chipotle dry rub before being slathered with a honey-infused BBQ sauce mixture, a long session in your crock pot cooks the ribs to irresistible deliciousness. Before serving, brush the rack of ribs with more BBQ sauce and give them a quick trip under the broiler to caramelize them to glazed perfection.

No need to heat up the grill for these tasty ribs – let your slow cooker do all the work of cooking the meat to tender deliciousness. The slow cooking process will help infuse the meat with layers of flavor, making these Honey Chipotle Ribs a meal that will certainly be a family favorite.

The prep work is minimal and you can make the ribs as spicy or as sweet as you like, just by controlling how much chipotle and honey you choose to add to the simple dry rub mixture and the BBQ sauce. What could be easier or more delectable? Make these soon!

Ingredients Needed

Ribs – 4-5 pounds of ribs. Baby Back or St. Louis style are great options.
Homemade Dry Rub – you’ll need onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, and chipotle chili pepper seasoning.
BBQ Sauce – use a bottle of your favorite brand.
Honey – you’ll mix this with your bottle of BBQ sauce.
Worcestershire Sauce – you’ll mix this with your bottle of BBQ sauce.

How To Make Slow Cooker Honey Chipotle Ribs

Note: This is a summary of the recipe steps. For complete instructions, see the recipe card down below.

STEP 1: Prepare the dry rub. Whisk together all the powdered dry rub seasonings.
STEP 2: Season the ribs. Cut the ribs so that they’ll fit in the slow cooker and then add the dry rub to the front and back of the ribs.
STEP 3: Make the honey BBQ sauce. Pour the bottle of BBQ sauce into a bowl and add the honey and Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine.
STEP 4: Place the ribs in the slow cooker. Using half of the BBQ sauce mixture, place one layer of ribs in the slow cooker and slather with 1/4 of the sauce. Stack the second layer of ribs on top and slather with 1/4 of the sauce. Place the lid on tightly and cook on high for 6-7 hours or low for 8-10 hours. Note: You should have half of the BBQ sauce remaining. Reserve it for later.
STEP 5: Baste and broil for caramelization. Once done, line a sheet pan with foil and place the cooked ribs on it. Using the remaining leftover sauce, baste the ribs all over with the sauce. Slide the sheet pan into the oven and broil for 5-7 minutes or until caramelized.

Pro Tip

My best tip for cooking ribs (or anything, really) in the slow cooker is to use a liner. It makes clean-up a breeze and you don’t need to worry about the sauce getting stuck to the sides of the pot. The liners are BPA-free and made specifically for slow cookers.

What Type Of Ribs Should I Use?

This slow cooker method works well with baby back ribs or St. Louis-style ribs. Baby backs are a classic to use while St. Louis-style ribs are meatier. St. Louis ribs are actually a little flatter so they’ll fit and stack well in a slow cooker.

Can I Stack The Ribs In A Slow Cooker?

Absolutely! They’ll cook perfectly when stacked and/or tucked around the edges of the pot. Just make sure the lid fits on tightly and securely!

Should I Remove The Membrane From The Ribs?

You’ll want to remove it before you season the ribs. The membrane is the connective tissue that will not soften when cooked, so it needs to be removed to let the meat on the ribs fully cook to tenderness and become infused with the seasonings. Just loosen the membrane on the back of the ribs with a knife and you can pull and peel it away with a firm tug.

What To Serve With Ribs

Classic side items that pair deliciously with ribs are creamy coleslaw, corn on the cob, crunchy broccoli bacon salad, or my always popular bacon cheddar ranch potato salad. I also love to serve cheddar cornbread and for a hot casserole, macaroni and cheese is always a winner!

How Do I Reheat Leftover Ribs?

• Oven: My favorite way is to reheat leftover ribs at 250 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven. Wrap the leftovers in a foil pack where you’ve added a little more BBQ sauce and/or a dash of water to them before sealing the pack. Place the foil pack on a sheet pan and let them warm in the oven for about 10 minutes. At that point, I like to uncover them for the last 8-10 minutes in the oven to caramelize them a little more, but that’s up to you – you can keep them covered the whole time, but often check to make sure they’re not drying out.
• Microwave: For a quicker method, you can reheat them in the microwave on low. Slice the ribs up and place them on a microwave-safe plate and cover them with a damp paper towel. Microwave in 1-minute increments until your desired warmth has been achieved.

Storage

Store any cooled leftover ribs in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the cooked and cooled ribs in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.

More Delicious Ribs Recipes

Southern Sticky Ribs
Maple Chipotle Grilled Ribs
Slow Cooker Coca-Cola BBQ Ribs
Asian Pineapple Ribs
Oven Roasted Country Style Ribs
Gimmy Moore’s Sweet Pork Ribs
Braised Short Ribs
Pineapple Sweet Ribs

Nettie is a wife and mother who is passionate about cooking and baking. With 5 children, Nettie insists that all meals, snacks, and desserts come together quickly! You will find a wide variety of easy yet scrumptious recipes on her viral website Moore or Less Cooking

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