Crockpot Dr Pepper ribs are tender, fall of the bone ribs in a bbq sauce spiked with Dr Pepper in your slow cooker with only a few ingredients needed.
Tender ribs are addicting to say the least. Falling off the bone is a sweet bbq sauce paired with your favorite side dishes.
Crockpot Dr Pepper ribs are easy to make in the slow cooker can come out perfect each time. An super easy recipe that requires very little work.
But, what are the best ribs to use, what about the sauce?
All these questions and more will be answered below, keep reading.
How To Make Crockpot Dr Pepper Ribs
Ingredients needed
- Country style ribs
- BBQ sauce
- Dr Pepper
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
Important tips before starting
- You can choose any type of ribs you want but I will go into more detail below why country style is the best. Just note that cooking times will vary depending on a bunch of factors. To check for doneness a fork is your best friend. They are ready when they are tender.
- Avoid too much seasoning. Salt and pepper work well because they will allow you to taste the difference the Dr Pepper makes in the bbq sauce. Clashing too many flavors will wash notes away.
Making Dr Pepper ribs in the crockpot
- First, you need to prep the sauce. Choose your favorite bbq sauce, I suggest one that is a original flavor without a bunch of added flavors such as honey, chipotle, sweet sour and so on.
- In a pot add the bbq sauce and a can of Dr Pepper. Turn your stove on a medium heat to bring the temperature up slowly to a boil. If you boil too fast the acid in the soda will cause the pot to boil over. Cook the sauce until the foam disappears. This will take about 5 minutes after it starts boiling.
- Remove the ribs from the package and season with coarse salt and pepper.
- Then, add the ribs into the crockpot and pour 1 cup of the cooked bbq sauce into the crockpot. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Check the ribs for tenderness that’s when you know you’re done.
- To finish the ribs, add them into a baking dish and cover them with the leftover bbq sauce and bake in a preheated 400F oven for about 15 minutes to thicken the sauce around the ribs. This is optional, it helps the sauce stick.
- Lastly, allow the ribs to cool a bit then serve.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the best ribs to use?
For slow cooking and especially bbq the best ribs are the most fatty. Spare ribs and country style. Baby backs are very lean but they can work in this recipe as well. Texas bbq is the most popular in the states and they use spare ribs for a reason.
Did you know? Country style ribs actually come from the pork butt or Boston butt and aren’t ribs at all. They are great for flavor though and for a home cook I always recommend them.
How do you keep ribs from drying out in a slow cooker?
Fat and liquid added which created moisture in the slow cooker. This is why I recommend the fatty ribs over the baby backs because you have more room for error. The more fat the meat has the more you can overcook it without any worries.
What to serve with crockpot Dr Pepper ribs
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Crockpot Dr Pepper Ribs
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 3 pound country style rib, bone in or boneless
- 12 ounce can of Dr Pepper
- 1 cup bbq sauce
- coarse salt & pepper for seasoning
Instructions
- First, you need to prep the sauce. Choose your favorite bbq sauce, I suggest one that is an original flavor without a bunch of added flavors such as honey, chipotle, sweet sour and so on.
- In a pot add the bbq sauce and a can of Dr Pepper. Turn your stove on a medium heat to bring the temperature up slowly to a boil. If you boil too fast the acid in the soda will cause the pot to boil over. Cook the sauce until the foam disappears. This will take about 5 minutes after it starts boiling.
- Remove the ribs from the package and season with coarse salt and pepper.
- Then, add the ribs into the crockpot and pour 1 cup of the cooked bbq sauce into the crockpot. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Check the ribs for tenderness that's when you know you're done.
- To finish the ribs, add them into a baking dish and cover them with the leftover bbq sauce and bake in a preheated 400F oven for about 15 minutes to thicken the sauce around the ribs. This is optional, it helps the sauce stick.
- Lastly, allow the ribs to cool a bit then serve.