This post was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated as of May 6,2024 with new info and photos.
Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs (also called Farmer Style ribs) are so easy in the slow cooker. These ribs are a bit different than your traditional baby backs ribs but they are just as good and so much meatier! Two ingredients are all you need to make an easy slow cooker dinner.
What are Country Style Ribs (Farmer Style Ribs)?
The name “rib’ is a bit misleading with these tasty pieces of meat. They aren’t really ribs! These pork “ribs” are cut from the shoulder of the pig and are much more meaty than traditional ribs.
They are called Country Style Ribs, Farmer Style Ribs, shoulder chops or blade steaks. They will typically have a lot of marbling and and more fat than “rib-ribs” which gives them amazing flavor.
Depending on how these ribs are cut, you can have them with a bone or without. I like them either way. Some will say the bone adds more flavor, I think they are delicious either way. The good news is that they will fall right off the bone after slowly cooking all day in the crockpot.
Last bit of best news…they are pretty cheap! Just like a cheap ol’ pork shoulder roast, these country style (farmer style ribs) are a great option for planning dinners on a budget.
What are the 2 ingredients for Country Style Ribs?
For these slow cooker ribs, all you need, along with the actual ribs, is your favorite BBQ sauce (try my Homemade BBQ Sauce)
Any BBQ sauce will work great. You will need about 3 to 4 cups of sauce. Just make sure the ribs are mostly covered in the slow cooker.
I prefer a sweeter sauce for these farmers style ribs, but you can get one with a bit of heat also.
OPTIONAL: Sometimes I will slice up an onion and let it slow cook with the ribs for just a touch of added flavor. This is not necessary, just an option.
How to Make Slow Cooker Country Ribs
First, spray your slow cooker with cooking spray to avoid unnecessary sticking.
Place the ribs in the slow cooker. Just stack them in there. I don’t pre-season my ribs but you can put any seasoning or rub on them if you would like.
Pour your BBQ sauce on top of the ribs. They should be mostly covered.
*If you choose to add sliced onion, just add it on top of the bbq sauce and ribs.
How Long do Country Style Ribs need to cook in a slow cooker?
Country Style Ribs (Farmer Style Ribs) need to cook in the slow cooker or crock pot for about 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. I prefer a slower, longer time. I feel like the ribs cook up a bit more tender and don’t shrink as much.
If you need to keep your ribs warm until you are ready to serve them, just turn your slow cooker to the “warm” setting.
NOTE: When the ribs are done cooking, you may notice some grease has collected on top of the bbq sauce. This is normal. Just give the sauce a stir the best you can around the ribs.
Serving Country Ribs
After the BBQ country ribs have cooked in the slow cooker its time to eat!
If you choose to cook bone-in farmer style ribs, the meat will fall right off the bone when you take them out of the slow cooker. It makes it hard to get the ribs out of the crockpot in one large piece, so usually the ribs will end up in smaller pieces for serving.
If you have boneless farmer style ribs, they will be so tender they may not stay in one large piece, just like the bone- in ribs. Just load up your plate with the rib pieces and cover them with a bit of extra sauce.
What to serve with BBQ Country Ribs
BBQ Country Ribs can be served almost anything.
Baked potatoes, rolls or sliced French Bread, a side salad, or grilled veggie is always tasty along side these meaty ribs.
Try my Foil Packet Loaded Potatoes. These make a yummy easy side dish, as well as my Crock Pot Party Potatoes (if you have another crock pot).
No matter what you serve with these Country Style Ribs, you will end up with a dinner that is so easy but so yummy!
Try my Baby Back Ribs on the smoker, or my Slow Cooker Pulled Pork (super super easy and tasty).
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Slow Cooker Farmer Style Ribs
Ingredients
- 3 – 4 lbs. farmer style ribs (country style ribs) *bone-in or boneless
- 3 to 4 cups BBQ Sauce – use your favorite *try my Homemade BBQ Sauce- see notes for link
OPTIONAL (I dont always add it)
- 1 large yellow onions, sliced *for added flavor while cooking
Instructions
- Spray the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray. This will help the meats and sauce not stick too much.
- Place ribs in slow cooker and pour the BBQ sauce of your choice over the meat, making sure it is mostly covered. If you are using a smaller slow cooker you may not need all of the sauce.*Optional- slice and onion and put the slice on top of the meat and bbq sauce for added flavor.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- When the ribs ar done cooking, you may notice some grease has collected on top of the bbq sauce. This is normal. Just give the sauce a stir the best you can around the ribs. Serve the ribs and add more BBQ sauce as needed to each serving if desired. *The ribs will be so tender they will fall apart while trying to serve them! This is totally normal and just a sign they are super tender!
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
