Teriyaki Ribs (Slow Cooker)
Teriyaki Ribs start in the slow cooker and finish under the broiler for the best sticky-sauced and tender pork ribs. You only need some simple pantry spices to make the dry rub and prepared teriyaki sauce to brush on at the end. Make these easy slow cooker ribs for dinner or as a snack for game days, holidays, or parties.
Slow Cooker Ribs Recipe
As a baked ribs and grilled ribs fangirl, I wasn’t too sure about slow cooker ribs, but as is the case often in my life, my skepticism was unnecessary. These slow cooker teriyaki ribs are about the easiest thing ever.
You only need a few pantry spices, a rack of ribs, and some bottled teriyaki sauce, and we get to use the slow cooker, otherwise known as the best hands-off kitchen gadget. It’s the perfect way to slow-cook a rack of ribs without tethering yourself to the kitchen. Once you get them going, leave them to cook for several hours, during which you can do whatever else you want. You don’t need to check on them or run your oven for hours.
The ribs are super tender and have a sweet and tangy flavor. Slow cooker ribs for the win!
How to Make Them
These ribs are easy to prep in about 10 minutes. After that, leave them in the slow cooker until they’re falling apart tender. For the perfect finishing touch, I brush the ribs with teriyaki sauce and pop them under the broiler. This step gives them a deliciously sticky caramelized crust.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Queso Blanco | Chipotle Cocktail Meatballs | No Bean Chili | BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
PrintSlow Cooker Teriyaki Ribs
These easy teriyaki ribs cook in the slow cooker and then are brushed with teriyaki sauce and broiled. They’re juicy and tender with a delicious caramelized sticky-sauce crust.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 rack of baby back ribs
- 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
- Optional garnishes: Sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions
Instructions
- Mix the sugar, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, white pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl.
- Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel. Turn them meat-side down and loosen the sliver skin at one end with a paring knife. Pull the silver skin off the ribs (it should come off in one piece. If it doesn’t, use the knife to loosen it again).
- Slice the rack in half and coat both pieces all over with the seasoning rub. Rub it onto the ribs so it sticks.
- Place the ribs in the slower cooker. It’s okay if they are overlapping each other. Secure the lid and cook the ribs on low for an hour and a half. Turn them over and then cook them for another hour and a half to two hours or until the internal temperature is 175°F to 185°F.
- Once they are cooked, take them out of the slow cooker and place them on a sheet pan lined with foil.
- Position an oven rack in the space just above the center of the oven. Heat the oven broiler to high and brush the ribs with some teriyaki sauce. Broil the ribs for a few minutes (until the sauce is bubbling and caramelized), brush more sauce on them, and broil them again. Repeat this with the rest of the sauce or until the ribs develop a nice caramelized crust.
- Slice the racks between the bones into individual ribs for serving. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
Notes
If you’re making this for dinner, add some sides and you can stretch the recipe to serve four people. Add some rice on the side, a tossed green salad, roasted broccoli, or some crusty toasted bread.
Or, cut the rack into rib pieces and serve them as an appetizer for six to eight people.
Nutrition
- Calories: 619
- Sugar: 4.9g
- Sodium: 855.2mg
- Fat: 40.2g
- Saturated Fat: 14.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23.8g
- Trans Fat: 0.4g
- Carbohydrates: 8.7g
- Fiber: 0.8g
- Protein: 56.4g
- Cholesterol: 190.4mg
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
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FAQ
I’ve also tested this recipe with spare ribs, and they work well, too!
The easiest way to know when they’re done is to use a meat thermometer. I like to cook them to between 175°F and 185°F – at this point, they’re really tender but not completely falling off the bone. Measure the temperature in the thickest part of the ribs.
I haven’t tried it, but it should work fine if you want to make BBQ ribs.
Cooked teriyaki ribs will keep in an airtight container for up to five days in the refrigerator.
Serving Ideas
Dinner: I love these ribs with rice and broccoli on the side. Or serve them up with a plate of my easy garlic fries.
Parties: They also make a great snack for game days or parties alongside other appetizers like dips, chips and salsa, or other party snacks.
If you need another reason to love your slow cooker, these teriyaki ribs are it. Juicy and tender with that sticky, sweet, and tangy sauce. Pick up some ribs and make them soon – I think you’ll love them.
Happy slow cooking,
More Pork Recipes
This teriyaki ribs post was updated from the archives. It was first published in August 2022.
April is spot-on with this recipe! Slow-cooker ribs are tough to beat and so easy to make. The ingredients for this recipe compliment each other well. Consider me a fan, and thank you for another way to cook ribs!
Hi April – These look great! Question: Do you cook them on high or low? Thanks!
You should cook them on low.