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Home » Meal Ideas » Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Ribs

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Ribs

Meal Ideas

9 May

Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Ribs are fall off the bone tender and wrapped in a delicious restaurant quality caramelized sticky sauce.

Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Ribs has been a well loved recipe in regular rotation in our house for well over ten years. Of all the ways that we make ribs, this is the easiest one with the best results every single time!

The hardest part of the recipe is probably the ten minutes that it takes to make the sauce but the way it caramelizes in the slow cooker and soaks the ribs in flavor makes it absolutely worth it. Fall off the bone deliciousness!

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Picture of finished Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Ribs

Quick & Easy VIDEO : Making Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Ribs


How to make Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Ribs

It has never been a secret that I love my slow cooker and this recipe for Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Ribs is one of those recipes on repeat in my house.

As these ribs cook, the smell wafts through the whole house and gets everybody hungry for dinner. The meat falls off the bones after a long, slow cook and the caramelized sauce on these ribs is sticky and delicious.

Our favorite serving suggestion is to serve these ribs over rice and spoon extra sauce over the top. The rice soaks up the sauce and the combination is a filling and delicious dinner idea.

Picture of slab of ribs for Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Ribs

We like to use baby back ribs for this but any type of pork spareribs can be used.

Picture of cut pieces of ribs for Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Ribs

Prepare the ribs by cutting the slab into sections of 2-3 ribs each, depending on thickness. This makes them fit better in the slow cooker and portions them into individual servings. Set aside.

Picture of flour and brown sugar in saucepan for Sweet & Sour sauce

In a large saucepan combine the brown sugar and flour. Mix with a fork or a whisk until the flour is incorporated into the flour. Add water and stir until combined.

Picture of sweet & sour sauce ingredients in a saucepan

Set the saucepan on the stove over medium heat.

Add the vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, ginger and garlic powder and stir to combine.

Picture of sweet & sour sauce during stages of thickening for Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Ribs

Heat and stir until boiling and thickened, about 10 minutes. As the sauce simmers it will caramelize and visibly thicken.

Please note: Stay close to the sauce as it simmers. It needs to be stirred often and if it boils over it is a terrible sticky mess. (Trust me on this one!)

Picture of sauce being poured over rib pieces in slow cooker.

Layer the ribs in the slow cooker and pour the thickened sauce over them.

Picture of ribs being basted with sauce for Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Ribs
Picture of ribs being basted with sauce for Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Ribs
Picture of ribs being basted with sauce for Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Ribs

Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours, basting occasionally with sauce throughout the cooking process if possible.

It’s an amazing and delicious thing that happens in the course of those 6-8 hours. The sauce totally changes, the fat disappears and the ribs become fall-off-the-bone delicious.

Baste with sauce just before serving. Serve over rice if desired. Enjoy!

Picture of finished Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Ribs

Other Slow Cooker Recipes You May Enjoy

Sweet Pulled Pork Sliders with Rootbeer Sauce – Sweet and tender slow cooked pulled pork served on slider buns with a delicious savory sauce with just a hint of rootbeer!

Crockpot French Onion Soup – Overnight French Onion Soup made easy!

Crockpot Taco Chili – Delicious dump, stir and walk away recipe. Dinner is ready.

Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Meatballs – easy and delicious as either a meal or as an appetizer!

Mississippi Pot Roast Sandwiches – Flavorful slow cooked shredded beef, tender and tangy with just a hint of heat.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Ribs

Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Ribs are fall off the bone tender and wrapped in a delicious restaurant quality caramelized sticky sauce. So easy to make – the slow cooker does most of the work!
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours hours
Total Time: 6 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 1.094kcal

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker 6-8 quart

Ingredients

  • 2-3 pounds pork spareribs

Brown Sugar Sauce

  • 2 cups brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
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Instructions

  • Prepare the ribs by cutting the slab into sections of 2-3 ribs each. Set aside.
  • In a large saucepan combine the brown sugar and flour. Mix with a fork until the flour is incorporated into the flour. Add water and stir until combined.
  • Set the saucepan on the stove over medium heat.
  • Add the vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, ginger and garlic powder and stir to combine.
  • Heat and stir until boiling and thickened, about 10 minutes.
  • Layer the ribs in the slow cooker and pour the thickened sauce over them.
  • Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours, basting occasionally with sauce throughout the cooking process.
  • Baste with sauce just before serving. Serve over rice if desired. Enjoy!

Nutrition *

Calories: 1.094kcal | Carbohydrates: 117g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 787mg | Potassium: 748mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 108g | Vitamin A: 39IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 3mg
* The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
Have you tried this recipe? Post a pic and mention @TheRecipeBandit or tag #therecipebandit!


  • Michelle Mundy

    As a busy working mom with kids on the go, I know how important it is to be able to make simple and delicious meals using everyday ingredients. The recipes shared here are family friendly with easy to understand step by step instructions. Tried and true, from our family to yours. Welcome to The Recipe Bandit! Click here to read more about me.

5 Comments

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Comments

  1. Kate says

    February 8, 2025 at 3:28 pm

    5 stars
    Great sauce…added a tablespoon of molasses and unsweetened cocoa. Yummy. using this tomorrow on Superbowl Sunday. go K.C. Stay away tRump🤮

    Reply
    • Michelle Mundy says

      February 11, 2025 at 6:12 pm

      5 stars
      We have never tried adding cocoa or molasses! Thanks for the great suggestions! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Marsha says

    June 14, 2023 at 10:42 am

    5 stars
    This recipe was so easy and so delicious. served it with fried rice. Going to make it again. great for hot summer days because of no oven needed. Loved them.Thx for posting.

    Reply
  3. Cindy says

    June 12, 2023 at 10:40 am

    5 stars
    Do you have some sort of liner in the crock pot?

    Reply
    • The Bandit says

      June 12, 2023 at 12:02 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Cindy! Yes – I really like using the Reynolds Slow cooker liners, especially for the sticky stuff. 🙂 You can buy them on Amazon but I usually just pick them up that the grocery store or WalMart. 🙂

      Reply

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About Me

  • Michelle Mundy

    As a busy working mom with kids on the go, I know how important it is to be able to make simple and delicious meals using everyday ingredients. The recipes shared here are family friendly with easy to understand step by step instructions. Tried and true, from our family to yours. Welcome to The Recipe Bandit! Click here to read more about me.

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