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Crockpot Pineapple BBQ Ribs

Crockpot pineapple BBQ ribs made with a sticky, smoky sauce of crushed pineapple and sweet-tangy BBQ. Slow-cooked until fall-off-the-bone tender, then optionally broiled to caramelize the glaze.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 1200
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ribs
  • 3 lb baby back pork ribs
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper optional
Pineapple BBQ Sauce
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Garnish
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 pineapple rings optional, for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep the ribs
  1. Slide a butter knife under the silver membrane on the back of the ribs and pull it off with a paper towel to help the meat become more tender.
  2. Mix garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper into a spice rub, then rub it all over both sides of the ribs.
Make the pineapple BBQ sauce
  1. Whisk BBQ sauce, crushed pineapple with juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth and glossy.
Slow-cook in the crockpot
  1. Pour about 1/3 of the pineapple BBQ sauce into the bottom of the crockpot.
  2. Place the ribs in the crockpot, standing them upright along the edges if needed (cut the rack in half for a better fit).
  3. Pour the remaining sauce over and around the ribs so they are well coated.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours, or on HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender and the meat pulls away easily.
Optional broil for caramelized char
  1. Carefully remove the ribs to a foil-lined baking sheet, brush with extra sauce from the crockpot, and broil at 425°F for 5–7 minutes until the sauce caramelizes and gets slightly charred.
Finish and serve
  1. Garnish the ribs with chopped fresh cilantro, then serve with extra pineapple BBQ sauce on the side and optional pineapple rings.

Notes

For best texture, fully remove the silver membrane and keep the ribs coated in sauce during the slow-cook. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3–4 days; freeze up to 2 months (freeze glazed or sauce separately). For a lower-sugar option, use a reduced-sugar BBQ sauce to keep the sweet-tang balance without extra brown sugar.