These Dr Pepper Crock Pot Ribs are oh-so-tasty and easy to make! They cook low and slow in the Crock Pot for eight hours, leaving you with an uber-tender main. Pair these ribs with your favorite sides like mashed potatoes and coleslaw for a filling meal.
These Dr Pepper Crock Pot ribs only take about five minutes to prep before going into the Crock Pot. This is a great weekday dish as you can toss the ribs into the Crock Pot before heading to work and then come home to a tasty meal. Using Dr. Pepper helps tenderize the ribs, so they’ll be falling off the bone when you remove them from the pot.
Here are some more mouthwatering BBQ recipes to try this week: Sticky BBQ Chicken Wings, Easy Dutch Oven BBQ Chicken, and Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy—Most of the ingredients for these Dr Pepper Crock Pot ribs are items you likely already have in your pantry.
- Quick prep – You can whip up the dry rub and have the ribs in the slow cooker in about five minutes.
- Flavorful—The Dr. Pepper soda and dry rub soak into the ribs as they cook, making this a delicious Dr. Pepper ribs recipe.
- Tender – Since these crockpot ribs are cooking low and slow, they’ll be uber-tender. Dr. Pepper also helps tenderize them in the Crock Pot.
- Caramelized, saucy exterior – The key to creating even more flavorful Dr Pepper Crock Pot ribs with BBQ sauce is to broil them for a few minutes. This allows the sauce to caramelize, turning into a sticky glaze on the ribs.
- Great for larger groups – This recipe is easy to double or triple as needed for larger groups.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Smoked Paprika: I do not recommend substituting regular paprika for smoked paprika in this Dr Pepper Crock Pot ribs recipe. It does not have the same flavor.
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Ribs: If you prefer, you can substitute the country-style pork ribs for baby back. Be sure to remove the silverskin and cut the rack into about 4 pieces so it will fit in the slow cooker with this swap. I have not tested this recipe with beef ribs, so I am unsure about the cooking time for a Dr Pepper beef ribs Crock Pot recipe.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Dr. Pepper Ribs in the Crock Pot
Quick Overview
- Add rub to ribs.
- Add liquid and ribs to Crock Pot.
- Cook.
- Top with BBQ sauce.
- Broil.
Step by Step Instructions
Be sure to coat both sides of the ribs with the rub.
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Rub the spices all over the surface of the ribs.
Step 2: Pour 1 ¼ cup of the Dr. Pepper and the apple cider vinegar into the slow cooker. Place the ribs on top of the soda.
Add the extra soda to the sauce to help prevent it from burning in the oven.
Step 3: Cook on low for 7-8 hours or until the meat is falling apart. The meat should register 190-200 degrees.
Step 4: While the ribs are cooking, combine the rest of the soda and the barbecue sauce in a small bowl. Refrigerate until the ribs are done.
Step 5: Once the ribs are done, line a baking sheet with foil and grease lightly with cooking spray or use a wire rack. Gently place the ribs on the baking sheet without removing the dry rub. Brush generously with the barbecue sauce mixture.
Step 6: Broil for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and begins to darken.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Garnish these Dr Pepper Crock Pot ribs with sliced green onions, fresh parsley, or additional BBQ sauce for even more flavor. I love serving this Dr Pepper baby back ribs slow cooker dish with other BBQ day favorites. Here are a few ideas:
- Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese
- Easy Garlic Rosemary Focaccia Muffins
- Easy Pesto Orzo Salad
- Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
Expert Tips
- Cook low and slow. The key to great Dr Pepper Crock Pot ribs is cooking them low and slow. This method allows the slow cooker Dr Pepper BBQ ribs to really tenderize and absorb the flavors.
- Broil at the end. I don’t recommend skipping this Dr Pepper ribs in oven step, as it allows the sugars to caramelize, adding tons of flavor!
- Don’t skip the dry rub. Since there is no Dr Pepper ribs marinade for this recipe, a lot of the flavor will come from the dry rub. Ensure you take a few minutes to add the spice mixture to the ribs before they go in the Crock Pot.
- Use your favorite BBQ sauce. You can use whatever you have on hand for this crockpot Dr Pepper ribs recipe, including Sweet Baby Ray’s or your preferred brand. If you have extra BBQ sauce from another recipe, you can use that as well just ensure you mix it with part of the soda.
Additions & Variations
- Use Coke or root beer instead. If you don’t have Dr Pepper on hand, you can use other soda like Coke or root beer. It will still provide a delicious taste, though you can expect the flavor to be slightly different from the original Dr Pepper Crock Pot ribs recipe.
- Add cayenne pepper for heat. You can also add a kick of heat with 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper mixed into the rub.
- Try a pre-made rub. If you’re really low on time, you can save a few minutes using a pre-made rib rub.
Recipe FAQs
I recommend adding liquid to the slow cooker when cooking ribs. You don’t need to fully submerge the ribs, but there should be at least a cup of liquid.
Yes, you can cook ribs for too long in the crockpot. They will dry out just like if you cook them for too long in the oven.
Yes, Pepsi is a great alternative to Dr Pepper for these ribs. Any soda with a brown hue will work for these Dr Pepper Crock Pot ribs. As a note, the soda must be regular, not diet.
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Dr. Pepper Crock Pot Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons smoked paprika*
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon Morton kosher salt*
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3-4 pounds of boneless country-style ribs, see note if using baby back*
- 1 can Dr. Pepper, separated*
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ? cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Rub the spices all over the surface of the ribs.2 Tablespoons smoked paprika*, 2 Tablespoons chili powder, 1 Tablespoon garlic powder, 1 Tablespoon Morton kosher salt*, 1 teaspoon pepper
- Pour 1 ¼ cup of the Dr. Pepper and the apple cider vinegar into the slow cooker. Place the ribs on top of the soda.1 can Dr. Pepper, separated*, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 3-4 pounds of boneless country-style ribs, see note if using baby back*
- Cook on low for 7-8 hours or until the meat is falling apart. The meat should register 190-200 degrees.
- While the ribs are cooking, combine the rest of the soda and the barbecue sauce in a small bowl. Refrigerate until the ribs are done.? cup barbecue sauce
- Once the ribs are done, line a baking sheet with foil and grease lightly with cooking spray or use a wire rack. Gently place the ribs on the baking sheet without removing the dry rub. Brush generously with the barbecue sauce mixture.
- Broil for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and begins to darken.
Notes
- Smoked Paprika: I do not recommend substituting regular paprika for smoked paprika in this Dr Pepper Crock Pot ribs recipe. It does not have the same flavor.
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Ribs: If you prefer, you can substitute the country-style pork ribs for baby back. Be sure to remove the silverskin and cut the rack into about 4 pieces so it will fit in the slow cooker with this swap. I have not tested this recipe with beef ribs, so I am unsure about the cooking time for a Dr Pepper beef ribs Crock Pot recipe.
- Cook low and slow. The key to great Dr Pepper Crock Pot ribs is cooking them low and slow. This method allows the slow cooker Dr Pepper BBQ ribs to really tenderize and absorb the flavors.
- Broil at the end. I don’t recommend skipping this Dr Pepper ribs in oven step, as it allows the sugars to caramelize, adding tons of flavor!
- Don’t skip the dry rub. Since there is no Dr Pepper ribs marinade for this recipe, a lot of the flavor will come from the dry rub. Ensure you take a few minutes to add the spice mixture to the ribs before they go in the Crock Pot.
- Use your favorite BBQ sauce. You can use whatever you have on hand for this crockpot Dr Pepper ribs recipe, including Sweet Baby Ray’s or your preferred brand. If you have extra BBQ sauce from another recipe, you can use that as well just ensure you mix it with part of the soda.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My whole family loved this rib recipe! Will be making it again!
Such a delicious Dr. Pepper Ribs recipe! Definitely going to make it again.
This is such an easy and delicious recipe. We loved it!
These are amazing! My family loves that and I love that I can make in the slow cooker!