Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs with Corn Relish

Get ready for your new favorite pork rib recipe! These slow cooker baby back ribs are flavored with a dry rub, cooked to melt-off-the-bone perfection, and served on crispy tostadas with corn relish and crema. I could eat these every day.

Spare Ribs vs Baby Back Ribs

What’s the difference between spare ribs and baby back ribs? 

Spare ribs are larger, meatier, and have more bone and fat. Baby back ribs are smaller, leaner, and more tender. They are shorter than spare ribs, which gives them their “baby” name. 

Baby back ribs are also typically more expensive. Each rack is usually about 2 pounds (half of which is bone) and is enough to feed one hungry adult. 

This recipe calls for one rack of ribs, but it feeds two because we’re adding in tostadas and a delicious cream cheese corn relish! 

Ingredients For Easy Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs 

For the spiced baby back ribs:

• 1 slab baby back ribs
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 to 3 cups beef stock
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 to 6 tostadas
• 2 medium avocados, pits removed, smashed
• grape tomatoes, garnish
• Mexican crema, garnish

For the corn relish:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup corn
• 1/4 cup red onion
• squeeze of lime
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• dash of Tabasco
• 1 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• salt and pepper to taste

You could also use another cut of meat for these tostadas! If you can’t get baby back ribs, you can use pork spare ribs, beef back or spare ribs, beef short ribs, or even chicken!

Cooking Baby Back Ribs in Slow Cooker

I cook these baby back ribs in a slow cooker without bbq sauce. You can certainly add sauce after, but these ribs come out perfectly spiced without any messy sauce – perfect when assembling the tostadas! 

To make slow cooker dry rub ribs, first combine the chili powder, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the dry rub all over the ribs. 

Place sliced onions in the bottom of the slow cooker and then place the ribs on top. Pour beef stock into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.

Meanwhile, make the corn relish. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, then add the corn, red onion, lime juice, garlic powder, paprika, Tabasco, salt and pepper. Saute until the corn has softened and turned slightly brown. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream cheese.

Remove ribs from the slow cooker and separate the meat from the bone with a fork. 

Spread some mashed avocado on a tostada, then pile on the meat, corn relish, tomatoes, and crema.

This meal doesn’t really need a side dish due to the corn relish, but you definitely want to have some chips and guac on hand and make some Pink Lime Margaritas to go with it!

Conclude your dining adventure with the irresistible blend of Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs and Corn Relish. A symphony of taste that lingers, leaving you satisfied and craving more.