Slow Cooker Ribs and Sauerkraut
75 CommentsUpdated Feb 10, 2026
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When the cooler weather hits, there’s nothing like a hearty meal to warm you up. This slow cooker recipe for ribs and sauerkraut will do just that!
Recipe Highlights
- Great one-pot dish—no extra sides needed!
- Prep it in the morning, set up the crockpot, then enjoy a great meal during football.
- Perfect for fans of German-inspired comfort food.
- Easy to make ahead and let the slow cooker do the work.
Key Ingredients
- Baby back ribs – Cut and broiled for extra flavor
- Red potatoes – Sliced thick for a hearty base
- White onion & garlic – Adds depth and aroma
- Dried thyme, salt, pepper – Simple seasoning blend
- Sauerkraut – Rinsed and layered for a tangy bite
- Chicken broth – For rich, savory cooking liquid
How to make sauerkraut and ribs in the slow cooker
- Give those ribs a quick broil to get them nice and golden.
- Layer everything in the slow cooker—potatoes, onion, garlic, sauerkraut, and seasoning.
- Pour in your broth or crack open a beer and let it ride.
- Set it, forget it, then come back to tender, tangy, rib-loaded goodness.
Do you drain bagged sauerkraut before cooking?
I like to drain and rinse my sauerkraut, as I prefer a less intense sour flavor in this recipe. If you’re a die-hard sauerkraut fan, don’t rinse it; instead, add a half cup of the juices to the slow cooker.
Tips & Variations
Other ribs: You can substitute the baby back ribs for any pork ribs, such as spareribs, country-style ribs, and other types! If beef is more your style, then try using beef short ribs instead.
Peels: You can peel the potatoes if desired, I like to keep the peel on for it does keep the potatoes from falling apart as much.
Liquid Swap: Instead of adding chicken broth you can do beer, white wine or even water if you don’t have any of those.
Searing: If you want to save time you don’t have to sear under the broiler, you can skip it or you can brown in an oiled skillet.
Featured Comment
“Delicious! I used country ribs and they came out extra tender and wonderful! Next time I won’t rinse my sauerkraut, we like the sourness. Overall, a keeper!”
– Kate
Another one pot meal that will hit the spot like this one is Slow Cooker Cornish Game Hens, or Kielbasa and Sauerkraut recipes.
Slow Cooker Ribs Sauerkraut Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
- 1 rack pork baby back ribs
- 1 white onion, sliced
- 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 lbs. sliced red potatoes, about 3/4 inch thick
- 16 oz. sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup chicken broth, (or your favorite beer!)
Instructions
- Remove the membrane off the back of the ribs by sticking a finger under it in the middle of the ribs, lift up and pull. It may not come off in one piece. You can see how I remove this in the video.
- Preheat the oven to Broil.
- Cut the ribs into single rib pieces. Place the cut onion onto a baking sheet. Add the ribs on top of the onion. Drizzle over the oil. Sprinkle over the salt, pepper and thyme over the ribs. Add the garlic cloves.
- Place the baking sheet into the oven under the broiler. Leave in the oven until the ribs are slightly browned. Mine took about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
- Add the sliced potatoes to the slow cooker. Add the contents of the baking sheet on top of the potatoes. Drain and rinse the sauerkraut if desired. Add the sauerkraut on top of everything.
- Pour over the chicken broth.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or for 7-8 on low. You will know your recipe is done when your ribs are fork-tender and the potatoes are no longer hard.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More Slow Cooker Ribs:
Slow Cooker Beef Ribs and Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs are rich, tender, and perfect for a hearty, hands-off dinner.
For a classic barbecue favorite, Crockpot Ribs and Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs are easy to prepare and full of bold, smoky flavor.
If you’re craving something with a kick, Buffalo Style Ribs bring the heat, while Dr. Pepper Ribs add a sweet and tangy twist that’s always a hit.
Very best recipes!!!
Made this tonight (with a couple of variations) and loved it! I used my Instantpot on sauté to brown the ribs (salted and peppered) Instead of the broiler, removed them and then sautéed the onions and twice the number of garlic cloves. Ribs back in and a healthy sprinkle of caraway seeds. Kraut was not drained and rinsed – simply tonged out of the jar with whatever liquid cringed. I had russet potatoes sliced, so that went in. Beef bouillon (as that’s what I had). Seven hours on slow cook in the instantpot. The potatoes were the only disappointment. Believe it or not they were a bit underdone. Should have tucked them down into the liquid. Other than that, perfection!
I never use apples and brown sugar. and I do drain the sauerkraut ….. I use caraway seeds when I make this, pepper and a little garlic salt. I also make German Potato Salad to go with this one pot meal. Slice cooked potatoes thin, add red onion, S & P, and combination of Cider Vinegar and wine vinegar and Olive oil.
Really Good!
I made your recipe today and it was delicious! I appreciated that yours did not include apples and brown sugar as my husband does not like his food to be “sweet”. I did not strain the sauerkraut. The only thing I did differently was to cut the ribs into 3-rib pieces. Thank you for this great recipe! It’s a keeper.
Can you put syrup in to
I wouldn’t personally.
I have never cooked ribs and sauerkraut in a slow cooker before. We used to cook in a pressure cooker. The flavor was wonderful. We just used ribs and sauerkraut juice and all. We had mashed potatoes or whole boiled small red potatoes on side.
Why would I cook it on low for 8 hours as opposed to on high for 5 hours? (I’ve actually often made a similar meal using only the potatoes, ribs, and kraut with nothing else and no broiling or skin peeling…and it was delicious!)
Your recipe sounds very intriguing! I’m going to try it this weekend.
You can cook it on high for 5 if you’d like. I just happened to be gone for 8 hours the day I made this.
Like your version much better my Granny owned a German supper club in WI grew up eating ribs w whole russet potatoes and kraut no frills or sugary ingredients necessary.
Looks delicious! Very nostalgic dish for me – thank you for sharing. Love making dishes that have sauerkraut in them.
Why does the sauerkraut need to be drained and rinsed?
You don’t have to! I did it because my family doesn’t eat a lot of it. Leave it undrained and unrinsed if you are a big sauerkraut lover.
Does leaving it undrained and unrinsed take away from the pork rib flavor??:
I don’t think it will.
No it won’t but it may be sourer which many don’t care for. Here in Southern MO we drain add a TBS brown sugar and Caraway seeds (1/2 teas) to cut taste a touch. I do this for Reuben Sandwiches.
Sounds good.
Some brands of SK is very SOUR, too sour and that overwhelms and dominates the taste buds, thus limiting the other flavors.
If using a jarred Kraut, rinse it out with some of the stock to get all the little bits out.
I know this is a good recipe because I do something very similar to this recipe, but in the oven.
It’s easy and quick. Never thought about the CP.
I do mine in the oven, on 350% how long does it usually take
I’m cooking this in my toaster oven today, and looked up oven temps for “Low” and “High”. I found: “A slow cooker on low should be about 200 degrees; while the high setting should be 300 degrees.” Hope that helps you gauge the time.