Want a simple and satisfying main course to serve your family during a busy time? (Who doesn’t!?) Then opt for these ribs. They cook up pull-apart-with-your-fingers tender with a wonderful sweet flavor. And you barely have to do any work at all!

This is a variation on many recipes you’ll find online for slow cooker ribs that use other sodas like Dr. Pepper or Coca-Cola. Cheerwine is a cherry soda produced and bottled in our home state of North Carolina, and it happens to be my favorite soda of all. If you can get your hands on it, give it a try.

NOTE: Country-style ribs are not the same as the racks you purchase that still contain bones and sinew that you’ll have to remove at some point in the cooking and eating process. And when these ribs cook, they’ll pull apart with much more ease than, say, a pork chop. There’s very little like a country-style rib.

 

Slow Cooker Cheerwine Country-Style Ribs

What You Need:

2-3 pounds country-style ribs (no bones)

1 1/2 cups Cheerwine soda (or a 12-ounce can is the same)

1 cup barbecue sauce (We like ours from this BBQ burger recipe!)

1 teaspoon garlic salt (or to taste)

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

 

What You Do:

1. Add your ribs to a slow cooker.

2. Cover ribs with barbecue sauce, salt, pepper and, lastly, Cheerwine soda.

3. Cover slow cooker, turn to low, and leave for 8 hours.

4. Use tongs to remove and serve ribs.

5. Top with additional barbecue sauce if desired.