I own a lot of kitchen gadgets, but few get used as often as my slow cooker. Keto slow cooker ribs and sauerkraut is one of my most-repeated dishes in it, mostly because the whole house smells incredible while it cooks.
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This is genuinely a set-it-and-walk-away dinner. Trim the ribs, rinse the sauerkraut, load the pot, and let hours of low heat do the rest of the work for you.
Pick baby back ribs over St. Louis style if you have the choice. They run leaner, so the dish stays balanced instead of greasy.
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Chef Jenn’s Take on Slow Cooker Ribs & Sauerkraut
Whether to drain and rinse the sauerkraut is genuinely a matter of preference, and readers are split on it. I drain and rinse mine, since straight-from-the-jar sauerkraut can taste overwhelmingly strong. Plenty of longtime readers skip that step entirely, preferring the stronger flavor and the gut-health benefits of more fermented sauerkraut. Both approaches work, this comes down to your own taste.
Choose baby back ribs over St. Louis style if you have the option, they run leaner, so the dish stays balanced instead of greasy. Trim any visible fat and cut the ribs into two-bone sections before they go into the pot.
Check on this at least once or twice while it cooks. Sauerkraut can dry out and even scorch depending on how well it was drained, how big your slow cooker is, and how fatty the ribs are. A splash more water or broth fixes it if things look dry.
Readers have added their own twists successfully too, searing the ribs first for extra flavor, or swapping in a splash of low-carb beer instead of water for something deeper. Just know the beer adds a small amount of carbs.
What You’ll Love About Slow Cooker Ribs & Sauerkraut
- The whole house smells incredible while this cooks all day.
- Genuinely hands-off, most of the work is trimming ribs and rinsing sauerkraut before the pot takes over.
- Fall-off-the-bone tender ribs without any oven babysitting required.
Ingredients
- Pork baby back ribs – Leaner than St. Louis style, which helps keep this from turning greasy.
- Sauerkraut – Drain and rinse if you prefer a milder flavor, or leave it as is if you like it stronger.
- Onion – Sliced or chopped, either works.
- Garlic – Fresh, roughly chopped.
- Peppercorns – Whole, picked out or crunched through as you eat. Don’t substitute a teaspoon of ground pepper, it’s too much.
- Bay leaves – Whole, removed before serving.
- Water – Chicken broth or a splash of low-carb beer both work as substitutes for extra flavor.
How to Make Slow Cooker Ribs & Sauerkraut
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Drain and rinse the sauerkraut if you prefer a milder flavor, squeezing out most of the water with clean hands.
Trim any visible fat from the ribs and cut them into two-bone sections. Season with salt and pepper. Peel and slice the onion, and roughly chop the garlic.
Add the sauerkraut to the bottom of a large slow cooker. Lay the ribs on top and sprinkle with the onion, peppercorns, and garlic. Add the bay leaves and water.
Cover and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours, or on low for 5 to 6 hours, stirring occasionally and checking that the sauerkraut hasn’t dried out.
Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
Make It A Meal
I serve this with Southern Style Green Beans or over Zucchini Spaghetti most often. For another slow cooker option on a different night, Al Pastor Carnitas is worth keeping in the same rotation.
Storage
Chill fully in the fridge, then portion into freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the microwave or in an oven-safe dish covered with foil at 350°F. Refrigerated leftovers keep for up to 4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe runs about 4 net carbs per serving. The number comes from naturally occurring carbs in the onion, garlic, and sauerkraut, offset by fiber, which keeps it low for a hearty main dish. The number in the recipe card below will recalculate once this post is republished, so use it as an estimate until then.
This is a matter of preference. Draining and rinsing gives a milder flavor, while skipping that step keeps the sauerkraut stronger and more fermented. Both approaches work well in this recipe.
Aim for 5 to 6 hours on low. Check at least once or twice, since the sauerkraut can dry out or scorch depending on your slow cooker size, how well it was drained, and how fatty the ribs are.
Yes, chicken broth works well, and one reader adds a splash of low-carb beer for extra flavor. Keep in mind the beer will add a small amount of carbs to the final dish.
Add Preferred SourceRibs & Sauerkraut (Keto, Low-Carb)
Ingredients
- 32 ounces sauerkraut
- 2 pounds pork baby back ribs
- 1 onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Drain and rinse one 32-ounce jar or can of sauerkraut. Squeeze most of the water from it with your very clean hands.
- Trim any visible fat from the ribs and cut them into 2-bone sections, and season them with salt and pepper.
- Peel and slice the onion, and roughly chop the garlic.
- Add the sauerkraut to the bottom of a large Crock Pot. Lay the ribs on top, and sprinkle with the onion, peppercorns, and garlic. Add the by leaves, and 1 cup of water.
- Put the lid on and set the slow cooker to high. Cook on high for 2-3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so, until the ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender.
- Adjust the seasoning adding salt and pepper to taste, serve and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Choose baby back ribs over St. Louis style if you have the option. They run leaner and keep the dish from turning greasy.
- Check on this once or twice during cooking. Sauerkraut can dry out or scorch depending on how it was drained and how fatty the ribs are.
- Use whole peppercorns rather than ground pepper. A full teaspoon of ground pepper is too much for this recipe.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Like This? Also Try:
- Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
- Al Pastor Pork Carnitas in the Crock Pot
- Beefiest Beef Stew EVER
- And, be sure to check out my cookbooks page!
I love dishes that use sauerkraut in them so these ribs are getting made asap!
They’re healthy AND tasty! Yum! Hope you enjoy!
I love my crockpot! Can’t wait to make this for dinner!
I agree, a slow cooker is a must have and so it this recipe! Simply delicious!
I’m not super familiar with sauerkraut and I didn’t realize you should rinse and drain it. This is a great tip for someone who has never cooked with sauerkraut before.
Oh yes, the #1 reason people hate sauerkraut is that it is too strong! Rinsing and draining is key!
I never drain or rinse sauerkraut! All the goodness of the fermenting is gone! Nothing more delicious than raw or cooked sauerkraut with the juices! Great for the gut too! 😃
That’s certainly your choice! Bon appetit!
I agree! Sauerkraut is best when not drained or rinsed. It’s not sour if you drain it and rinse it. Silver fleece has the best sauerkraut on the market not too sour but really really good.
Thanks for the tip! I’ll have to look for that brand! ~Jenn
Add a 1/2 cup of brown sugar to the sauerkraut before you cook it, you will pleasantly surprise. 🙂
And to keep it keto, ensure that you’re using a brown sugar substitute 🙂
Oh this is a wonderful idea! Sounds so, so good! I will have to try this..perfect meal for the weekends when the games are on!
And it smells soooo good cooking!
I’ve been making this for 40 yrs, ever since one of my best friends made it for me. We’ve always made it with a good size pork roast and don’t bother draining and rinsing the sauerkraut. Before going low carb and when I just want to honor Kim’s memory I eat it the way I did the very first time, a big spoon of white rice, some corn and sauerkraut with juices, meat on the side YUM!!
I love it with a pork roast, too! Thanks for reminding me!
I just pulled up this recipe for the 10th plus time and thought I should leave a comment. This is an awesome recipe! I don’t drain the sauerkraut because I like the flavor. The only extra step/deviation from recipe is I salt and pepper then sear the ribs in a bit of extra virgin olive oil on each side before putting them in the crock. It smells soooo good while it’s cooking all day! Definitely a tried and true wonderful recipe!! Thanks very much Chef Jenn!
What a great compliment, thank you! And I think after a few more times, you might beat me for the number of times I’ve made this dish! It sure does smell amazing cooking – you’re right about that! So glad you love it so much!
when I make this, rather than chicken broth or water I add about a half can of beer (you can use bud light or mich ultra, any low carb beer) and let it cook for another hour or so. It is delicious!!!
Great idea! Thanks for stopping by to share your tip! ~Jenn
I don’t understand what is giving this dish 9 carbs when all the ingredients don’t have any.
Hi there, there are naturally occurring carbs in garlic and onion, and in cabbage, too. The fiber offsets some of those carbs, resulting in this recipe having 4 net carbs per serving, which is really very low for a hearty main dish. Thanks for the comment, and I hope you try this recipe – it really is terrific! ~Jenn
Questions: do you grind the peppercorn first? And also “sliced” onions? Meaning to cut into long thin slices? Or did you mean to say “chopped”? Thank you!
I usually add whole peppercorns, then just pick them out or crunch through them for a nice peppery bite. But you could grind them first, but don’t add 1 teaspoon of ground pepper or you’ll have too much pepper. Sliced onions, yes, into thin slices but you could also chop them. ~Jenn
How long for low and slow. I am not a fan of opening lids on crockpots, Is that really necessary?
On low, I’d aim for 5-6 hours. And you will need to peek at least 1-2 times. You see, that sauerkraut can dry out depending on how well you drained it, how big your slow cooker is, how fatty your ribs are and evaporation. You don’t want that sauerkraut to get dry and crunchy or burned. Happy cooking! ~Jenn