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Get ready for a tropical twist on comfort food with these slow cooker Hawaiian ribs. Tender, fall-apart ribs are simmered in a sweet and tangy sauce made with pineapple, soy sauce, brown sugar, and a touch of spice. The slow cooker does all the work, infusing the meat with flavor and leaving your kitchen smelling incredible. Finished with a thickened glaze and served over rice with pineapple and onions, this dish brings bold island flavor to your dinner table with very little effort.
Slow cooker Hawaiian ribs are tender, sweet and tangy with a sweet pineapple glaze. This tropical twist on ribs is really easy to make, flavorful and perfect for dinner.
Also try air fryer short ribs, Hawaiian chicken, irresistible lava flow cocktails, loco moco, or this easy Hawaiian pork tenderloin recipe.
Why You’ll Love It
Tropical flavor: Pineapple, soy and brown sugar create the perfect sweet and savory blend.
Easy prep: Just toss it all in the slow cooker and let it go.
Tender texture: The ribs come out juicy and fall-off-the-bone.
Great for dinner or entertaining: Impressive with minimal work.
Slow Cooker Hawaiian Ribs Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Red onion: Adds sweetness and depth to the base of the dish.
Ribs: Meaty and tender, they absorb all the flavor while cooking low and slow. You can use spare ribs, St Louis cut ribs or even boneless ribs.
Garlic: Brings a bold, savory note to the sauce.
Ginger: Fresh and zesty, it adds a bright contrast to the sweetness.
Brown sugar: Sweetens the sauce and helps caramelize the glaze.
Soy sauce: Adds saltiness and umami to balance the sweetness.
Sriracha sauce: Gives the sauce a mild kick and complexity.
Apple cider vinegar: Brightens the dish and balances the sweet ingredients.
Pineapple: Adds juicy, tropical sweetness and a fresh finish.
How to Make Crockpot Hawaiian Ribs
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Layer the base: Spread sliced onions in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Add the ribs: Place trimmed ribs on top of the onion layer.
Mix the sauce: Combine garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, Sriracha and vinegar, then pour over the ribs.
Slow cook: Cook until the ribs are tender, then add pineapple and stir gently.
Finish the glaze: Transfer the cooking liquid to a saucepan and reduce until slightly thickened.
Serve: Brush ribs with glaze, and spoon pineapple and onions over rice.
Substitutions and Variations
Use canned pineapple: If fresh isn’t available, use canned chunks in juice.
Make it spicier: Add more Sriracha or a chopped red chili.
Try boneless ribs: For easier serving and quicker shredding.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Begin your meal with one of these chilled appetizers.
Side dishes: Pair your ribs with rice to soak up the tasty juices. More ideas include crusty bread, corn on the cob, potato salad, creamy coleslaw or Hawaiian macaroni salad.
Dessert: Finish with ice cream sandwiches or a lemon granita.
How to Store Crockpot Hawaiian Style Ribs
Store: Keep the ribs in a covered container in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days.
Freeze: You can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Reheat: Wrap the ribs in foil, adding some pineapple juice or other moisture, and warm them up at 225°F or until they’re at least 130°F inside.
Top Tips
Trim the ribs well: Remove excess fat for a cleaner glaze. This is optional but I recommend you peel the silver membrane off the back of the ribs before cooking. You can use paper towels to help you get a grip on it and then just lift it with a sharp knife and pull it off.
Don’t skip the reduction: It concentrates the flavor and adds that sticky finish.
Serve with rice: The juices soak in perfectly and round out the meal.
Hawaiian Slow Cooker Ribs FAQs
When ribs are done, the connecting tissue breaks down and the skin is the only thing holding the rack of ribs together. The meat should come off the bone if you twist one of the bones around without using a lot of force. The ribs are overdone when the meat falls off the bone when you pick up the rack.
Yes, pork shoulder will work well. Just cut into chunks and follow the same steps.
Yes, but the ribs may be less tender. Low and slow is best for juicy ribs that fall off the bone.
Juicy Hawaiian Short Ribs Slow Cooker Recipe
Slow Cooker Hawaiian Ribs
Equipment
- Saucepan Small
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch slices
- 3 Pounds ribs, trimmed
- 2 Cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon ginger, freshly grated
- 1/2 Cup brown sugar
- 1/4 Cup soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Sriracha sauce
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 Cups pineapple, fresh, diced
Instructions
- Spread sliced onions evenly in the bottom of the crockpot. Place ribs on top of onion.
- In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, Sriracha, and apple cider vinegar. Pour mixture evenly over the ribs.
- Cook on low for 7 hours. Add pineapple to the crock pot and stir slightly so the pineapple is coated in the crock pot liquid. Continue to cook for one more hour.
- Carefully remove ribs, pineapple and onions from crock pot using a slotted spoon. Cover with foil to keep warm.
- Pour remaining liquid into a small saucepan. Skim excess fat from the surface.
- Bring to a boil and cook until liquid is reduced by half and slightly thickened.
- Brush reduced liquid over the ribs.
- Spoon pineapple and onions over rice to serve.
Notes
Don’t skip the reduction: It concentrates the flavor and adds that sticky finish.
Serve with rice: The juices soak in perfectly and round out the meal.
Nutrition
Slow cooker Hawaiian ribs are the perfect mix of comfort and island flavor. The sauce is sweet and sticky with just the right amount of heat, and the pineapple adds freshness that ties it all together. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just want to make something special for dinner, this recipe is easy to follow and packed with flavor. Serve it over rice with the saucy pineapple and onions, and you’ll have a meal worth repeating.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
This recipe is so impressive! So good and my husband was asking for more when I made this last night. 😂 I’ll make this again on weekends!
OMG! This is hands down the best ribs recipe I’ve tried.
I’m seriously impressed by how incredible this recipe is. It’s definitely going to be a regular in our meal rotation!
I had no idea you could even make ribs in a slow cooker but it’s getting a bit chilly to want to fire up the grill so this is a great recipe for this time of year. Going to make it again next week.
It looks so good and tasty!! Thanks for sharing!
Wow! What an insanely, easy, and delicious recipe! This is perfect in every way!!
YUM! This looks so delicious! I find with Ribs it’s all about finding a good cut.
These ribs sound like something my family would really enjoy. Anything with Sriracha and garlic has got to be delicious! Thanks for sharing this mouthwatering recipe!
Yes thank you! My family would LOVE this for dinner!
These look delicious!!