In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, black pepper and salt.
If your ribs come in a rack, remove any skin from the back of the ribs and cut them into smaller pieces so that they will fit into a crock pot.
Rub the seasoning mixture onto both sides of the ribs.
Pour the water into the bottom of the crock pot.
Layer the ribs into the crock pot and pour 1 ½ cups of barbecue sauce on top as evenly as possible.
Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours until they are tender.
Carefully move the ribs to a baking sheet lined with foil. Brush the ribs with the remaining barbecue sauce.
Broil for 5-8 minutes until the sauce is caramelized slightly.
Cut into individual ribs, serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5-6 days. You can also grill the ribs a few minutes on each side instead of broiling them if you prefer. Don’t skip this step as it adds a ton of flavor to the sauce by caramelizing it.