This post contains affiliate links.
These Instant Pot Ribs are so tender, flavorful, and delicious, it's really hard to believe they cook in just about 30 minutes! Another great, easy recipe made with your pressure cooker.
Instant Pot Ribs
Cooking tender, bbq ribs at home is one of those dinners that will always, always make me feel like a rock-star for how amazing they turn out, and how little work was required on my part.
My go-to ribs recipe is usually these slow cooker ribs, but the instant pot also makes fantastic ribs and it's perfect for those of us that don't always plan dinner out early enough to pull the slow cooker out in the morning.
My favorite quality about the instant pot (and the area where the instant pot really shines) is how it can take hefty cuts of meat and cook them to tender in such a short amount of time. These instant pot ribs are the perfect examples of the type recipe that cooks GREAT in the pressure cooker or instant pot. Learn all of my instant pot tips!
How to make Instant Pot Ribs:
- Season the ribs all over with a dry spice rub.
- Add liquid to the bottom of the instant pot.
- Curl the ribs around the instant pot, with the meat side facing out. If your ribs are already cut in sections then stand them up in the same manner, lining them up around the pot.
- Cook them on high pressure. Cooking times will vary just slightly depending on the type of ribs you use, your elevation, and if you want them tender to the bite, or fall-off-the-bone tender.
When the ribs are finished cooking you can slather them in your favorite store-bought or homemade bbq sauce.
I also like to stick them under the broiler for just a few minutes, to let the bbq sauce caramelize and char a little bit. YUM!
Tips for the perfect instant pot ribs:
What type of ribs to use:
I prefer baby back ribs but you can also use spare ribs. It's important to not that your cooking time will vary, depending on your altitude and what type of ribs you choose.
How long to cook ribs in the instant pot or pressure cooker:
- Baby Back Ribs: 25-30 Minutes
- Spare Ribs: 30-35 Minutes
- For low altitude, use the lower number, and for high altitude cook them a little longer.
- Also, the longer you cook them, the more “fall-off-the-bone tender they will be. If you want them tender, without falling off the bone, use a slightly lower cook time.
What size instant pot for instant pot ribs?
Any 6 quart or larger instant pot will work!
Removing the membrane from the ribs:
Depending on where you buy your ribs, they may still have the white, shiny membrane connective tissue on the back (bone side) of the ribs. I buy mine from Costco and they already have the membranes removed. Check to make sure the membrane on your ribs has been removed and if it hasn't, follow these steps to remove it:
- Just flip the ribs so the top (meaty part) is face down.
- Slide your fingers or a butter knife under the membrane and rip it off.
- No special skills needed here, just use your fingers to yank it up and off the ribs.
Consider serving with a Side Dish. Here are some of my favorites:
FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!
Instant Pot Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1-2 racks pork ribs, (*see note below)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup apple juice, , or ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke, , optional*
- 1 cup barbecue sauce, , homemade or store-bought (*see note)
Instructions
- Remove membranes from the back of ribs, if needed.
- Rubs seasonings over both sides of ribs.
- Place wire trivet rack in the bottom of the instant pot.
- Add water, apple juice (or apple cider vinegar) and liquid smoke (optional, but recommended for that great smokey flavor).
- Place the ribs upright, with the meat side facing out. If you’re using one large rack of ribs, then circle them around the pot.
- Secure lid and close vent.
- Press “manual” or “pressure cook” and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes.
- When the timer beeps, allow the pressure to naturally release for 15 min, then turn the valve to quick release.
- Carefully remove ribs to a large, foil-lined baking sheet and slather them in BBQ sauce.
- Optional: broil them in the oven for 2-3 minutes to caramelize the bbq sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Text me new recipe ideas!
Simple, tasty ideas sent once a week. No spam.
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE this recipe and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
Excellent recipe! Turned out delicious!! Its my staple instapot pork ribs recipe.
WOW!!! We LOVED these ribs!! I did take liberty with the rub. I added some allspice, Ceylon cinnamon, a little cayenne pepper and dry yellow mustard. FANTASTIC!!!
These were sooooo good! My family loves ribs but I don’t love how long they normally take to make…who has time to babysit their ribs for hours? These were perfect, fall off the bone ribs and so delicious. I love how easy they are to make in the pressure cooker.
Fantastic! Followed receipe and family loved it! Yummmmm
In Nova Scotia some stores sell pork tavern ribs, which appear to be called button ribs or perhaps tip ribs elsewhere. They are meaty and have small flat bones. They are mostly meat so they are not as stiff as regular spareribs or baby back ribs, so it is harder to stand them up at the sides of the instant pot. I trimmed as much fat off as I could and rubbed them with Old Bay seasoning. I used a cup of water in the instant pot and put the ribs on the trivet leaning against the sides of the pot. I used the meat setting at 15 minutes and a natural release of 15 minutes. I then removed them and slathered them with chicken a rib BBQ sauce and heated them in a convection toaster oven for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees F. They were very tender and came off the bones easily and to my taste delicious. The broth left in the pot was really good and I will use it in another recipe.
Can l do two slabs at once?
Yes, you can do as many as will fit in your pot!
Yes, you can do as many as will fit in your pot!
Amazing!!
Can you use boneless ribs and if so how long do I cook them for
Same cooking time should be fine!
Oh, this came out so good. I made the fat country style pork shoulder ribs (with bone). Followed recipe exactly with the exception of adding more liquid smoke, and afterwards put in oven in a small covered roaster (to minimize splatter). I added about 1/4 c of the leftover liquid to the bottom, slathered ribs in my preferred bbq sauce, and cooked 30 mins at 325° so meat could absorb more bbq flavor. Last minute broiled for 3 minutes to caramalize the sauce. Nothing got black or burned, ribs are super tender and my house smells great. I might lick the walls all week lol.
Big hit in my family too. Used chicken stock and apple cider vinegar also added small potatoes around one slab of ribs. Cooked for 37 min. Put ribs and potatoes on tray. Basted all with Baby Rae chipotle bbq sauce and broiled both sides of ribs and potatoes to crisp up. Very good.
Easy to follow with delicious results. Family favorite!
Trying it for the first time, truly wonderful. ..