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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:
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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.
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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!!!
I just made these and finished them on the grill with a store bought bbq sauce and they were the best ribs I have ever eaten! I had baby back ribs and I pressure cooked for 30 minutes and did 15 min natural release just like the recipe says and they were just falling off the bone tender. I followed the recipe, but added 1tsp smoked paprika because I was feeling wild and it turned out great.
I wanted to add that I did use the apple cider vinegar versus the apple juice. I also used the liquid smoke. I cut the ribs apart and stacked them in my pot. I did not wrap them. Perfect!
This is the second time I have made this recipe. Thank you! It is my go to recipe for making ribs in my instapot! It is perfect!!!!
Made exactly as stated. Absolutely delicious!! I’ve botched many baby back ribs in the past. 🙂 My family said not only were these the best I’ve ever made but the best they’ve ever had! Thank you for restoring my rib reputation. 🙂 This is a keeper!
Delicious and easy. Thanks for the rob recipe.
FABULOUS RIBS!! Now my go to recipe for ribs!! SO EASY AND THEY ARE PERFECT! Thank you!
This recipe is a winner!
I have made it many times over the years.
I haven’t even bothered looking for another recipe as this one worked so well for me the first time I tried it. I do not make any changes to the ingredients. I make it exactly as directed. I also use the liquid smoke. (That’s an optional ingredient in the recipe. )
I ALWAYS finish the ribs off in the broiler or grill. You get that nice caramelization.
The rib meat always turns out tender and just amazing.
This recipe works out every time.
Big Thank you.
This is 100% the recipe that I continue coming back to for ribs! I adjust slightly by using smoked paprika in the rub and not using liquid smoke, but other than that, this recipe is spot on! I do this in my instant pot and then take it wherever I am going or to my roof and throw it on the grill on high heat with the barbecue sauce to give it that just off the grill flavor! Perfect!
Just plain terrible. Not sure how this recipe is so highly rated. I’ll stick to cooking ribs on the smoker.
Hi Dennis,
You did something wrong. I don’t know what it was. If you season the ribs and put them in the instapot, on a rack, with 1/2 to 1 cup of any liquid, cook them under high pressure for 30 minutes and then wait for another 15 minutes for the IP to release pressure naturally, you will have fall off the bone ribs. You didn’t say why the recipe was terrible; I can only assume you didn’t cook them per the instructions. The recipe works very well. You can season the rib any way you want to. You might want to try again. Best of luck.
Excellent !