Easy Instant Pot BBQ Ribs
by Chungah
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The easiest ribs ever made in less than 1 hr! So saucy, sticky, and tender, it just falls off-the-bone! So good.
Featured Comment
I’ll be completely honest with you. We had to recipe test these ribs a minimum of 3 times to completely perfect them. So I came home with 2 racks of baby back ribs on 3 separate occasions. In a span of 2 weeks, of course.
That being said, we can really thank my husband for this recipe. He was an avid recipe tester here, thoroughly eating through all the ribs each and every time. And he’s truly helped us create the most perfect, tender, fall-off-the-bone, juicy ribs each and every time in less than one hour.
Why you’ll love these Easy Instant Pot BBQ Ribs
- Made in half the time. Thanks to the Instant Pot®, the cook time is cut down by more than half, and these ribs are ready in less than 1 hour.
- Fool-proof recipe. This recipe is absolutely fool-proof, even for first-time cooks out there who have never made ribs before! The end result is fall-off-the-bone, finger-licking goodness with minimal hands-on time. And the quick broil at the very end helps caramelize the BBQ sauce so it’s super sticky, and well, just perfect.
- Convenient make-ahead recipe. The ribs can easily be made ahead of time, prepped + seasoned with the dry rub and placed in the fridge overnight, perfect for quick weeknight meals and summer entertaining.
different types of ribs
Spare ribs
Spare ribs are larger and meatier than baby back ribs, but take much longer to cook through to get tender.
Baby back ribs
Smaller than spare ribs, baby back ribs are generally leaner and more tender.
St. Louis ribs
St. Louis ribs are trimmed spare ribs and are often times cheaper than baby back ribs.
Which BBQ sauce is best?
This is really dependent on personal preference – sweet, spicy, tangy, etc. – but we personally love a sweet BBQ sauce for this recipe, particularly Stubb’s and Sweet Baby Ray’s. Honorable mentions include Trader Joe’s BBQ Sauce and Bachan’s.
how to make the easiest ribs in the instant pot
- Prep the ribs. Remove and discard the membrane from the ribs. To do so, slide a dull butter knife underneath the membrane to pry it up and peel it off using a dry paper towel (for grip). Some membranes will be more stubborn than others (ex. St. Louis-style spare ribs).
- Make the dry rub. Combine the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl – brown sugar, salt, onion powder, chili powder, mustard, paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Brown sugar will help yield that gorgeous caramelized crust!
- Season the ribs. Season the ribs thoroughly on both sides. If prepping ahead of time, cover and store the seasoned ribs in the fridge overnight.
- Add the liquids. Add the chicken stock and apple cider vinegar. You must always add liquid to the Instant Pot when cooking ribs for it to build steam and come to pressure. Both liquids also infuse so much flavor into the pork while it cooks under pressure.
- Pressure cook. Coil the ribs on top of the metal trivet as pictured above (to prevent burning and soggy ribs), seal and set the Instant Pot to 25 minutes on high pressure. Natural release to seal in all the juices, keeping the ribs ultra-tender. If the ribs are tough, cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Broil. Remove the ribs from the Instant Pot, brush on your favorite BBQ sauce and broil on a sheet pan until sticky, caramelized, and slightly crispy.
Cooking times for different types of ribs
- Baby back ribs: 23-25 minutes
- Spare ribs: 30-35 minutes
- St. Louis-style ribs: 30-35 minutes
- Frozen ribs: 35-45 minutes
what to serve with the sauciest bbq ribs
Tools For This Recipe
6-qt Instant Pot®
Easy Instant Pot BBQ Ribs: Frequently Asked Questions
The membrane will be tough and chewy, and will not allow the meat to be seasoned and flavored properly. Removing the membrane is optional but will allow for more tender, flavorful results.
The metal trivet is key to elevate the meat to avoid soggy, mushy ribs (when the ribs are submerged in liquid throughout the entire cooking process) and to avoid the dreaded burn warning. The trivet will also allow for better circulation for even cooking, ensuring juicy, tender ribs.
A 6-qt Instant Pot can comfortably fit 1-2 racks, whereas an 8-qt Instant Pot can fit at least 3 racks.
A quick release will abruptly drop the pressure inside the Instant Pot, forcing the juices out of the meat, making it rubbery. A natural release will slowly drop the temperature and pressure (providing a resting period), keeping the ribs juicy and tender.
If the ribs are tough and chewy, they may be undercooked. Put them back in the Instant Pot for an additional 5 minutes, releasing the pressure naturally.
Yes! The ribs can be prepped and seasoned with the spice rub beforehand and placed in the fridge, covered, overnight.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Easy Instant Pot BBQ Ribs
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 pounds baby back pork ribs, trimmed of excess fat, rinsed, and patted dry
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups barbecue sauce
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, onion powder, chili powder, mustard, paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, cumin and cayenne pepper.
- Remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs, pulling it down the entire length. Season ribs with brown sugar mixture, rubbing in thoroughly on both sides.
- Add chicken stock and apple cider vinegar to a 6-qt Instant Pot®. Place metal trivet into the pot. Place ribs upright on top of the trivet, wrapping in a circle.
- Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 25 minutes. When finished cooking, allow a 10-15 minute natural release before a quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Preheat oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Place ribs, meat side up, in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet; brush with barbecue sauce.
- Place into oven and broil until barbecue sauce is caramelized and browned, about 4-6 minutes.
- Serve immediately with remaining barbecue sauce.
Equipment
Notes
- Remove the membrane. Removing the membrane will ensure that the ribs are tender and flavorful. If left on, the membrane can be tough and chewy when cooked, while also preventing the rub (and BBQ sauce) to penetrate the meat properly throughout the cooking process.
- Start with a dry rub. A dry rub is ideal for ribs for that flavorful crust without adding too much moisture, sealing in the juices and preventing the ribs from drying out.
- Brown sugar is key. The brown sugar does not make these ribs overly sweet. It will add a subtle sweetness, while also caramelizing and adding moisture to the ribs, keeping the ribs tender and juicy.
- Use baby back ribs. Spare ribs can be used, but baby back ribs is generally preferred as they are tender and leaner, and cook much quicker than spare ribs.
- Use a metal trivet. Using a metal trivet will help keep the meat elevated, preventing any kind of sticking or that dreaded “burn” error. This will also allow for better steam and liquid circulation, ensuring more even cooking and tenderness of the ribs.
- Natural release first. A natural release will yield ultra-tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs (and avoids messy splattering!).
- Broiling is optional but highly recommended. Broiling is an additional step, but so worth it. With an extra brush of BBQ sauce, the broiling process helps create that favorited crisp, caramelized crust without burning. But be sure to keep a close eye on it – it caramelizes quickly!
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover ribs can be rubbery and tough when reheated. For best results with leftovers, a low, slow oven is the way to go to prevent the ribs from drying out. Let the ribs come to room temperature first (about 15-20 minutes), then reheat in the oven at 250°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
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Is there that much difference between the prep for a Instant Pot and a stove top Pressure cooker? I see all your pressure cooker recipes are for Instant Pot Cookers.
Hi Rick! All of my Instant Pot recipes have only been tested in said Instant Pot so I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when using a standard non-IP pressure cooker.
I just rec’d my IP so I’m not that familiar cooking with it. I don’t see the trivet (that you reference in yr BBQ ribs recipe) placement in the picture. How do I use it for the ribs? Perhaps another picture showing that? Love your website!
Hi Maureen! Congrats on the new Instant Pot! The trivet should have been included with your purchase.
You don’t understand her question. She’s asking where it should be placed since you can’t see it in the picture of your ribs in the IP. I mean, it’s a pretty silly question considering the only place a trivet ever goes is on the bottom but whatever lol.
On the bottom of the IP. There is nowhere else you can put it. Just open the pot. Put the trivet inside and put your ribs on it. Easy peasy.