Easy Instant Pot BBQ Ribs
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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.
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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 i love this easy recipe
- 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.
Country style ribs
Country style ribs are not taken from the ribs (like spare ribs and baby back ribs). Instead they are cut from the end of the pork loin (close to the shoulder) and cut to resemble ribs. They are known for their marbling (high fat content), best cooked low and slow (ex. smoking or braising).
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
- Remove and discard the membrane from the ribs
- Combine the dry rub ingredients and season the ribs thoroughly
- Add the liquids (chicken stock + apple cider vinegar) to keep the IP happy
- Coil the ribs on top of the metal trivet (to prevent burning and soggy ribs), seal and set the IP to 25 minutes
- Remove the ribs, brush on your favorite BBQ sauce and broil until perfectly caramelized
tips and tricks for success
- 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 + leaner, and cook much quicker than spare ribs.
- 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 for about 15-20 minutes first. Then reheat in the oven at 250°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
PRO TIP
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.
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.
Yes! The ribs can be prepped + 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
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
Equipment
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, 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.
Did you make this recipe?
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These were beyond fabulous! We finish them off on the grill. Perfect. Just perfect!
My husband is not a fan of ribs but I love them. He said that these ribs were as good or better than any he has ever eaten. I used Apple juice instead of broth. DELICIOUS!
Sweet lord on high these were amazing!
quick – easy – tastes great. This is the second time I have made this and as far as I’m concerned it’s the only way to do ribs.
Finally an IP rib recipe I’m happy with! Hubs and I loved these. Used the side ribs we already had and gave them 35 minutes in the IP (they need more time than baby back) with NPR. They came out totally fall off the bone tender.
Next time I would cut back on the cayenne and do probably no more than 1/4 of the amount stated as I am not a fan of heat. Also, I doubled the brown sugar and garlic powder, cause they are both great.
Lastly, add 1-2 tsp of liquid smoke into IP liquid mix for extra flavour!
This worked just as smoothly as described, and the meat was tender and delicious. My one suggestion would be to apply barbeque sauce to BOTH sides of the ribs before putting them under the broiler (the last step). The spice rub on the ribs stays pretty intact while they’re in the Instant Pot, and it’s a tiny bit dry and gritty. Not bad, but where the sauce is applied, everything kind of melts together wonderfully under the broiler. The recipe says to put the sauce on top of the ribs, but next time I’ll put it on both sides.
I will also heat some barbeque sauce and serve it in small bowls, so more can be applied at the table, or the ribs can be dipped.
The flavor was great, though, and this is a really quick and easy way to make terrific ribs.
Yes to sauce on both sides! My husband and I thought the very same thing as you while eating these tonight.
I did this before and it came out awesome. Modified some seasonings, but used the brown sugar and some rib seasoning from Famous Dave’s here in Ohio, some garlic salt, and that’s all and the ribs were delicious. I used to work at a Damon’s restaurant, and our ribs were award winning for a restaurant, this recipe cuts off tons of time and are just as DAMN DELICIOUS!! Thank you for the great recipe.
Holy YUM!!!…those were amazing!!! I dont have grill and so ribs seemed out of my reach until I saw this recipe!!!! So amazing….I had to trade basil for thyme (didnt have any)…and used a little more chili powder as again no cayenne….but so amazing…..I will keep this recipe for another day…..THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! I loved them!!!!!
Made these today! Oh my my my!! Had to tirn away or I would eat them all!! Absolutely delicious!! This is a true keeper. Literally no need to look elsewhere for a recipe! Thank you for sharing!!
These were so yummy and easy to do.
Followed the recipe exactly, and the ribs were absolutely fantastic! A new “go to” recipe!
Amazing! Followed the recipe exactly, cooking for 25 minutes, and they were delicious! They really were fall off the bone tender.
Super easy and delicious. Husband was a huge fan of the spice rub and compared these to restaurant ribs. Broiled on low, next time will either leave them in a bit longer or use high setting to really thicken the sauce. We’ll definitely make these again!
Made these exactly as instructed. They were Awesome!! My ribs looked significantly larger than pictured, so I cooked 33 mins. My bad!! Bones literally fell out of the slabs. New instant pot user… I’ll learn
I normally smoke ribs for 5 hrs and wanted an quick alternative to get some on the table fast. This recipe by far exceeded my expectations. I added a little liquid smoke to the broth and they were out of world. Will definitely make them again.
I usually make ribs in an electric smoker using the 3-2-1 method ( 6 hours total smoking time). They turn out pretty good, above average tasting and texture, but not mind-blowing ( if such a thing exists for ribs). But it’s a lengthy process and involves a lot of prep and clean up.
Enter the instant pot, I found this recipe / process to be pretty spot-on , the ribs came out as good as the ones that I typically make in an electric smoker. I was actually kind of surprised , the 25 mins for 4 lbs of ribs was good enough ( I did slow-release pressure for 10 minutes). I doubt I will ever spend 6 hours on the smoker to make ribs again.
I’m not sure I could change anything about this recipe to make it better? Maybe there is some magic in seasoning the ribs and letting them sit in the fridge overnight, definitely a question for the scholars.
Is that 4 lbs of ribs for the recipe? It says 2(2 pound)Does that mean 2 X 2 Lb racks?
Love this recipe. I increased to 30 mins pressure cook because my ribs were much thicker than the photo (Flintstones size racks, 7.25 lbs total for 2 racks). The ribs were melt in your mouth delicious, tender and juicy. Removing the membranes made such a difference. The other advantage of the pressure cooker is that huge amounts of excess fat ran down into the cooking water. This gave the ribs a much more pleasing texture, no more big pockets of fatty bites to work around, yet still silky soft and juicy meat. Great recipe!
Had a 3 lb slab and it didn’t make it to “fall off the bone” but they were amazing!
This is such a great recipe! I had never done ribs in the Instant Pot but I will from now on. So easy and so delicious!
Used St Louis ribs and Sweet Rub of Mine. Lowered cook time to 20 minutes 10 minutes depressure.
Peach glaze sauce under broiler for 6 minutes and they were delicious and fall off the bone tender.
Will definitely do these again.
Did you use same about of weight using St.Louis ribs ?
Insanely delicious! And so easy! Melt off the bone! Definitely will be doing this again! May even have to retire the smoker… no…. not really. I made one rack of 4 pounds of ribs in an 8 quart instant pot.