Want to know the secret to amazing ribs? The results are in! These Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs are pint to perfection and take a fraction of the time to make.
In this recipe
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Why you should make ribs in the Instant Pot
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What kind of ribs to buy
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How to season the ribs
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To get crispy bits on your ribs
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What to serve with these ribs
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How to store and reheat leftover ribs
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Can you use other ribs for this Instant Pot recipe?
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The best BBQ sauce for ribs
Have you ever made a recipe where the minimal amount of work involved doesn’t correlate with the deliciousness of the finished dish? For example, you must have unknowingly taken some kind of shortcut to cooking because something happened This simply it can be impossible This Well?
These BBQ ribs — cooked in a pressure cooker or pressure cooker and ready under a grill — are just that. They’re ready in about an hour (start to finish!) and will knock even the most seasoned rib eater’s socks off.
Normally, ribs take a long time to cook. My previous approach to cooking ribs was the 3-2-1 method. Each of those numbers represents HOURS, so the total time was – you guessed it – six hours.
But if you use an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker and add just a little bit of liquid smoke, you can have smoky ribs that fall off the bone and are tender literally an hour. One hour! Once you try it, you’ll never want to cook ribs any other way again.
What kind of ribs to buy
In theory, you could use any cut of pork ribs for this recipe, but I think so baby back ribs fit best in most pressure cookers. Since spare ribs are larger, not as many fit in the oven.
How to season the ribs
Definitive Rub the ribs dry before pressure cooking them. If possible, Do this up to a day in advance that’s how the spice really penetrates the ribs. You can use your favorite store-bought rub, but I recommend this great homemade pork rub – I used it for mine and it was delicious.
To get crispy bits on your ribs
While the ribs are very tender when they come out of the pressure cooker, they lack the caramelized top texture that comes after spending a lot of time on the grill or smoker. You can get some of that back Brush the ribs with barbecue sauce, then grill over high heat for five minutes.
You can also toss them on a hot grill until the sauce has caramelized on the ribs.
What to serve with these ribs
The ribs pretty much speak for themselves. I like to serve them with big bowls of extra sauce and a few simple sides. You can’t go wrong with this German potato salad as a side dish!
How to store and reheat leftover ribs
If you cook two full ribeyes, there’s likely to be leftovers – you’re in luck! Keep them in the fridge and when you’re ready to reheat them, wrap tightly in foil with some extra sauce and heat in a 350F oven until tender, about 15 minutes.
More great rib recipes!
- Memphis-style pork ribs
- Slow and low country ribs
- Grilled Spicy Citrus Ribs with Bourbon Glaze
- Slow Cooker Bourbon Short Ribs with Grits
- Braised Beef Ribs
Can you use other ribs for this Instant Pot recipe?
You can cook other ribs in your Instant Pot, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. For pork ribs, cook under high pressure for 35 minutes and then release the pressure naturally. Because spare ribs are larger and chewy than baby back ribs, you’ll need that extra time to tenderize them.
High pressure roast short beef short ribs for 45 minutes, then perform a 10-15 minute natural release.
The best BBQ sauce for ribs
We recommend your favorite BBQ sauce for this recipe. You can use store-bought ones, but it’s as easy to whip up your own, like this South Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce, Kansas City Barbecue Sauce, or flavor it with the sauce on these Korean BBQ Pork Ribs.
Quick Sides for Instant Pot BBQ Ribs
Here are some sides you can make while your baby back ribs are cooking in the Instant Pot.
- Caprese salad with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella
- Summer Squash Green Chile Stir Fry
- Roasted broccolini with creamy mustard sauce
- Simple peas and onions
- Chard stir-fry broccoli
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Instant Pot BBQ Baby Back Ribs
These ribs do best when the dry rub is applied up to a day in advance to allow the seasoning to really penetrate the ribs.
ingredients
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2 full racks (3 to 4 lb) Baby back pork ribs
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above 1/3 Cup rub dry for pork, bought or homemade
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3/4 Cup water
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3/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
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1/2 teaspoon liquid smokeOptional
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2 cups barbecue sauceYour favorite store bought or homemade
method
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Prepare Ribs:
Working one grate at a time, use a paring knife to separate the thin transparent membrane on the inside of the ribs. Peel it from the ribs. It should come off in one big chunk. This will make the ribs easier to cut and serve.
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Apply the dry rub:
Rub the ribs well on all sides with dry rub. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight if possible.
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Cook Ribs:
Add some foil balls or a rack to the bottom of your Instant Pot to elevate the ribs above the liquid. Pour the water, vinegar, and Liquid Smoke (optional) into the Instant Pot. Add ribs and bend to fit. You should be able to fit 2 racks of baby back ribs in a 6 quart instant pot or pressure cooker.
Lock the pressure cooker and cook under high pressure for 30 minutes. Release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes, and then release the remaining pressure.
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Roast the ribs:
Remove the ribs from the Instant Pot and spread them out on a baking sheet. Brush generously with barbecue sauce and grill over high heat for 5 minutes. Slice the ribs and serve with side dishes and extra sauce.
To reheat leftover ribs, Wrap them tightly in foil and heat in a 350°F oven until heated through, about 15 minutes. You can also grill them over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve with extra sauce!
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 208 | calories |
| 4g | Fat |
| 39g | carbohydrates |
| 3g | protein |
