Ribs in the Instant Pot are hands down my favorite way of making them! They’re super tender AND this Instant Pot ribs recipe only takes about 2 hours from start to finish… not 8 hours and a smoker.
They’ll literally fall off the bone!
They’ll be fully cooked when they come out of the pot, but putting some sauce on top and placing them under your broiler with take these Instant Pot ribs to the next level.
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What kind of ribs should you get?
I always go with baby back pork loin ribs. They’re meatier and end up more tender than spare ribs do… but I’m no expert.
A 6 qt Instant Pot can comfortably fit a rack and a half. If you’re doing more than that, make them in multiple batches and keep warm in the oven.
Remove the Rib Membrane
The underside (bone side) of the ribs has a thin film over it. That’s the membrane and you’ll need to remove it. This silverskin/membrane can become tough and leathery if it’s left on.
Some are easier to remove than others. The best way to tackle this is with a butter knife and a paper towel. Start by sticking the butter knife under the membrane. You should be able to wiggle it in, and use it to pry up and separate the membrane from the ribs.
I’ve found the best way to pull it off is to get it started with the knife, then use a paper towel as a grip to peel it off.
Seasonings
You’ll want to use a dry rub on both sides of your ribs. My favorite is the Weber KC BBQ Rub but we were out of it so I used some Famous Dave’s and Chipotle seasonings. This is a pretty hard thing to mess up, so go with whatever rib seasonings you like!
You can even get crazy and make your own seasoning blend! Okay, that’s really not that crazy… Most of them have some kind of dark brown sugar, onion/garlic/chili powder, salt and pepper, maybe some cayenne pepper. Heck, maybe even a dash of cinnamon.
That all actually sounds really good and I might just try it next time!
Into the Instant Pot
The Instant Pot needs some liquid for all cooking to prevent your food from burning. For this Instant Pot ribs recipe, I use 1/2 cup of apple juice, 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar and 1/2 tsp of liquid smoke. You can do this without the liquid smoke, but it adds another level of authentic rib flavor and I highly recommend it!
Place the wire rack into the pot so your ribs are above the liquid.
Close the lid and set the steam valve to sealing.
Set pressure cook to high for 25 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release.
Allowing the Instant Pot to naturally release will take a little extra time. I usually plan for whatever the cooking time is x3 for the whole process. It’ll take some time to get up to pressure, then it cooks, then it chills.
Get Saucy!
When the Instant Pot ribs are done, remove them and place them on a cookie sheet. They’re probably already falling apart at this point… so damn tender!
Brush with your favorite BBQ Sauce and place under the broiler for 5-10 minutes until your sauce is bubbly.
Instant Pot BBQ Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back pork ribs
- 3-4 tbsp dry rub
- ½ cup apple juice
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp liquid smoke
Instructions
- Remove the membrane/silver skin from ribs.
- Season both sides of the ribs with dry rub.
- Add liquids to the Instant Pot.
- Place wire rack into the pot and add ribs, making sure they aren't sitting in the liquid.
- Close the lid and set the valve to sealing. Manual pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release.
- Remove ribs and place on a baking sheet. Brush with BBQ sauce and place under broiler for 5-10 minutes.
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