Instant Pot Ribs are every bit as flavorful and tender as traditionally cooked ribs in a fraction of the time! Using a pressure cooker makes this rib recipe easy and delicious, even for beginner cooks!
As much as our family loves ribs, I used to dread making them because of just how long the cooking process took. No more! Now my go-to method for cooking ribs is the Instant Pot and it couldn’t be faster or easier!
How to Cook Ribs in the Instant Pot
- Remove membrane from the ribs.
- Season all over with a dry rub.
- Curl the ribs up inside the Instant Pot and add liquid to the bottom.
- Cook on high pressure 30-40 minutes and allow pressure to release naturally.
- If desired, brush with your favorite barbecue sauce and broil for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the sauce to caramelize.
How to Remove the Membrane from Ribs
Probably the hardest part of this recipe is removing the membrane from the ribs. Some butchers do this for you but I have found most ribs purchased at the grocery store will still have the membrane intact.
The membrane will never be tender so it needs to be removed before cooking. The easiest way I’ve found to do this is to start in the middle of the rack and use a butter knife to separate the membrane from the meat underneath. Then use your hand to continue separating the membrane working for the center outward.
What Kind of Rub to Use on Ribs
You can use a premade rub or toss together your own. I like to make my own with 1 teaspoon each of the following:
- salt
- pepper
- onion powder
- chili powder
- garlic powder
- brown sugar
Be generous coating the meat with the rub for the best flavor!
Adding Barbecue Sauce to Ribs
In our house we have a pick eater so I usually serve half of the ribs with just the dry rub, and the other half coated with barbecue sauce to accomodate everyone’s taste.
To add barbecue sauce to the ribs simply brush it on after removing the ribs from the Instant Pot. For extra flavor, broil them in the oven for 2-3 minutes after adding the barbecue sauce to caramelize the sauce….my mouth is watering! Serve with extra barbecue if you want as well!
I hope you enjoy these ribs as much as I do! They can’t be beat when it comes to the amount of time it takes to get fall-off-the-bone tender ribs!
If you try this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!
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Instant Pot Ribs
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: main course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Description
Instant Pot Ribs are every bit as flavorful and tender as traditionally cooked ribs in a fraction of the time! Using a pressure cooker makes this rib recipe easy and delicious, even for beginner cooks!
Ingredients
- 2 racks baby back ribs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 ½ cup liquid-choose from apple juice, apple cider vinegar, or beef or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
- your favorite barbecue sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. (see note below)
- Mix spices and brown sugar and rub both sides of the ribs generously with the dry rub.
- Place wire rack in the Instant Pot.
- Arrange the ribs upright in the Instant Pot around the edge. Layer a second rack inside of the first if neeeded.
- Pour the liquid into the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Seal lid and close vent. Set it to manual mode for 30-40 minutes.
- Allow pressure to release naturally at least 15 minutes before venting.
- If you want to sauce the ribs, carefully remove them to a baking sheet (line with foil for easiest cleanup.) Brush ribs with barbecue sauce and broil in the oven 2-3 minutes to caramelize the sauce.
Keywords: Instant Pot Ribs
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