There is no need to wait all day for ribs when you have this Instant Pot Ribs recipe! Tender, fall off the bone good, this recipe is the perfect way to have barbecue ribs on a weeknight!
Wondering what to serve alongside your ribs? These Easy Baked Beans with Bacon are the perfect accompaniment, or try this Bow Tie Pasta Salad.
My family is a family of meat eaters. Ask them what they would want if they could choose anything for dinner, 3 of the 4 would always say steak. Anytime we are having any sort of meat, they get excited.
And they love ribs. I love ribs, as well. And I love them slow cooked on the smoker – but let’s face it. How often do I actually smoke ribs on the smoker? Not that often. Mostly because I don’t have all day to be worrying about it.
So today, I have the solution for you if you are looking to make ribs in a weeknight dinner time frame.
The Instant Pot.
Now, you can’t have ribs on the table in 15 minutes, but you can in just an hour and a half. Which I think is pretty amazing for ribs.
I loved this recipe. It gives you super tender, fall off the bone ribs. And the barbecue flavor is fantastic. I do have to mention, though, that they aren’t quite the same as if they were smoked on the smoker. Or even slow cooked in the oven. Those will always have my heart.
But that being said, this is a really close second. And really, it was an easy, no-fuss dinner!
The Homemade Spice Rub
I am a spice junkie, and while I’m always tempted to buy the spice mixes at the store, I’ve discovered that it’s so much better to make them at home! You can change things up easier and add spices or take other spices out. This is what I use for this barbecue rub, but feel free to customize to your tastes!
For my rub, I use:
- kosher salt
- light brown sugar
- chili powder
- paprika
- garlic powder
- pepper
- cayenne pepper
To make the rub, all you have to do is mix the spices together. You’ll use the entire amount for this recipe, but feel free to double the spices so that you can hold onto some for later. This spice rub would go really well on some barbecue chicken!
What You’ll Need
Once you’ve got your spice rub, there are very few other ingredients that you’ll need.
- The spices for the spice rub (listed above)
- baby back ribs – cut these into 4 sections
- apple cider vinegar
- soy sauce
- barbecue sauce – make sure you use one that you really love!
How to Make Them
Here are the steps to make your ribs, but make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for full ingredient amounts and instructions!
- RUB: Cover the ribs with your spice rub.
- ADD: Pour your water, apple cider vinegar and soy sauce into the bottom of the Instant Pot, then add the ribs, standing them up on their sides, leaning towards the center like a teepee.
- COOK: Cook the ribs on high for 35 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before doing a quick release.
- BROIL: Place the cooked ribs on a foil lined baking sheet, brush with bbq sauce, then broil.
- SERVE: Serve the ribs with the remaining barbecue sauce.
Tips and Tricks
I like to put the ribs on a large baking sheet, then take the rub, and using my hands, rub it into the ribs. Make sure you get both sides and that you use all of the rub. It might seem like a lot at first, but it’s perfect. Trust me.
You’ll want to use the trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot. I’ve made this with and without using the trivet, and while both work just fine, I do think the ribs are a little better when they don’t cook while sitting in the water instead of over it.
You can use a homemade bbq sauce or your favorite store bought sauce.
You can technically skip the broiling step, but I would highly recommend taking the few extra minutes to do this. You don’t get any sort of a crust with the Instant Pot, so this is a way to get a sticky, slightly crusted exterior for your ribs.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef is one of my favorites for taco Tuesdays!
These Garlic Paprika Instant Pot Chicken Thighs are always a hit. Super easy and filled with flavor.
Another great Mexican favorite, this Chipotle Shredded Beef is great for tacos, enchiladas, or burritos.
I’ve made a slow cooker version of this Pressure Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken for years, but have come to love the Instant Pot version even more.
Looking for a make your own take out favorite? This Pressure Cooker Cashew Chicken is what you need!
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Instant Pot Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- 1 rack baby back ribs about 4 lbs
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3/4 cup barbecue sauce divided
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Cut the ribs into 4 equal portions. Rub the ribs with the spice rub.
- Place the trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Put the water, vinegar and soy sauce in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Place the ribs on top of the trivet in the Instant Pot, stacking them up in a teepee shape. You don’t want them on top of each other.
- Lock the lid in place and make sure the vent is closed. Select manual high pressure and set the time to 35 minutes. When the time is up, naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
- Turn the broiler on high. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Remove the ribs from the Instant Pot to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the ribs with 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce.
- Broil the ribs 4-6 inches from the heat until a crust has formed.
- Serve with the remaining barbecue sauce.
Diane M France says
These are so good and so fast!!! We have been looking for a good recipe for the insta-pot. We have now found it. It was so tender, flavor was out of this world. It is really a 5 star recipe.
Deborah says
Yay – I’m so glad you liked them!!