These Instant Pot Ribs are so easy and tender – they’re made effortlessly in under an hour with a simple list of ingredients!
How to cook ribs in the Instant Pot
- Prepare the ribs and assemble your ingredients.
- Make the spice rub and rub over the ribs.
- Remove the membrane.
- Cook the ribs on a trivet in the Instant Pot.
- Brush the cooked ribs with BBQ sauce and broil until crispy.
- Serve with more BBQ sauce and enjoy!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Baby back ribs – spare ribs are the best substitute but are larger and fattier.
- Beef broth – you could also use beef stock or vegetable broth, although the flavour will be different.
- Apple cider vinegar – you could try white wine vinegar but it’s not as sweet.
- Worcestershire sauce – hoisin sauce or a combo of soy sauce and ketchup would work.
- Liquid smoke – smoked paprika is a good alternative here.
- BBQ sauce – make your own using ketchup, brown sugar, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and paprika.
- Brown sugar – mix together white sugar and molasses to make your own brown sugar.
- Smoked paprika – chili or chipotle powder can be used in a pinch.
- Garlic powder – try using fresh minced garlic instead.
- Onion powder – you could grind some onion flakes in a pinch.
- Chili powder – use a blend of paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Cumin – coriander would also work since it comes from the same spice family.
- Cayenne – or add in additional chili powder or paprika.
- Mustard powder – horseradish powder is a good substitute.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
How to remove membrane from ribs
You want to make sure you remove the membrane from the ribs so the spice rub is really able to soak into the meat and give you all that amazing flavour. To remove the membrane, make a small incision by sliding the knife underneath the membrane, loosen the incision with the knife and pull the membrane off.
How long to cook ribs in the Instant Pot
Normally it takes hours to make super tender ribs in the oven – but when you use the Instant Pot, they’ll be ready in just 45 minutes. All you need to do is cook them at high pressure for 20 minutes in the Instant Pot then broil them for 4-5 minutes to get that nice crispy finish.
What are baby back ribs?
Baby back ribs are a more tender and leaner cut up meat taken from beneath the loin muscle. They’re shorter than spare ribs, which is where the ‘baby’ part of the name comes in.
What to serve with ribs
Serve your ribs with all the classic fixings like coleslaw, chips, cornbread and veggies like corn on the cop. Some of my favourite side dishes for these ribs include:
Storing and reheating
These ribs will last in the fridge for three to four days. Store them in airtight glass containers to make sure they stay fresh. When you’re ready to eat, brush another layer of BBQ sauce on over top then wrap them in aluminum foil and reheat them in the oven for 15 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit. Make sure to wrap them really tight so none of the liquid seeps out – you want them to be nice and tender.
Freezing this recipe
These ribs will freeze really well for up to three months. I recommend wrapping them in aluminum foil then storing them in freezer-safe Ziploc bags. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before adding on some more BBQ sauce, re-wrapping in aluminum foil and cooking the oven for 15 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit.
More Instant Pot BBQ favourites
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- The Instant Pot DUO Plus 60
 is the version I use in this recipe - Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning these ribs into your weekly lunches
- Get a meat thermometer to make sure your ribs are cooked through
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls for up to 3 months
- You can buy liquid smoke online
 is the version I use in this recipe
Instant Pot Ribs
Ingredients
For the spice rub:
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 tsp mustard powder
For ribs:
- 1 full rack baby back ribs
- 1 cup beef broth
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 cup sweet, tomato-based BBQ sauce, divided
Instructions
- Prepare the ribs. Flip the ribs over and remove the thin membrane (also called silverskin) that covers the entire underside of the ribs. To remove, make an incision by sliding a knife underneath the membrane on one end of the ribs. Loosen the incision with the knife, grab the edge of the membrane, and pull.
- Mix the spice rub ingredients in a small bowl and rub on both sides of the ribs.
- Place a trivet into your Instant Pot and pour in the broth, apple cider vinegar, worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, and half of the BBQ sauce.
- Bend ribs into a circular shape and place them onto the trivet. Replace the lid and set the steam vent to closed. Pressure cook on manual mode for 20 minutes at high pressure, then natural release for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes is up, open the vent to release any excess pressure quickly.
- Place your oven rack on the second-highest level and preheat the broiler to high (about 500 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Remove ribs from the Instant Pot, place them on a baking sheet, and brush the top of the ribs with the other half of the BBQ sauce.
- Broil ribs until the top is crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Watch closely and check every minute as they could burn quickly.
- Remove from the oven, brush with additional BBQ sauce, and serve.
Nutrition
