Instant Pot Ribs Recipe that is so tender and delicious!

Instant Pot Ribs that are so tender, fall-off-the-bone delicious!
Traditionally cooking ribs on the grill or in the oven is a long slow process. When you use your Instant Pot pressure cooker, they can be made a lot faster. Along with a delicious dry rub, you will finish these up under the broiler of your oven with your favorite BBQ Sauce.

How to cook multiple racks of ribs in your Instant Pot:

You can fit 2 to 3 racks of ribs into your Instant Pot if they are defrosted or fresh. Simply stand the ribs all the way around the outside in one big circle first, then place additional racks in a second circle on the inside. You can cut the slabs into smaller sections if it helps them to fit better. Mix up more of the spice mixture for each additional rack. Double the mix for 2 racks, triple for 3 racks of ribs.

The Best BBQ Sauce for Ribs:

We are using our favorite Poor Boy Steak Marinade (aka BBQ Sauce), but we also love Sweet Baby Ray’s Original BBQ Sauce. To use the Poor Boy Steak Sauce cut the recipe in half.

What kind of ribs to cook in the Instant Pot?

Baby back ribs are our number one choice (and the big favorite when it comes to pork ribs in general). Tender and delicious and great on the grill…or under your oven broiler if you’d rather not cook them outside.
Side ribs or spare ribs are good too and are a bit more budget-friendly but we think if you are making ribs baby-back ribs are worth the extra $$ if you can do it.

How long to cook ribs in a pressure cooker?

About 23 -26 minutes in an Instant Pot is all you need for the cook time for ribs in a pressure cooker. If cooking from frozen you need about 32 minutes for the cook time. If you live in a high altitude location you will want to cook them the full time for more tender ribs.

To make Ribs The MOST Tender:

Traditionally ribs are cooked low and slow in the oven. The low heat helps to break down the fibers and creates more tender rib meat.
Cooking ribs in a pressure cooker like the Instant Pot takes the cook time to a new level.
They literally fall off the bone after being cooked in a pressure cooker.

Cooking Ribs from Fresh or Frozen:

If you’d like to cook ribs in your pressure cooker from a fully frozen state there are a few steps you need to take for success:
1-Remove the membrane from the under side before freezing.
2-Apply the dry rub seasoning before freezing.
3-Cut them into smaller sections to make it possible to place them into your pressure cooker when ready to cook.
4-Add an additional 5-7 minutes to the cook time if cooking from frozen.

How to Make the Best Instant Pot Ribs:

Start with baby back ribs. We cooked two racks together, but you can cook one rack or up to three in a 6 quart or larger pressure cooker.
PREPARE THE RIBS:
Remove the Membrane Skin on the under side. The membrane is very thin and located on the underside of the ribs. Simply slide a butter knife under the edge to get ahold of it and then pull it off. If you can’t seem to find the membrane, sometimes the membrane is removed before you get the ribs home.
Once you’ve pulled it off, you can leave your rack of ribs in one long section or you can cut your slab of ribs into two to three sections.
MIX UP THE SPICE RUB:
Mix up the spice rub and massage it into the rack of ribs on both sides.
Place the rack or ribs into the pressure cooker.
ADD TO THE INSTANT POT:
Place a metal trivet at the bottom to help keep the ribs off the bottom of the instant pot where the water and liquid is added.
Add the water, liquid smoke and apple cider vinegar to the bottom of the slow cooker. Cook for 23-26 min on high for defrosted or fresh ribs.
FINISH THE RIBS OFF UNDER THE BROILER:
Once the ribs are finished cooking, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release the steam for a few minutes.
Place the rack of ribs on a sheet pan covered in foil and brush on your favorite bbq sauce.
Place the ribs under your oven broiler set to high and broil for a few minutes to crisp up the outside.

How to do a Natural Release of the steam on an Instant Pot:

When you do a natural release on an Instant Pot, it means you allow the pressure to gradually release without opening the valve.
Once your Instant Pot is finished cooking, it will beep, and then it will start counting up on the keep warm mode. This recipe has a natural release time of 5 minutes so once the timer shows 5 minutes, you can then open the steam release valve to release the rest of the pressure.

4 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Ribs

Make fall-off-the-bone tender, crazy delicious ribs in your Instant Pot pressure cooker.

Author Kami | NoBiggie.net

Ingredients

1 rack baby back ribs or spare ribs about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds per rack
1 cup water
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/4 cup BBQ Sauce homemade or store bought

For the Dry Rub:

2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

To start working with fresh or defrosted ribs: remove the membrane off the underside of your ribs. To do this flip the ribs over, meat-side down. Wiggle a butter knife between the membrane and the ribs to loosen the edge. With a paper towel, grip the membrane and pull it away, then throw the membrane away.
In a small bowl, stir together the dry rub: brown sugar, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. Rub it all over the ribs, generously coating both sides.
Place the trivet into the bottom of a 6-quart or larger Instant Pot pressure cooker. Pour in the water, apple cider vinegar, and the liquid smoke. Place the ribs into the instant pot, placing them on the trivet on their side and wrapping the rack around the inside of the pot like a circle.
Cover and lock the lid into place and move the valve to seal the Instant Pot. For baby back ribs: Cook on high (manual) pressure for 23 minutes (if you are making multiple racks and your ribs are super meaty, increase the cook time to 26 minutes). Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes. Vent to release the remaining pressure. For spare ribs: Cook on high for 35 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release completely (about 15 minutes). You will know it is released when the pin drops.
Move your oven rack to the upper third of your oven and turn on your oven to broil. Line a sheet pan with foil. Carefully move the cooked ribs to the sheet pan. Brush with barbecue sauce. Place the ribs under the broiler just until the sauce begins to caramelized, about 2 minutes. You can broil the ribs on both sides. Make sure to keep a good watch on the ribs during this time so they don’t burn. Take out of the oven, cut into sections and serve warm.

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