Best Instant Pot Ribs
User Reviews
5
117 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
10 mins
-
Cook Time
50 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
8 servings
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Calories
230 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Best Instant Pot Ribs
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Best Instant Pot Ribs are seasoned with a robust dry rub of spices and cooked under pressure with apple juice, cider vinegar, and liquid smoke to create tender, flavorful pork ribs. The method delivers meat that is juicy with a slight bite or can be adjusted to fall-off-the-bone tenderness. Optional homemade BBQ sauce adds a tangy finish.
Description
This recipe uses a dry rub of mustard powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, onion and garlic powder, black pepper, salt, cayenne, cinnamon, nutmeg, and dill seeds to season baby back pork ribs. The ribs are trimmed of membrane and rubbed thoroughly before cooking.
Cooking in the Instant Pot involves adding apple juice, cider vinegar, liquid smoke, and optional bay leaves, with ribs placed on a trivet inside the pot. Pressure cooking on high for 25 to 30 minutes with a natural release yields ribs with tender but slightly firm texture. Increasing cooking time by 5 to 10 minutes produces very soft ribs but risks drying.
Standing ribs inside the pot helps even cooking. The dry rub is crucial for flavor, and liquid smoke imparts the smoky taste since traditional smoking is not possible here. Baby back ribs are preferred for tenderness and fit.
The homemade BBQ sauce is optional but complements the ribs with a sweet and tangy glaze.
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Ingredients
Dry Rub:
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder dry
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon black pepper ground
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon dill seeds
Cooking the Ribs:
- 2 baby back pork ribs about 2lbs each, racks
- 2 cups apple juice unsweetened
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons liquid smoke
- 3 bay leaf optional
Homemade BBQ Sauce (optional):
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup preferably no sugar added
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons dry mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika or smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce or more
Instructions
Dry Rub:
- Add all the the dry rub ingredients in a medium bowl and using a fork whisk to combine.
- Dry the ribs with paper towels of excess liquid or blood.
- The ribs usually have a membrane on the back (the bony part of the ribs), remove it and discard it.
- Place the ribs on a cutting board, season generously with the dry rub on both sides, and use your hand to rub it all over the ribs.
Cooking the Ribs:
- Add juice, apple cider, and liquid smoke to the Instant Pot, and stir to combine. Add bay leaves.
- Add a small-legged trivet to the Instant Pot (optional, but I prefer to keep the ribs out of the liquid as much as possible).
- Place the ribs inside the Instant Pot, standing and pressing on the sides of the Instant Pot. If needed trim the ribs, also make sure you don't go over the Max fill line.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid, close and point the valve to Sealed.
- Cook on Manual, for 25-30 minutes on HP for thicker ribs if you want them to still have a slight pull when biting and be able to brown them on the grill or broil the rack without meat falling off the bone. You can do 35-40 minutes for extra tender, almost fall-of-the-bone ribs.
- Once the Instant Pot beeps, do a 15-minute Natural Pressure Release. Unlock and remove the lid from the instant pot.
Homemade BBQ Sauce (optional):
- While the ribs are cooking prepare the BBQ sauce. Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Stir and set aside.
- Or just use about 2 cups of store-bought BBQ sauce.
Broiling the ribs:
- Preheat oven on the Broiler setting.
- Carefully remove the ribs from the Instant Pot and place them onto a prepared baking sheet lined with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
- Brush the ribs generously with either homemade BBQ sauce or store-bought BBQ sauce on both sides.
- Place under the broiler for about 6-10 minutes. Leave the light on, and keep a close eye on the ribs because they could burn quickly.
- Serve immediately with extra BBQ sauce.
Notes
- Use a dry rub to season ribs thoroughly for best flavor and remove the membrane on the ribs' back before cooking.
- Cook ribs on high pressure for 25-30 minutes with a natural release of 15 minutes for tender but slightly firm meat.
- Extending cooking time by 5-10 minutes results in softer ribs but can risk dryness; watch timing carefully.
- Standing ribs upright in the Instant Pot helps even cooking and fits racks better.
- Liquid smoke is essential for adding smokiness that cooking indoors lacks.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
230kcal
(12%)
Carbohydrates
49g
(16%)
Protein
12g
(24%)
Fat
10g
(15%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Cholesterol
31mg
(10%)
Sodium
1210mg
(50%)
Potassium
636mg
(14%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
38g
(76%)
Vitamin A
1206IU
(24%)
Vitamin C
4mg
(4%)
Calcium
95mg
(10%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 230 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 230kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 49g | 16% |
| Protein | 12g | 24% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 31mg | 10% |
| Sodium | 1210mg | 50% |
| Potassium | 636mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 38g | 76% |
| Vitamin A | 1206IU | 24% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 95mg | 10% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
117 reviews
Excellent
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