Instant Pot Ribs

At a glance

What stands out: This recipe for Instant Pot ribs gives you fall-off-the-bone, flavorful ribs. It’s almost magical and it will be your go-to when you want ribs but don’t have hours to spare.

How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, just over an hour to cook
Equipment you’ll need: Instant pot pressure cooker, baking sheet to broil
Servings: 4

If you’re like us, ribs are something you order in a restaurant but rarely cook at home. Ribs sometimes seem like a special occasion meal and honestly, they don’t need to be.

Enter: the Instant Pot. Deliciously tender ribs in an “instant”! The first time we made Instant Pot ribs, we honestly expected them to be alright, but not outrageously good. However, these ribs are rich! They fall off the bone and have great flavor. And they’re ready to eat in just an hour and a half!

Straightforward Instant Pot Ribs

Pressure cooked ribs. The magic of Instant Pot ribs is that you don’t have to slow cook the ribs for hours and hours to get that tender fall-off-the-bone quality that everyone wants. Thanks to pressure cooking, you can have tender ribs in about an hour and a half. You’ll love that it’s completely hands-off once you get the ribs into the Instant Pot. This cooking technique is also reliable for short ribs, which also usually take hours in the oven.

Smoky flavor. We won’t pretend that they’re the same as slow-smoked ribs. Nothing is better than that! However, with a bit of liquid smoke, your ribs will have that same smoky flavor without all the hassle. You don’t need a smoker, wood chips, and hours of time standing outside.

Plenty of BBQ goodness. The ribs get a lot of their great flavor from a from-scratch rub that slowly permeates and seasons the ribs as they cook. It’s straightforward to mix with pantry ingredients. After you cook the ribs, slather on your favorite BBQ sauce (we love this from-scratch BBQ sauce). The ribs are briefly broiled to caramelize the sauce and give the ribs the reliable barbecued exterior.

Anne Mary Said:

“This is such a timesaver and reliable for the home cook… They are literally fall off the bone tender as others have said. We love to cook but never have been able to make decent ribs for friends and family. Thank you for this!”

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What goes in

• Baby Back Pork Ribs: You should be able to fit one rack of ribs (3 to 5 pounds) in a 6 quart Instant Pot. This can be four servings, depending on how many ribs you want to serve to each person. The recipe card also has instructions for St. Louis-style ribs, if you prefer those.
• Yellow Mustard: We find that smearing the ribs with yellow mustard helps the BBQ rub adhere. You won’t taste the flavor of the mustard but it serves an important purpose.
• BBQ Rub: The ribs are seasoned with a mixture of brown sugar and spices. Look in your pantry for chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, celery seeds, salt and pepper. The rub mixture can be made ahead. This is basically our recipe for from-scratch BBQ rub that you can use on ribs, chicken, or pretty much anything. If you already have a BBQ rub that you like, feel free to substitute it.
• Broth: The purpose of the broth is to steam the ribs in the pressure cooker and is poured into the bottom of the Instant Pot. You can use beef broth, chicken broth, water, or beer, if you prefer.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: The cider adds a tangy and slightly sweet element to the ribs.
• Liquid Smoke: This ingredient is optional but we highly recommend it. There’s nothing quite like the flavor of ribs that have been smoked all day. Liquid smoke is a much easier and faster way to add that flavor. It’s actually made by burning wood; the steam is collected and condensed to make liquid smoke.
• BBQ Sauce: There are so many types of barbecue sauce to choose from; simply choose the one you like best. We often make our own BBQ sauce; it’s straightforward and has great flavor.

How it comes together

Make the BBQ rub. In a small bowl, combine the rub ingredients: brown sugar, salt, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, and celery seeds. Set it aside for now.

Get the Instant Pot ready. Position the metal steamer rack in the bottom of your Instant Pot. Pour in a cup of broth, apple cider vinegar, and the liquid smoke (if you decide to use it).

Prep the ribs. The trick to tender ribs is to remove the silvery membrane from the back side of the ribs. Using a knife or fork, carefully loosen the membrane on one end of the ribs, grab onto it with a paper towel (which helps you grip it), and peel it off.

Add seasoning. Rub the yellow mustard over the surface of the meat. We usually use our hands but you can use a brush if you’re squeamish. Once the ribs are coated with mustard, liberally sprinkle the BBQ rub mixture on the meat and lightly rub it in. The mustard will help it adhere.

Position the ribs in the Instant Pot. Since the rack of ribs won’t fit flat, set the ribs on their side and curl it around the inside of the pot with the meat facing outward. The photos illustrate how to do this. Put the lid on the pressure cooker and seal it.

Pressure cook the ribs. Set the Instant Pot for Pressure Cook, 30 minutes (or Manual, High Pressure, depending on the model you have). It will take roughly 15 minutes to come to pressure. When the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. We usually set a timer so we know when 15 minutes has passed. Carefully release any remaining pressure and remove the lid.

Broil the ribs. While the pressure is releasing from the Instant Pot, preheat the broiler. Line a heavy sheet pan with foil and set the ribs on it, meat side up. Brush the surface of the ribs with the BBQ sauce. Broil them until the sauce is bubbling and has lightly caramelized. Be sure to keep an eye on the ribs because you don’t want the sauce to scorch or the ribs to dry out. This final step of broiling takes the ribs to the next level. They look and taste like you’ve spent all day in front of the grill.

Ways to serve it

Serve Instant Pot ribs with from-scratch lighter coleslaw and crispy roasted potatoes, and you’ve got yourself a rich meal. This broccoli salad or baked macaroni and cheese would be so good, too. If you have an air fryer, try from-scratch air fryer tater tots. End the meal with a rich icebox dessert like Kool-Aid pie or chocolate delight.

Ways to change it

• Substitute St. Louis ribs. We tested this recipe a few different ways to make sure it works for other types of ribs, such as spare ribs. St. Louis-style ribs (spare ribs) come from the belly instead of the back. They’re meatier and contain a bit more fat. You can use the same cooking method but they do take a bit longer to cook. The recipe card has instructions.
• Choose your own BBQ rub. Instead of making your own, feel free to use any rub that you like.
• Try an alternative cooking method. If you prefer to cook the ribs all day, try our slow cooker ribs. The cooking process is quite similar. They can be cooked on High for four to five hours, or on Low for eight to ten hours. Oven baked ribs are another good alternative. The rribs are straightforward to mix, pretty much hands-off, and take about three hours of baking time.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate/Freeze: Leftover ribs should be wrapped well or put in a covered container. They can be refrigerated for three to four days or frozen for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat: You can use your microwave to reheat small portions but we recommend reheating ribs in the the oven. Wrap the ribs in foil and place them in a pan or dish. Add a little water or extra sauce, if desired. Bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at Meal Plan #90. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let us do the planning for you this week!

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• Yield: 4
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Total: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the BBQ Rub:

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (regular or dark)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon celery seeds

For the ribs:

• 1 cup broth (see note)
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (optional, but highly recommended!)
• 1 rack baby back pork ribs (3 to 5 pounds, see note)
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• ½ cup BBQ sauce of choice

Method

1. In a small bowl, make BBQ rub by combining brown sugar, salt, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, and celery seeds.
2. Place steamer rack in the bottom of your Instant Pot. Add broth, apple cider vinegar, and liquid smoke to the Instant Pot.
3. For the best results, remove the thin translucent membrane from the back side of the ribs. Use a knife or fork to carefully loosen it on one end, and then grip it with a paper towel and just peel it right off. This step guarantees the ribs will be fall-apart tender.
4. Rub or brush meat with mustard (we usually use our hands; it's messy but effective). When meat is coated with mustard, sprinkle with BBQ rub and lightly rub the seasoning in so it adheres to the meat.
5. Place meat in the Instant Pot, curling it around the sides of the pot, meat side out (see photo in post). Secure lid and turn valve to seal, if necessary. Set on Pressure Cook (or Manual, high pressure) for 30 minutes.
6. After cooking time has elapsed, let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes (just set a timer and leave it alone for 15 minutes).
7. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with foil and preheat broiler to high. After 15 minutes has elapsed, release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid and carefully remove ribs, placing them on prepared baking sheet, meat side up. Brush with BBQ sauce and broil for 3 to 4 minutes or until bubbling and caramelized, watching carefully so the sauce doesn't scorch.

Notes

Broth: Choose either beef or chicken broth. If you prefer, water or beer can be substituted for broth

Yield: It’s a little tricky to calculate how many servings in one rack of ribs. We know plenty of folks that can eat a whole rack by themselves. It depends on how many sides you’re serving with the ribs, too. Nutrition information is calculated for 4 pounds of ribs making 4 servings, and includes BBQ sauce.

St. Louis ribs: We tested this meatier cut of ribs and found that they take a bit longer. If you’re cooking St. Louis ribs, set the Instant Pot for 40 minutes and allow 15 minutes for natural release.

Recipe retested and revised 9/2024.