Instant Pot Ribs

With the use of an Instant Pot, it is easier than ever to make supple, tender ribs all on your own!

Barbecue pork ribs with a glossy sauce are piled on parchment paper atop a wooden cutting board. Fresh herbs and a corn cob are visible in the background.
4.5 from 2 vote(s)4 comments
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Why You’ll Love My Recipe

This easy Instant Pot recipe is sure to give you supple and tender ribs with minimal effort. Serve these with your favourite BBQ side dish and some veggies for an easy weeknight dinner.

Don’t forget to make Homemade BBQ Sauce to use in this recipe! You could also learn How to Make Crock Pot Bone Broth to use in place of the instant stuff! For sides, why not try some Buttermilk Cornbread or Homemade Baked Beans?

Barbecue ribs on a wooden board lined with parchment paper, surrounded by plates of corn on the cob, a bowl of rice, fresh parsley, salt and pepper shakers, glasses, and utensils on a white table.

Karlynn’s Recipe Notes

  • Skill Level: Apart from the task of removing the membrane from the ribs, this recipe is very easy.
  • Total Time: This recipe will take approximately 50 minutes, long enough to make a side dish or two and tidy up before dinner.
  • Variations: Try making your very own BBQ sauce for these ribs, or modifying the dry rub to include some spicier seasonings. Serve these ribs with some Buffalo Hot Sauce,Bacon & Jalapeno Mac and Cheese for some big flavour or over a bowl of Mushroom Rice for something milder.
  • Tools Needed: For this recipe, you’ll need an Instant Pot, a baking sheet, some foil, and a meat thermometer. A sharp knife, a cutting board, and a set of tongs will also come in handy. Don’t forget to grab some paper towel to make removing that membrane easier.
Barbecued ribs on parchment paper atop a wooden board, with an Instant Pot, seasoning jars, corn on the cob, and salt and pepper shakers visible in the background.

What You’ll Need For Ingredients

Ribs: Baby back ribs will work best for this recipe, but you can try similar cuts.

Brown Sugar: This is going to give you delicious caramelization and a rich colour when you cook the ribs.

BBQ Sauce: Homemade or store bought. Use your favourite. This is a great opportunity to really personalize your ribs. Do you like hickory sauces, spicy sauce, maybe mustard-based?

Liquid Smoke: This is optional but adds awesome flavour. You could also choose a smoky BBQ sauce instead.

A rack of raw pork ribs on a wooden cutting board with small bowls of spices, sugar, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, and a jar of liquid on a white marble countertop.

How To Make Instant Pot Ribs

This is a brief overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

  1. Combine brown sugar and herbs in a small bowl. Set aside.
  2. Remove the membrane (silverskin) from the backside of the ribs and then cut the ribs into 3-4 equal portions. Rub all the sections thoroughly with the seasoning mixture.
  3. Put beef broth and liquid smoke into Instant Pot and then arrange rib sections in a teepee formation in the pot. Close, lock, and seal lid.
  4. Select Manual and High Pressure. Set timer to 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°F and line baking sheet with foil.
  5. When Instant Pot is done cooking, allow to sit for 10 minutes. Release pressure carefully using quick-release method, and then remove the lid. Transfer the ribs to the baking sheets and brush with BBQ sauce.
  6. Bake ribs for 7 minutes, turn over and bake for a further 7-10 minutes until the meat is coming away from the bones. Serve with your favourite side dish.
Barbecue pork ribs coated in a glossy sauce are arranged on parchment paper atop a wooden cutting board, with a salt shaker and dish visible in the background.

Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for Making Instant Pot Ribs

Heat it Up: The rib meat will be at its most tender at 200°F. You can eyeball this by watching for the meat to start falling away from the bone, but having a meat or food thermometer around is an easy way to ensure the right temperature.

Tricky Bits: Getting the membrane off of ribs can be quite a pain, but having the right tools around can help make it less of a nuisance. Use a sharp knife to get the membrane pulled partially away from the ribs and grab on to the edge with some paper towel. The paper towel will give you a better grip and make pulling the membrane off significantly easier. Wearing a pair of rubber gloves can also help with this.

Close-up of glazed, cooked pork ribs garnished with fresh herbs, stacked on a white plate. A wooden cutting board with more ribs is blurred in the background.

Storage Instructions

Store these in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

More Delicious Instant Pot Recipes

Try out some of these other Instant Pot recipes:

Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

Instant Pot Pulled Pork

Proteins aren’t the only things you can cook in an Instant Pot:

Learn How to Make Instant Pot Spaghetti or The Best Instant Pot Rice Pudding.

Instant Pots may have started as a fad, but they sure do have a lot more uses than anyone expected! Try this recipe for Instant Pot Ribs and let me know how you like it.

Happy Cooking!

Karlynn

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instant pot ribs sliced on a piece of parchment

Instant Pot Ribs

With the use of an Instant Pot, it is easier than ever to make supple, tender ribs all on your own!
4.50 from 2 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 479

Equipment

  • pressure cooker
  • tongs

Ingredients 

  • 2 racks of baby back ribs
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • ½ teaspoon liquid smoke, (optional)
  • 1 cup Homemade barbecue sauce, Or store-bought

Instructions 

  • Combine brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs by sliding a butter knife under and gripping it with a paper towel and pulling it off. Cut the rack of ribs into 3-4 equal portions (depending on the size). Rub all sides of each piece of ribs with the spice mixture.
  • Pour the beef broth (and liquid smoke if desired) into the instant pot. Add the ribs in a teepee formation so they meet at the top standing on end. Close and lock the lid and set to sealing. Select manual, high pressure and set the timer for 30 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for the instant pot to come up to pressure.
  • Preheat the oven to 425°F Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set it aside.
  • Once the instant pot is done cooking, let it sit for 10 minutes, then release any pressure carefully using the quick-release method. Remove the lid.
  • Transfer the ribs to the prepared baking sheet lined with foil. Brush the ribs on all sides with your BBQ Sauce or Homemade BBQ Sauce.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for about 7 minutes. Turn the ribs over and continue baking until meat pulls away easily from the bone, about 7-10 minutes more. Ribs are the most tender at an internal temperature of 200°F.
  • Serve with your favorite side dish like corn on the cob, loaded baked potatoes or cornbread.

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1678mg | Potassium: 606mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 586IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

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Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Mel says

    Beer instead of beef broth and slices of onion on the bottom of the pot.
    Been doing this for thirty years (yes, even before an insta pot).4 stars

  2. Dianne R Newton says

    I love your recipes,thank you for sharing5 stars

4.50 from 2 votes

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