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Instant Pot Ribs

4.80 from 5 votes
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Baby back ribs are one of these things that most people just can’t be bothered to make at home. However, with the use of an Instant Pot, it is easier than ever to make supple, tender ribs all on your own!

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!

Table of Contents
  1. Instant Pot Ribs
  2. How To Prepare Your Ribs Before Cooking
  3. What Are The Benefits Of Using Liquid Smoke?
  4. What Are The Benefits Of Cooking Ribs In An Instant Pot?
  5. The Best Sides To Serve With Ribs
  6. PIN THIS RECIPE to your INSTANT POT AND DINNER RECIPE Boards and Remember to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST!
  7. Instant Pot Ribs Recipe
instant pot ribs sliced on a piece opf parchment

Instant Pot Ribs

There are a variety of different foods out there that most people will consider to be too difficult to consider making themselves at home.

From pizza to beef wellington, there are just some things that seem too far out of reach to make yourself.

Barbecue falls into this category for most people, as the idea of setting up a huge amount of smoking and general barbecue equipment just doesn’t seem worth it.

However, with the use of a handy Instant Pot, tasty and incredibly tender baby back ribs can be only a couple of hours away!   

instant pot ribs ingredients on a white counter

How To Prepare Your Ribs Before Cooking

Before sticking your ribs into your Instant Pot and leaving it to cook, one of the things that you need to consider is how to prepare your ribs first.

Most baby back ribs will come from the butcher without any significant trimming or portioning, though a particularly friendly butcher might be able to do all of this for you.

The most important thing to do is to remove the thin membrane that clings to the underside of the ribs. This thin membrane won’t break down in the Instant Pot no matter how long you cook it, and it feels really gross if you tried to bite into it.

Remove it by sliding any knife just under the membrane and then peeling it back and away from the meat, either with your fingers or a paper towel.

From there, you just need to cut your rack of ribs into equal portions, or slicing each individual rib away from the cluster, so as to end up with however many individual ribs your butcher gave you.

instant pot ribs raw in teh instant pot

What Are The Benefits Of Using Liquid Smoke?

A lot of people consider liquid smoke to be some kind of heinous cheating ingredient that no good home chef would ever use.

However, liquid smoke isn’t some kind of evil chemical; it really is just actual smoke, condensed down into a concentrated liquid.

Everyone knows that smoked ribs are the best for flavor and texture, and one big problem with cooking these ribs in an Instant Pot is that there is basically no way to get that smoky flavor into your ribs unless you use liquid smoke.

A little dash of liquid smoke not only gives everything that slightly smoky taste and flavor, but it also makes the ribs taste more genuine and like the real thing.

While you shouldn’t feel as if you have to go out and get it just for this recipe, if you happen to have some on hand, it is definitely worthwhile to use it here.

instant pot ribs  overhead view on a cutting board

What Are The Benefits Of Cooking Ribs In An Instant Pot?

For a lot of people, the Instant Pot is nothing more than a passing fad that isn’t useful as a real home appliance.

However, the main benefit of an Instant Pot, besides its convenient little size, is the fact that it is incredibly quick at turning anything into a complete meal in record time.

While it is a little inconvenient that you have to use an oven in the final steps of this recipe to get that same level of browning and deep flavor that you would get with conventionally cooked ribs, the Instant Pot is so incredibly useful for this recipe because of its speed.

The Instant Pot cooks your ribs super quick, while also imbuing them with tons of intense and delicious flavor thanks to the pressure exerted on the ribs as they cook.

While you could certainly cook ribs any other way, the Instant Pot is easily the most convenient.

instant pot ribs  on a cutting board with the instant pot behind

The Best Sides To Serve With Ribs

There is no way around it; you have to eat ribs with your hands and no matter how hard you try, you are going to get messy. When eating ribs you just have to embrace the mess – it is part of the fun after all.

However, it does mean that you want to avoid sides that require a knife and fork to eat. Stick with sides that you can also eat with your hands and you won’t even have to think about the mess until you’re done!

  • Cornbread

A classic Southern option, cornbread is a wonderful side dish for any kind of barbecue. Starchy and satisfying, cornbread is a great way to round out any meat-forward dish like this.

  • Fries

Another classic, some good French fries are a great way to add a little bit of carby crunch to your meal. Whether you fry them yourself or get them frozen, some French fries work perfectly alongside some ribs.

  • Corn On The Cob

Instead of cornbread, why not just eat the corn itself? Corn on the cob is a great way to add a little of sweetness and crunch to your meal without having to worry about any intricate cooking process.

  • Loaded Potato Skins

Perhaps the most involved out of all of them, loaded potato skins are basically cheese, sour cream and bacon packed into a sliced potato; they should be crispy, fatty, and starchy all in one.

If you feel like really putting some effort in, you should definitely give these a try.

Looking for more delicious Instant Pot recipes? Try these out:

Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

Instant Pot Pulled Pork

Happy Cooking

Love,

Karlynn

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Instant Pot Ribs

With the use of an Instant Pot, it is easier than ever to make supple, tender ribs all on your own!
4.80 from 5 votes
instant pot ribs sliced on a piece of parchment
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Course
Dinner
Cuisine
American
Servings
4
Calories
479
Author
Karlynn Johnston

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 Information

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

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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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

Site Index Instant Pot Pork Pork ribs

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  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

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