Easy Instant Pot Ribs
These Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, full of flavor, and super easy to make. Slather them with BBQ sauce and pop them under the broiler for a wonderfully crispy exterior. With just a few simple ingredients and less than an hour, dinner is done!
Table of Contents
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Instant Pot
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free
- Skill Level: Easy
Why You’ll Love These Instant Pot Ribs
No need to spend all day tending to the smoker or waiting hours for the oven when your Instant Pot can do the heavy lifting. You’ll end up with juicy and flavorful ribs that are cooked to perfection in less than half the time. A quick broil at the end gives the ribs that perfect sticky-saucy finish. They’re great for weeknights, weekend cookouts, or whenever you’re craving comfort food. Here’s why you’ll be making them this way from now on…
- Quick and easy: No need to slow-cook all day – your ribs are ready in under an hour!
- Tender and flavorful: Juicy on the inside, crispy and saucy on the outside.
- Perfect for any occasion: Family dinners, game day, potlucks, or backyard barbecues.
- Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free: Just double-check your sauce!
What You’ll Need
Simple seasonings and a slathering of sauce, let’s get into an overview of the recipe ingredients to make these Instant Pot ribs. You’ll find the full amounts and detailed instructions in the recipe card further down in the post.
- Baby Back Ribs. Also known as pork loin back ribs.
- Ground Ginger. Adds a hint of spice, but without heat.
- Onion Powder.
- Salt & Pepper.
- Dry Mustard. Also adds zippy flavor and a kick without being spicy.
- Apple Juice. Or water.
- BBQ Sauce. I recommend the Honey BBQ Sauce used in developing this baby back ribs recipe. But you can use your favorite bottled or homemade sauce. See below for some ideas.
How to Make Ribs in the Instant Pot
This recipe is super simple and straightforward. Here’s an overview with photos to help you along. The step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card down below.
- Combine Seasonings: In a small bowl, combine ginger, onion powder, salt, pepper and mustard.
- Prepare Ribs: Cut the ribs into smaller, manageable portions that will fit in your Instant Pot. Rub the seasoning mix evenly into the ribs, distributing it on both sides with your fingers.
- Add to Instant Pot: Place the rubbed ribs in the Instant Pot and add juice or water carefully around the meat without loosening the seasoning.
- Cook: Lock the lid and steam valve and set cooking to high pressure or manual (depending on the version of Instant Pot you’re using) for 25 minutes.
- Release Pressure: Once cooking has completed, leave the Instant Pot untouched for another 15 minutes to allow the pressure to release naturally. Then perform a quick release of the remaining pressure, and open the lid.
- Glaze Ribs: Preheat the broiler and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil. Arrange the ribs in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and coat them liberally with sauce using a pastry brush.
- Broil: Broil the ribs about 5-8 inches from the heat for 5-7 minutes, or until they just start to reach your desired crispiness.
- Enjoy! Serve your ribs with the remaining sauce.
Tips for Making Instant Pot Ribs
Check out the tips and tricks below so you can make perfect ribs every time!
- Remove Membrane: If you notice a piece of glossy white connective tissue along the back of the ribs, remove it by pulling it off. If you’re having trouble, try loosening it with a butter knife and using a small piece of paper towel to grip it.
- Season Ribs Well: Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty when rubbing the ribs with the seasoning mixture. You want to pack that flavor in there!
- Understand Timing: In the pressure cooker, pork loin back ribs cook in 25 minutes. This does not include the time it takes to release the pressure from the Instant Pot. Be sure to use the manual or high pressure setting when cooking your ribs, depending on which Instant Pot model you have.
- Always Release Pressure: It’s super important to follow the recipe directions for releasing the pressure from your Instant Pot. Opening the lid before releasing the pressure could result in a dangerous explosion.
- Get the Right Instant Pot: I’m going to refer you over to my friends at Pressure Cooking Today for all the details about the best Instant Pot to buy. They have tested out many more than I have, and I’m sure answer all of your questions. But the actual answer to the question of which is best definitely depends on your budget and the size you need, based on the many people you usually cook for. The 6-Quart Instant Pot Duo is versatile and large enough to fit the ribs.
Other BBQ Sauce Recipes You Can Use
You can also use your favorite storebought or homemade barbecue sauce. Here are some suggestions:
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge – Place cooled ribs in an airtight container or a resealable bag with all the air squeezed out. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezer – Ribs can be frozen in a freezer bag with all of the air squeezed out for up to 3 months. Alternatively, you can wrap them well in two layers of aluminum foil. Thaw frozen ribs overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat – To reheat them, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and add the ribs, pouring all of the leftover juices over them. Heat them in a 250°F oven until their internal temperature reaches 145°F and enjoy.
Make it a Meal
So, you’ve got the main course covered. What’s next? These side dishes are perfect to serve with ribs and are sure to impress.
- Serve with Coleslaw: Cool things down with a fresh plate of this Classic Coleslaw. It’ll be on the table and ready to go in just 15 minutes!
- Pair with Potato Salad: Creamy and refreshing, this Cheddar Bacon Ranch Potato Salad will be a hit at any potluck. It also keeps things healthy by using Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise.
- Serve with Corn Pudding: You’re in for a real treat with my Corn Pudding Casserole. A Southern classic, you don’t even need corn muffin mix to make it!
More Instant Pot Recipes
Want to try more easy Instant Pot recipes? The following dishes are calling your name!
Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs
These fall-off-the-bone Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs are slathered with BBQ sauce to make them tender, flavorful, and mouthwatering. Quick, easy, and perfect for weeknights, potlucks, or cookouts!
Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
- Broiler
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds baby back or pork loin back ribs
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoons ground pepper
- 1 teaspoons dry mustard
- 3/4 cup apple juice or water
- 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought BBQ sauce plus more for serving (see Note)
Instructions
- Cut the 3-4 pounds baby back or pork loin back ribs into smaller, manageable portions that will fit in your Instant Pot.
- In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoons ground pepper, and 1 teaspoons dry mustard.
- Rub the seasoning mix evenly into the ribs, distributing it on both sides with your fingers.
- Place the rubbed ribs in the Instant Pot and add 3/4 cup apple juice or water carefully around the meat without washing off the seasoning.
- Lock the lid and steam valve and set cooking to high pressure or manual (depending on the version of Instant Pot you’re using) for 25 minutes.
- Once cooking has completed, leave the Instant Pot untouched for another 15 minutes to allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Turn the steam valve carefully to release any remaining pressure the rest of the way. Once the release has completed, it's safe to open the lid.
- Preheat the broiler and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Arrange the ribs in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and coat them liberally with 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought BBQ sauce using a pastry brush.
- Broil the ribs about 5-8 inches from the heat for 5-7 minutes, or until they just start to reach your desired crispiness.
- Serve your ribs with additional sauce and enjoy!
Notes
I recommend my recipe for Honey BBQ Sauce, as that is what was used when developing this Instant Pot ribs recipe.
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs
Amount Per Serving (2 or 3 ribs)
Calories 367
Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 8g40%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 10g
Cholesterol 99mg33%
Sodium 601mg25%
Potassium 435mg12%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 0.4g2%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 28g56%
Vitamin A 73IU1%
Vitamin C 0.5mg1%
Calcium 56mg6%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
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The sauce sounds delicious!