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Overhead view of a platter of Instant Pot ribs with a bowl of barbecue sauce. A bowl of vegetable slaw on the side.
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Instant Pot Ribs Recipe

This Instant Pot Ribs recipe delivers fall-off-the-bone tender pork ribs with a smoky, flavorful dry rub, all slathered in your favorite BBQ sauce and ready in under one hour!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 29 minutes
Natural Pressure Release 10 minutes
Total Time 49 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 782kcal
Author John Kanell

Equipment

  • Instant Pot or pressure cooker
  • Baking Sheet (optional)

Ingredients

  • 1 to 2 racks baby back ribs (about 2 ½ pounds/1,125g) (see Notes for cooking 2 racks)
  • 1 cup water (240mL)
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (60 mL)
  • 2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional)
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce (240mL)

For the Dry Rub:

  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

Instructions

For the Dry Rub:

  • Stir together the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl.

For the Ribs:

  • Pat the ribs dry with paper towels. If needed, remove the membrane from the back of the ribs and discard. Coat the ribs all over with the dry rub seasoning.
  • Place the trivet in the Instant Pot. Add the water, vinegar, and liquid smoke, if using.
  • Place the ribs upright on the trivet, curling them into a circle with the meaty side of the ribs facing outward.
  • Secure the lid, making sure the steam valve is sealed. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. Let the steam naturally release for 10 minutes, then manually or quick release the remaining steam.
  • For a more caramelized crust on the ribs, preheat the oven to Broil. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
  • Carefully remove the ribs and lay them out on the prepared sheet. (They will be very tender!) Slather the ribs on both sides with barbecue sauce.
  • Broil until the sauce is bubbly and caramelized, about 3 to 4 minutes. Cut the ribs apart and serve with additional sauce. If you don’t want to broil the ribs, you can cut and serve them after brushing with sauce.

Notes

  • Cooking two racks of ribs at once. If your ribs come in two separate slabs, or you want to cook more at one time, curl the racks around each other in a spiral shape in the Instant pot. Do not stack them.
  • Broil for extra flavor. After pressure cooking, broil the ribs for 3-4 minutes in the oven to caramelize the BBQ sauce, adding a rich, smoky crust. If not broiling, just cut and serve the ribs after brushing them with sauce.
  • Handle with care. The ribs will be very tender after cooking, so use tongs to prevent them from breaking apart when transferring them to the baking sheet.
  • Remove the membrane. Before seasoning the ribs, remove the membrane for the most tender texture and better seasoning penetration.
  • Add liquid smoke. A dash of liquid smoke can bring an authentic, smoky barbeque flavor to your ribs without needing a smoker.
  • Double the recipe. For a large gathering, double the recipe and cook up to 5 pounds of ribs in a large instant pot with the same cooking times.

Nutrition

Calories: 782kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 196mg | Sodium: 1584mg | Potassium: 920mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 374IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 3mg