Once you make these Instant Pot baby back ribs, you'll never go back to other methods again. From the tender juicy meat that falls off the bone to the fast cook time, these ribs are simply perfect.
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We love to make BBQ ribs whenever the budget allows. Pork ribs are often far cheaper than beef (and they give us more meat for our money, perfect for Meal Planning on a Tight Budget). Whenever I catch a good sale, I make sure to grab a few racks of ribs for the freezer!
As you can imagine, we have several trustworthy rib recipes as a result, and one of our favorites is these Instant Pot fall off the bone ribs.
While my Oven Baked BBQ Pork Spare Ribs have been a go-to for years, we can't deny the faster cooking time and simplicity of this recipe.
Cooking ribs in the instant pot is a game changer that you'll want in your life too!
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's faster than other methods! In a smoker, ribs can take hours, if not all day. In the oven, my ribs would take 2 hours, and the grill isn't much faster either. But in the Instant Pot, you can have ribs ready to eat in less than an hour (including the time to get up to the pressure!)
- Simple ingredients. Besides the pork ribs, you'll just need some basic seasonings and your favorite BBQ sauce. The sauce is optional, of course. You most likely have most of the seasonings on hand because they're Frugal Pantry Staples to Keep on Hand.
- Perfect for summer cooking. How many times do you plan to use your grill only to find that the weather doesn't cooperate? Well, now you can have the taste of summer but without the stress (and without heating up the house too!)
🛒 Ingredients
Baby Back Ribs- For this recipe, you will need a rack of baby back ribs that are about 3.5 pounds in size. Be prepared to cut any rack of ribs that is too large so that it can fit into your pressure cooker properly.
Apple cider vinegar- Adding apple cider vinegar will help to tenderize the meat and add some flavor. This is an optional ingredient. (I recommend using it, though!) We also use apple cider vinegar in our Slow Cooker Cabbage with Bacon for similar reasons.
BBQ sauce- You will want to use your favorite barbecue sauce for this recipe. You can use homemade BBQ sauce or storebought.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Apple cider vinegar. If you do not wish to use this ingredient, simply replace it with water instead. You will need at least 1-1.5 cups of liquid in your Instant Pot to get it to work properly. Refer to your owner manual if needed.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Buy ribs on sale: Pork spare ribs regularly drop in price, stock up when they're discounted and freeze for later.
Stretch the meal: Serve ribs with budget-friendly sides like corn, potatoes, or coleslaw to make the rack feed more people.
Trim and save scraps: The membrane and trimmings can be simmered in broth for added flavor in soups or beans.
🥄 Instructions for Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs
Step 1: Add your seasoning to a small bowl.
Step 2: Mix well to combine.
Step 3: Sprinkle the seasoning over the ribs.
Step 4: Rub well to coat both sides as best as you can.
Step 5: Set your Trivet into the Instant Pot and add in the water and apple cider vinegar (if you don't have apple cider vinegar, use more water).
Step 6: Curl the rack of ribs into the pot. Slice in half if they won't fit as-is.
Step 7: Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure it's set to "sealed." Hit "Manual," then select "High," and change the time to 18 minutes.
Step 8: Allow the Instant Pot to perform a 10 minute "natural pressure release" and then carefully release the rest of the pressure.
Step 9: Next, turn your oven to high broil. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Transfer the ribs to the baking sheet.
Step 10: Cover your ribs in your favorite barbecue sauce using a pastry brush.
Step 11: Place the ribs in the oven to broil for 6-7 minutes or until the barbecue sauce starts to caramelize.
Step 12: Remove them from the oven and coat them with a little more BBQ sauce if desired.
Slice, serve, and enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
Removing silver skin is optional. Normally, I suggest removing the silver skin and membranes from ribs before cooking. However, in the Instant Pot, they don't seem to be problematic, requiring less prep. Note: You can still remove the membranes if desired.
❄️ Storage, Reheating & Make Ahead
Storage: Store leftover ribs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheating:
- Oven: Wrap ribs in foil and heat at 250°F for 25-30 minutes until warm and tender.
- Microwave: Heat 1-2 pieces for 1½-2 minutes.
- Air Fryer: Reheat at 375°F for 3-5 minutes for a lightly crisp finish.
Make Ahead: Season and wrap ribs the night before, then refrigerate. Bake as directed the next day for an easy, low-prep meal.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
If you're wondering "what goes with pork ribs," then you're in luck. Just about anything can pair well with ribs. For example, Oven Baked Potatoes, Creamy Red Mashed Potatoes, Air Fryer Canned Corn, or Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad would all be great options!
- Creamy Garlic Red Skin Mashed PotatoesRecipe $4.33 / Serving $0.54
- Air Fryer Canned CornRecipe $1.47 / Serving $0.37
- Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta SaladRecipe $7.67 / Serving $0.96
- Creamy LemonadeRecipe $2.74 / Serving $0.27
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes, a little bit of pink color throughout the meat is actually fine. Most of the time, ribs will still contain small traces of pink color throughout the white meat. As long as the internal temperature was reached and the ribs were fully cooked, it will be fine.
The internal temperature of your ribs should be about 190-200 degrees F. They are safe to eat at 145 degrees F, but the collagen in the bones starts to break down at 165 degrees F, and by the time they reach 190F-200F, they will be much more tender. Do not overcook or they may become mushy.
If you're finding that your pork ribs are still tough after being cooked in the Instant Pot, then the answer is simple- they haven't been cooked long enough. Turn the Instant Pot back on and cook on High Pressure for another 5 minutes.
🍽️ More Recipes You'll Love
- Honey Mustard Pork ShoulderRecipe $15.13 / Serving $1.51
- Air Fryer Pork Loin RoastRecipe $10.27 / Serving $1.28
- Garlic Brown Sugar Pork TenderloinRecipe $10.98 / Serving $1.83
- 3 Ingredient Crock Pot Pork ChopsRecipe $7.76 / Serving $1.94
🐝 If you tried these Instant Pot baby back ribs, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs
Ingredients
- 3.5 pounds baby back ribs - ($10.39)
- 1 teaspoon salt - ($0.01)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin - ($0.08)
- 1 teaspoon paprika - ($0.08)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder - ($0.08)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder - ($0.08)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper - ($0.04)
- ½ cup water - ($0.00)
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar - ($0.32)
- ½ cup BBQ sauce, favorite brand - ($0.52)
Instructions
- Season. Combine the salt, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub evenly over both sides of the ribs.
- Prepare. Place the trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add the water and apple cider vinegar.
- Pressure cook. Curl the ribs and stand them upright in the pot, cutting in half if needed. Secure the lid, set the valve to Sealed, and cook on High Pressure for 18 minutes.
- Release. Allow a 10 minute natural release, then carefully release any remaining pressure.
- Broil. Preheat the oven to High Broil. Line a baking sheet with foil and transfer the ribs to the pan. Brush generously with BBQ sauce.
- Caramelize. Broil for 6 to 7 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and caramelized, watching closely.
- Serve. Brush with additional BBQ sauce if desired, slice, and serve warm.
Notes
- Substitutions. Apple cider vinegar can be replaced with water, using 1 to 1 ½ cups total liquid.
- Recipe Tips. Removing the membrane is optional for Instant Pot ribs. A slight pink color is normal. Ribs are done at 190 to 200°F. If not tender, return to High Pressure for 5 more minutes.
- Reheating. Microwave individual portions for 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Air fry at 375°F for 3 to 5 minutes. For larger portions, cover with foil and reheat at 250°F for about 30 minutes.
Nutritional Information
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