Barbecue beef ribs are always a fun (and messy) dinner option! With this Instant Pot beef rib recipe, you can have fall off the bone ribs in half the time.
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Instant Pot Beef Back Ribs are an easy way to enjoy tender, flavorful ribs with very little effort. Pressure cooking lets you achieve fall off the bone results in a fraction of the time compared to traditional methods.
This method makes ribs possible year round, no matter the weather. There's no long marinating or hours of cooking involved. Simply season the ribs, pressure cook them, then finish under the broiler with your favorite barbecue sauce for a caramelized glaze.
Whether you're serving them for a family dinner, game day, or a comforting weekend meal, these Instant Pot beef back ribs are both simple and satisfying.
For more rib recipes, be sure to check out my Baked BBQ Pork Spare Ribs and Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fast cooking. Going from raw ribs to fall off the bone tender in about 22 minutes of cook time is hard to beat. Even with pressurizing and releasing, it's quicker than most traditional methods.
- Grill like flavor. The seasoning blend, liquid smoke, and quick broil give these ribs that classic grilled taste without firing up the grill.
- Simple ingredients. Aside from the ribs, you only need basic pantry seasonings and sauce to create great flavor at home.
🛒 Ingredients
Beef Ribs. One rack of beef ribs is all you need for this recipe.
Apple Cider Vinegar. Helps the Instant Pot come to pressure and tenderizes the meat thanks to its acidity.
Brown Sugar. Adds sweetness, depth of flavor, and helps with caramelization.
Seasonings. A simple blend of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper keeps things flavorful without being complicated. You can use regular or smoked paprika.
Worcestershire Sauce. Adds a rich, savory punch that enhances the overall flavor.
Liquid Smoke. Brings classic barbecue flavor to indoor cooking. We also use it in our Not So Smoked Trout Dip.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Watch for meat sales: Beef ribs can be pricey, so grab them when they go on sale or are marked down near holidays and weekends.
Homemade sauce saves money: Making BBQ sauce from pantry staples is far cheaper than buying bottled sauce and lets you control the flavor.
Stretch with sides: These ribs are rich and filling, so pairing them with budget-friendly sides helps make the meal go further.
🥄 Instructions for Instant Pot Beef Back Ribs
Step 1: In the bottom of your Instant Pot, place ½ cup of water and ½ cup of apple cider vinegar.
Step 2: Combine all of the ingredients for the dry rub inside a bowl and set it aside.
Step 3: Take a rack of beef ribs and slice them so that they are no more than 2 ribs per bunch. This will help them to fit inside the Instant Pot.
Step 4: Flip the ribs over to reveal their backs, and then using a sharp paring knife, make score marks down the rib bones, and on the silverskin/membrane.
Step 5: Smother your ribs, front and back, with the dry rub mix you made. You will not need all of it!
Step 6: Stack your beef ribs so that they are offset and going in opposite directions. Place them on the trivet and lower them into your pressure cooker.
Step 7: Close the lid and set it to High Pressure for 22 minutes. Do a Natural Pressure Release for 10 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure.
Step 8: Serve beef ribs now, or go one step further to make Instant Pot BBQ Beef Ribs.
Step 9: In a bowl, mix all of the BBQ sauce ingredients until well blended.
Step 10: Set your oven to High Broil. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Step 11: Place the ribs on the sheet, carefully.
Step 12: Brush the homemade BBQ sauce over the tops of the ribs and underneath.
Step 13: High Broil for 5 minutes until caramelized looking.
Serve warm.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
Remove the Silverskin. For the most tender, fall off the bone ribs, take a moment to deal with the silverskin on the back of the ribs. This tough membrane tightens as it cooks, causing the meat to cling to the bone.
Use a sharp paring knife to slice through the silvery white layer so it can loosen and peel away during cooking. Removing or cutting through the silverskin helps the ribs cook more evenly and makes them much easier to eat.
❄️ Storage, Reheating & Make Ahead
Storage: Store leftover Instant Pot Beef Back Ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Reheating: Reheat ribs covered in the oven at 325°F for 15-20 minutes until warmed through. You can also microwave them, but the oven keeps the texture better.
Make Ahead: Ribs can be pressure cooked a day in advance and refrigerated. Broil with BBQ sauce just before serving for a freshly caramelized finish.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Serve Instant Pot Beef Back Ribs with coleslaw, baked beans, cornbread, or roasted potatoes. A simple green salad or steamed vegetables also balance the richness of the ribs nicely.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
We want these Instant Pot ribs cooked to at least 200 degrees F because that's when the meat is cooked to the point of being tender and fall-off-the-bone ready. 205-210 F is optimal.
Some great options include creamy coleslaw, baked potatoes, or a variety of salads like potato salad, macaroni salad, or even a green salad.
I recommend trying our Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, Dill Pickle Potato Salad, or 5 Ingredient Mac and Cheese.
Besides the obvious of coming from two different animals, beef ribs are usually bigger and are cut to contain less meat than a rack of pork ribs. This often makes them cheaper as you're paying more for the weight of the bone than you are for the meat. That said, both are quite tasty.
🍽️ More Recipes You'll Love
- Instant Pot Zucchini BoatsRecipe $6.23 / Serving $1.56
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- Instant Pot Apple Pie FillingRecipe $7.30 / Serving $0.91
- Instant Pot Tater Tot CasseroleRecipe $11.04 / Serving $1.84
🐝 If you tried these Instant Pot Beef Back Ribs, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Beef Back Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 small rack beef ribs, about 5 to 6 ribs - ($13.80)
- ½ cup water - ($0.00)
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar - ($0.21)
Dry Rub
- 1 ½ tablespoon salt - ($0.03)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar - ($0.08)
- 1 ½ tablespoons paprika - ($0.28)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder - ($0.08)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder - ($0.08)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper - ($0.08)
Quick BBQ Sauce
- ¾ cup ketchup - ($0.31)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar - ($0.06)
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard - ($0.03)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar - ($0.04)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce - ($0.06)
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke - ($0.04)
- 2 teaspoons paprika - ($0.16)
Instructions
- Prepare the Instant Pot. Pour the water and apple cider vinegar into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Insert the trivet.
- Prep the ribs. Cut the rack of beef ribs into sections of 2 to 3 ribs so they fit comfortably. Flip the ribs bone-side up and score the silverskin with a sharp knife, cutting along the bones and between ribs to help tenderize.
- Season. In a small bowl, mix all dry rub ingredients. Rub the ribs generously on all sides. You will not need all of the seasoning.
- Pressure cook. Stack the ribs on the trivet, alternating directions for even cooking. Close the lid, set to sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 22 minutes. Allow a 10-minute natural pressure release, then carefully release remaining pressure.
- Make the BBQ sauce. While the ribs cook, stir together all BBQ sauce ingredients in a bowl until smooth.
- Optional broil finish. Preheat the oven to High Broil and line a baking sheet with foil. Transfer the ribs to the sheet and brush generously with BBQ sauce.
- Caramelize. Broil for about 5 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and caramelized.
- Serve. Serve warm.
Notes
- Silverskin prep. Scoring the silverskin helps it loosen during cooking and makes the ribs easier to eat.
- Tenderness. Beef ribs are most tender when cooked to an internal temperature of about 200°F, with ideal results around 205 to 210°F.
- Sauce option. Ribs can be served straight from the Instant Pot or finished under the broiler for classic BBQ flavor.
Nutritional Information
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Catherine McClarey says
Thanks for the tip about cutting slits in the "silver skin" membrane instead of pulling it off completely! The beef back ribs I bought at the supermarket are already separated into individual ribs, so I don't know how much of an issue the membranes will be, but it was good to see confirmation from recipes like yours that beef back ribs will indeed fit in an Instant Pot.
NicoleDurham says
The membrane is usually what keeps the ribs from being "fall off the bone" good because it shrinks as it cooks causing it to latch onto the bone. Removing it completely can be a real pain so I'm glad you found my "slicing it" tip useful! Thanks so much for commenting, I hope your ribs turn out fabulously.