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5 from 8 votes

Instant Pot Ribs

These Instant Pot ribs turn out so tender, juicy, and flavorful! Slathered with a delicious barbecue sauce, the ribs are done in just 45 minutes! Serve with mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, or your favorite potato salad for a complete meal.
Author Diana
Servings 6
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1-2 racks baby back ribs about 3 pounds
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon ground mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup water, or apple cider, or apple juice
  • ½ cup barbecue sauce homemade or store-bought

Instructions

  • To make the dry rub: In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, ground mustard, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
  • Spread the rub evenly over the entire ribs, pressing gently to help it stay on. Let this sit for 10 minutes.
  • Place the trivet in the instant pot and coil the ribs in a standing position around the sides. Add the apple cider to the bottom of the pot.
  • Secure the lid and set the vent to SEALING. Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL setting and set the cooking time for 23 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take around 10 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking. When the cooking program ends, allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes then quickly release the rest of the steam.
  • Preheat the broiler for 500°F (260°C).
  • Place the ribs on a parchment-lined sheet pan, and brush the ribs with a generous amount of barbecue sauce.
  • Place close to the broiler and cook for 5 minutes. The barbeque sauce should be nice and bubbly. You may need an additional minute or two. Watch carefully so you don’t burn the ribs.
  • Remove from the oven and brush with additional barbecue sauce before serving.

Notes

  • For the BBQ sauce, I prefer Sweet Baby Ray’s brand.
  • To prep, the ribs, wash and pat dry to remove any excess moisture. Place the ribs upside down on a cutting board, and using a butter knife slide under the membrane on the back of the bone. It is a thin layer, so you don’t need to go deep. Once you have loosened it, take a paper towel and grab onto it with one hand. Hold the ribs down with the other hand and gently pull on the membrane, It should come off easily.
  • To finish off the ribs, place under the broiler or grill for 5 minutes. Or use the Air Fryer. To use the air fryer, cut the rack in thirds (to fit your air fry basket), brush on barbecue sauce on both sides, and air fry for 5 minutes at 390°F (200°C).
  • You can cook the ribs in the Instant Pot from frozen. However, before freezing, I recommend that you cut the ribs in thirds and rub the dry rib rub before freezing.

Nutrition

Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 1391mg | Potassium: 477mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 337IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg