Instant Pot Ribs: Dry Vs Wet Rubs
A wet rub is the same base mix of seasonings as a dry rub, only its supplemented by liquid like apple juice, vinegar, oil, liquid smoke, etc. to create a thick paste. For an Instant Pot, I like to use a sort of hybrid of the two:
First, add all of the liquid ingredients to a gallon sized ziploc bag. Then, add the dry seasonings to the bag, mix, then add the ribs to the bag and squish them to mix. This will make a sort of marinade that creates amazing flavor!
I have a delicious recipe for a homemade rib rub included in this recipe card, but feel free to use a premade dry rub! Add the liquid ingredients from the recipe to the marinating bag first, then sprinkle the ribs generally with your dry rub of choice.
If youre short on time, skip the marinade and just add the liquid ingredients directly into the Instant Pot, placing your dry rubbed ribs on top of the trivet.
Whether or not you decide to marinate the ribs is up to you. They can be marinated in a plastic bag for up to two days before cooking, or they can be cooked immediately. Ive found that the ribs that have been marinated have slightly more flavor, but Ive done them both ways and they are both fantastic.
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What Are Baby Back Ribs Exactly
The baby back ribs form the rib bones of the pig closest to the loin, which boasts ultra-tender cuts like the tenderloin. Because of their proximity to the loin, baby back ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender when cooked properly. In fact, if youve enjoyed bone-in pork chopsthe rib chop specificallythey actually share a portion of the same meat youll find on baby back ribs.
One rack of baby back ribs weighs about 3 to 4 pounds and should include 10 to 13 ribs. Depending on how hungry your crowd is, one rack should feed two to three people. Baby back ribs are less expensive than pork chopsand for the amount of meat they provide, the price per pound is a great value.
What Makes This Instant Pot Recipe So Good
Once you try this Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs, you wont have to order them at restaurants again! Heres why its so good:
Easy. Once you make this Instant Pot Pork Ribs, youll realize how easy it is to make. It uses repeatable steps that always comes out perfect.
Cheap. Buying baby back ribs in the grocery costs around $15. In restaurants, they tend to be quite expensive, usually more than $25, and it can even be a hit or miss with the quality. But these Instant Pot Pork Ribs are always delicious and better than a lot of the ones in restaurants!
Flexible. A lot of the ingredients are flexible so the possibilities are endless with what you can play around. For example, you can use spareribs or beef ribs instead of baby back ribs. You can use a different sauce instead of BBQ. I once did Instant Pot Jerk Ribs.
Versatile. BBQ Baby Back Ribs are definitely one of the perfect dishes for the Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer because it allows you to pressure cook and air fry all in one pot. However, you can still do the caramelization in other ways by broiling in the oven or air frying separately, and Ive included them here too. Or you can even just skip the caramelization and stick with delicious pressure cooked ribs.
No Grill. This is very important for me because I live in a condo where a grill isnt allowed. By using the oven or air fryer, were able to make these BBQ ribs look like theyre grilled due to the caramelization of the BBQ sauce.
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Lets Talk Instant Pot
So if you havent already heard, the Instant Pot is an amazing new small appliance that takes the place of a rice cooker, a pressure cooker, a steamer and a crock pot! It makes everything from quiche, rice and oatmeal to whole chickens, Tacos De Papa, Pulled Pork and Pulled Chicken to chicken broth Its really quite amazing.
Pressure Cook The Ribs
You always need at least 1 cup of liquid in your Instant Pot for pressure cooking. Before putting the ribs in your Instant Pot, pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pot. I prefer to use water rather than apple juice in this recipe because I like to let the flavor of the ribs and dry rub shine through without adding apple flavor into the mix.
Next put the metal trivet that came with your Instant Pot in the bottom of the pot. Youre going to cook the ribs on the trivet to keep them from sitting in the water.
Stand the ribs up on the trivet so that the rib bones are going up and down. You can lean the ribs against the side of the Instant Pot and against each other. You can fit at least two racks of baby back ribs in a 6 quart Instant Pot, and likely three racks if you are feeding a crowd.
Youll pressure cook baby back ribs for 25 minutes at high pressure, followed by a 15 minute natural release. If youre cooking spareribs, they will need to pressure cook for 35 minutes plus a full natural release.
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How To Caramelize Instant Pot Bbq Ribs
Optionally, you can caramelize the BBQ baby back ribs. I always like to caramelize it after so the BBQ sauce sticks to the meat and the crusts of the meat browns and crisps a little as well.
Here are some options that doesnt require a grill!
Option 1: Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid / Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer
If youre using the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid, just put the coated ribs back in the inner pot and put the air fryer lid on top. Run Air Fry for 10 minutes at 400F.
Travelling Foodie Tip: It is preferred to have the inner pot drained of liquids and dried before placing the ribs back for air frying. BUT I also tried just air frying without doing this and didnt find a big noticeable difference in quality so it really depends if you want to do the extra cleaning step, which I dont.
Option 2: Broil in the Oven
Place the pork ribs on a tray lined with aluminum foil and broil for 6-8 minutes in a pre-heated oven.
Option 3: Air Fryer
If youre using a separate air fryer, like my Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven, air fry the ribs at 400F for 7-8 minutes.
Ingredients Needed For Instant Pot Bbq Baby Back Ribs
- Baby Back Pork Ribs: You can either use baby back ribs or another type of pork ribs, including country ribs, short ribs, or even spareribs.
- Brown Sugar: This helps tenderize the meat, and makes it tender.
- Seasonings: Salt, Garlic Powder, Paprika and Black Pepper
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Tenderizes the meat
- Water: Needed to bring the Instant Pot to Pressure.
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How Do You Like To Serve Your Ribs
Once the ribs are caramelized and ready to serve, my husband likes to cut them into individual ribs before serving to make them easier to eat. If youd rather, you can serve them in racks of three or four ribs.
While the ribs are the star of the show, I love to pair them with baked beans, potato salad or macaroni salad, garlic roasted red potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. And, of course, corn on the cob, fresh cherries and watermelon around the 4th of July, and raspberries and peaches in late summer.
Be sure and have plenty of napkins handy!
To show you how quick and easy this is, my son and I made this super short video.
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The easiest and quickest BBQ ribs made right in your pressure cooker! So saucy, sticky, and tender, it just falls off-the-bone!
Ill be completely honest with you.
We had to recipe test these ribs a minimum of 3 times to completely perfect them. So I came home with 2 racks of baby back ribs on 3 separate occasions. In a span of 2 weeks, of course.
That being said, we can really thank Ben for this recipe. He was an avid recipe tester here, thoroughly eating through all the ribs each and every time.
So, thank you, babe. Youve helped us create the most perfect tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs each and every time in less than one hour.
Im serious, guys. This is truly the only way to prepare baby back ribs. The IP cuts down the time by more than half, and the quick broil at the very end helps caramelize the sauce so its super sticky, and well, just perfect.
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How Long To Cook Ribs In Pressure Cooker:
The most common question when it comes to pressure cooker ribs?: How long to cook baby back ribs in pressure cooker?!
The answer is simple. The secret to juicy & tender ribs lies in cooking with LOW pressure for 30 minutes.
In my research & testing for this pressure cooker baby back ribs recipe, I found that lots of other pressure cooker ribs recipes out there call for cook times closer to 20 minutes, using high pressure.
After testing countless times, I found the combination of short cook times & high pressure to yield ribs that were somehow fall-off-the-bone and tough & dry at the same time! Weird, right? So not ideal.
Using low pressure & a longer cook time is truly the secret to keeping baby back ribs from drying out or getting tough in the pressure cooker.
And from there, all you have to do is serve them up on a platter at your next game day party & get ready for the compliments to pour on in. Best. Ribs. Ever!
I hope you give this faux smoked ribs recipe a try at your next tailgate party I know youll love them!
If you do give them a try, be sure to let me know!: Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag on . I LOVE hearing about & seeing your PWWB creations! Happy cooking!
- Yield:Serves 461x
- Category:Main Dishes
- Method:Instant Pot & Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine:American
- 1 teaspoonground black pepper
- optional: 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
What Do You Need To Make The Dry
The dry rub is what will add flavor to the ribs. I absolutely love my homemade dry rub recipe, its perfectly balanced when it comes to sweet and spicy. Also, it has some cinnamon and nutmeg that elevates the other flavors and just adds another layer of something that you cant really put a finger on, but you can taste its awesomeness. Here are all the spices that I have used:
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What Are Baby Back Ribs Anyway
Baby back ribs are pork ribs but they do not come from a baby pig. They are the ribs that come from the upper portion of a pigs rib cage. They are smaller than the spare ribs which are taken from the lower side of the ribcage. They get the name Baby Back because of their size, not because of the age of the animal.
How To Pressure Cook Ribs Before Grilling
Not only can you prepare vegetables and other yummy foods in a pressure cooker, but you can also prepare delicious meats such as ribs in the pressure cooker in lieu of grilling or grilling. For example, rather than taking an hour to make baby back ribs on a grill only, you can make them easily and quickly in a pressure cooker before adding them to the grill for their final preparations.
There are many recipes for baby back ribs in pressure cookers, but below is one of the most popular ones so that you can make your own delicious dinner in no time. From the Instant Pot to the grill, these ribs will be amazing once they are done.
Ingredients You Need
Below are the ingredients that you need to make the most delicious baby back ribs that you have ever tasted:
- Baby Back Pork Ribs
- BBQ Sauce
How to Make Baby Back Ribs Instantly
There are some major tips and tricks that can help you to make the perfect ribs in your Instant Pot. Below are some things that you should keep in mind when pressure cooking your ribs before grilling them:
1. Cut the Ribs Into Pieces: Since the ribs may be bigger than you pressure cooker, you can cut the ribs into multiple pieces so that it fits better and so that each piece of the meat gets cooked thoroughly.
2. Set the Cooking Time:Depending on how much you are making, your cooking time will vary. Because of that, you have to figure out what the proper cooking time is for your amount of meat so that it gets cooked perfectly.
Overall
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How Do You Prepare Baby Back Ribs For The Instant Pot
My husband prefers to cut the ribs in half, so theres about 6-7 ribs per section. But, you do not have to do this. Its just his preference. You can keep the entire length of the rack of ribs together. If you have a 6 qt or smaller Instant Pot, I recommend just one rack of ribs. I have an 8 qt Instant Pot, and we easily fit two racks of ribs which was plenty for a family of 6.
Make sure you defrost your ribs completely before cooking. I left mine out on the counter for a couple hours the day before, and then popped them in the fridge for about 18 hours.
Easy Instant Pot Ribs Recipe
When it comes to summer barbecues, I am always excited for BBQ Pork Ribs, because they are just among the best thing on this Earth. You see, I am a pork and beef girl at heart, and I just cant say no to a delicious rack of ribs.
These homemade pressure-cooker ribs are so good, I honestly dont think I will ever cook ribs any other way. They fall off the bone tender, meaty, and finger-licking good. Also, because they are cooked much faster under pressure, I really doubt there is any other better and quicker way to cook them.
They taste like they have been slowly cooked and smoked at a fancy North Carolina restaurant. Making them in the pressure cooker will save you so much time, as you only have to cook the ribs for 40 minutes. Covered in a sweet, spicy and flavorful homemade rub, and coated in a hickory brown sugar barbecue sauce, you will lick your fingers clean!
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How Do You Remove The Membrane From Baby Back Ribs
We gave a short how-to in our Easy Barbecue Pork Ribs post and heres the general gist:
- Slip a dinner knife between the membrane and a rib bone at one end of the rib slab
- Stretch the membrane loose and up until it tears
If you dont see a membrane to remove it is probably because the butcher already removed it.
Do You Love Ribs But Dont Want To Wait Hours To Achieve That Mouthwatering Fall
Ribs are one of my favorite summertime foods. Perfect for a family BBQ or larger get together, ribs make a bold statement.
I love to grill food, but sometimes I dont have the time to labour over a smoker or grill. Thankfully, the Instant Pot comes to the rescue and shaves off several hours of time!
I can safely say that the Instant Pot Ribs Recipe cooks the meat so tenderly and truly so perfectly. Instant Pot ribs are so easy and the meat falls right off the bone. The cooking time is so much quicker in the Instant Pot than in the oven and you can achieve the same texture, too, with my Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs Recipe!
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How Long To Cook Baby Back Ribs
How long do baby back ribs need to cook, exactly? The exact cook time for tender baby back ribs depends on the recipe and cooking method. In most cases, ribs cant be rushed in order to become tender. So if youre planning to make them for a crowd, allot more time than you think youll need.
For traditional methods that use the oven or the grill, budget about 3 to 4 hours of total cook time. For speedier methods like the Instant Pot, ribs can be ready in as little as 25 minutes.
Instant Pot Country Style Ribs
Instant Pot Country Style Ribsâ These Instant Pot Country Style Ribs are so tender and flavorful! They start with a simple dry rub, are smothered in bbq sauce, and cooked up in your Instant Pot pressure cooker for a delicious and easy meal!
Yes, you guys! Back in action with the Instant Pot!
After I used it to make the Instant Pot Spaghetti, I couldnât wait to put more delicious foods up in this bad boy.
Weâre also back in action with back to school.
I feel like moms and dads everywhere are torn on whether theyâre happy to have their kids head back to class or not.
Iâm in the ânotâ category this year. Summer just went by way too fast!
Can they just go back in October or something? Because, I mean, it IS really warm here still.
It should be illegal to send people back to school when itâs still warm enough out to go swimming.
Right?? Right.
CHECK OUT OUR VIDEO FOR THIS RECIPE BELOW!
Ok, back to your regularly scheduled food programming here.
I decided to go with country style pork ribs because they are so very meaty!
I do like baby back ribs as well, but Iâve definitely bought them, then been disappointed at the measly amount of meat I got out of it.
Using country style ribs ensures that everybody leaves the table satisfied!
Depending on your grocery store, sometimes these ribs are sold bone in, and sometimes bone out. Mine were bone out. But, either one will work just fine!
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