Instant Pot Ribs are perfectly seasoned with a homemade spice rub and pressure cooked to achieve the most tender ribs ever! This easy recipe for ribs is one of the best recipes out there for ribs!
If you are looking for more Instant Pot Recipes, please check out all Instant Pot Recipes.
I have been sharing my recipe for Instant Pot Ribs for months with friends and those of you who have emailed me asking for a Pressure Cooker Rib Recipe.
Why it has taken me so long to share this recipe online, I am not sure. But I am happy to say this Instant Pot Rib recipe was worth the wait.
Instant Pot Ribs
While we loved smoked or barbecued ribs, I have to say that the Instant Pot makes the MOST tender ribs ever.
These ribs are incredible! Fall off the bone tender meat, seasoned with a slightly sweet dry rub and finished in the broiler with barbecue sauce for a crispy, caramelized exterior–these ribs are delicious!
How To Make Instant Pot Ribs
Step One: Make Dry Rub
- Mix together brown sugar, paprika, and seasoned salt together.
Step Two: Prepare Ribs
- Cut off any excess membrane off back of ribs.
- Generously rub the spice blend over the entire surface of the ribs.
Step Three: Pressure Cook Ribs
- Place trivet in pressure cooker.
- Pour in apple juice into bottom of inner pot.
- Roll ribs in a circle and place on trivet in pressure cooker.
- Place lid on pressure cooker.
- Cook ribs on High Pressure.
- Baby Back Ribs: 25 minutes
- Spare Ribs: 35 minutes
- Once cook time has elapsed, allow pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes.
Step Four: Broil Ribs (Optional)
Broiling ribs with BBQ sauce gives the ribs another layer of flavor and caramelized brown bits on rib meat. This step is optional, as the ribs will be perfectly cooked in the Instant Pot, but this step makes these ribs so much more flavorful.
- Place cooked ribs on sheet pan.
- Brush with your favorite barbecue sauce.
- Broil under high heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Flip, brush with more BBQ sauce and broil for 3-4 minutes on other side.
Spare Ribs verses Baby Back Ribs
Spare ribs are bigger, meatier and a little tougher cut of meat and are taken from the bottom of the ribs. Baby back ribs are smaller, more tender and are taken from the top of the rib cage.
Both spare ribs and baby back ribs can be prepared using this method in the Instant Pot. They just need different cook times.
- Baby Back Ribs: 25 minutes on High Pressure
- Spare Ribs: 35 minutes on High Pressure
- For spare ribs, be sure to let pressure release naturally COMPLETELY, as spare ribs are a much tougher cut of meat and releasing pressure quickly will cause the meat to seize and toughen up.
Notes on Instant Pot Ribs
- Feel free to make 2 racks of ribs. Simply place both racks of ribs on trivet and cook as directed (cook time does not change).
- It is not necessary to add barbecue sauce to the ribs, but does add another layer of flavor to these instant pot ribs.
- Use any barbecue sauce you like, but I like to use one without corn syrup. Mustard sauces are delicious as well.
More Instant Pot Meat Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Wings
- Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
Instant Pot Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 rack ribs spare ribs or baby back ribs
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons seasoned salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 cup apple juice
Instructions
- Mix together brown sugar, paprika, and seasoned salt together.
- Cut off any excess membrane off back of ribs and generously rub the spice blend over the entire surface of the ribs.
- Place trivet in pressure cooker. Pour in apple juice into bottom of inner pot. Roll ribs in a circle and place on trivet in pressure cooker. Place lid on pressure cooker.
- Cook ribs on High Pressure.Baby Back Ribs: 25 minutesSpare Ribs: 35 minutes
- Once cook time has elapsed, allow pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes.
- Optional Step: Place cooked ribs on sheet/broiler pan. Brush with your favorite barbecue sauce. Broil under high heat for 3-4 minutes. Flip, brush with more BBQ sauce and broil for 3-4 minutes on other side.
Notes
- Use 1 1/2 cups apple juice for 8 quart pressure cookers.
- See Instant Pot High Altitude Conversion if cooking 2500+ feet above sea level.
To Make Instant Pot Ribs, You May Need
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Kristen Chidsey
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I never take time for these reviews, but seriously everyone says these are the best ribs they’ve ever had when I make them!!
I am so glad you enjoyed and thank you for taking the time to review 🙂
What’s the purpose of the apple juice?
Hi Ben! I find it adds a bit of flavor to the meat–but you can skip it if you don’t have it!
Love it! I improvised out of laziness and lack of ingredients and used brown sugar with Montreal chicken seasoning for the dry rub. They were amazing! I did place on the grill with some sauce after as well, but like you said, wasn’t necessary. So good and easy! I love my instant pot!
Yay!!! I am so glad you enjoyed.
gonna use my new IP for 1st time tonight with pork ribs & will follow your directions. do you think it’d be ok to add a few drops of liquid smoke to the juice?
thanks,
tv
YAY! For first recipes in the Instant Pot! Yes, adding up to a teaspoon of liquid smoke is a great idea! Enjoy!
thanks kristen!!!
as an avid smoker grill cooker i am floored at how quickly and amazingly these ribs turned out!! thanks!!! no more smoker for ribs! the liquid smoke did the trick too.
YAY! At first no one believes me they are better–but then they taste them and agree 😉
I do not have apple juice can I use apple cider vinegar instead?
Hi Rachel!! No, please never use apple cider vinegar in place of apple juice or cider, the taste will be horrible. Instead use stock, pineapple juice, water or even soda. I hope you enjoy.
Are you sure about this? NC bbq sauce is vinegar based. I think the apple cider vinegar makes it!
100% sure! If you would like to add vinegar, use only a tablespoon. It really would overwhelm the ribs.
Very good! I broiled them with a little bit of bbq sauce after cooking in the Instapot – they were delicious!
I am so glad you enjoyed Melissa!
they loved them – tender juicy thanks for the recipe
I love hearing that Mary!
I made these a few weeks ago for dinner. My husband ate almost the entire rack of ribs himself. They are very delish!!! I had to use water instead of apple juice and it was still great! I want to try it with the juice now…
Thanks for sharing your recipe with all the steps and pictures to aid in the process.
Yay!! I love hearing how much you enjoyed Heather!
Do you have a source for that trivet. Don’t have anything in the kitchen that will fit into the IP. Need to find something quickly, I am seriously jonesing for some ribs!!
Hi Bill! This is the trivet I use: https://amzn.to/2XzFmwo (That’s an Amazon Affiliate link) But I have heard people use crumbled foil in a pinch–I just can’t personally attest to how that works. Hopefully you can make these ASAP! 🙂
We raise Heritage breed pigs and a breed of sheep called Katahdins that are hair sheep specially bred for their meat. Needless to say we enjoy great meat and the IP has helped us make wonderful stews and other slow cooked dishes. One trick we use is to precook less expensive, more flavorful, but tougher cuts in the IP. We then add that meat to our stew or Mariana sauce and let it simmer for hours. The meat seems to have more flavor, is definitely more tender and in general is superior to putting it into the dish without the pre-cooking. An additional benefit is you get the best broth from the water added in order to use the IP. Thanks for your help and for the great course you made available.
Oh wow Bill, that sounds PHENOMENAL! I agree the Instant Pot is fabulous for tougher cuts of meat. And I am so happy you are enjoying my course!
Hello, why Apple juice?
Will water work?
Hi James! Water will work, the apple juice helps infuse flavor as it steams the ribs. Hope you enjoy!
I made these tonight for Father’s Day dinner and they were very very good! I used a tangy mustard sauce when I broiled them. We will definitely be making these again!
Hi Emily! I am so glad you enjoyed them and they were a hit for Father’s Day! We enjoyed some yesterday ourselves. Have a great night.
Mmmm…
These ribs came out so tender and delicious!
Wonderful Robin! The IP is incredible for making tender ribs!
Delicious rib recipe for my instant pot!
I am so glad you enjoyed these ribs Thane!
How many ribs are in a serving?
One rack of pork ribs has 13 ribs, so about 2 ribs per serving.
The ribs were done, but the texture was a little off. I think the IP didn’t get them to the 205 degrees they need. Next time I’ll try 30 minutes instead of 25. So far, these don’t match the ribs off my Traeger smoker (which takes about 6 hours to reach 205). Good start, though
Maybe you would prefer 30 minutes 🙂 But I will say that if you may just want to let the pressure release longer, as doing a quick release too soon can cause the meat to toughen up.
Can I do 3 racks in the pressure cooker? Great recipe and instructions btw!
If you can fit them, absolutely! And thank you
1st making ribs and these are awesome!!!!
I am so glad to hear how much you enjoyed these Dawn 🙂
Amazing! Finshed them on the outside grill with sauce. Tasted like they had smoked all day low and slow!
WAHOO!!! So glad you enjoyed!
Yummy
Glad you enjoyed Grace!
Great ribs recipe!
Talk about fall-off-the-bone goodness! And I definitely agree with the broiler. Caramelization is the cherry on top!
Thanks Dara! And yes, in my book that caramelization is key 😉