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Instant Pot Ribs are sweet, spicy and fall-apart tender – in a fraction of the usual time! Just 25 minutes at high pressure, and a zap in a hot oven for 10 minutes, and dinner is SERVED!
I’m so pleased to share this recipe with you. In my family, ribs have been an all-day-in-the-oven-with-a-lot-of-basting kind of affair, which means, we can only really have them on weekends. Because they’re in the oven so long – you have to be committed to staying home and checking on them regularly.
Well, not anymore! A pressure cooker really cuts down on the cook time!
Just prep the pork ribs (remove the membrane on the back – see photos below), rub them with your favorite (or my recipe) rub, and set them in your instant pot with a bit of water or chicken broth.
Cook at high pressure for 25 minutes (not including the time it needs to come to pressure), a quick zap in a super hot oven for 10 minutes – and you’ll have yourself some sweet, spicy, sticky, fall of the bone tender ribs for dinner. On a random Tuesday.
This rib recipe uses a dry rub, and a homemade barbecue sauce (but you can totally use storebought, of both!).
If you have pork shoulder, you could do my Instant Pot Pulled Pork, too!
Love these? Tweet it!How to remove the membrane from St Louis Style Ribs:
How to make this recipe:
Sauce
- Combine all the sauce ingredients into a saucepan and simmer over a medium heat until thickened, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes. Be careful not to burn – don’t leave it unattended.
Ribs
- Grab your rack of ribs, and a dull knife. Slide the tip of the knife under the membrane on the back of each rack, and loosen it. Take the corner of it and pry off the entire membrane from the back of the ribs (see pictures for reference)
- Mix the rub ingredients together until well blended.
- Rub evenly over both sides of the ribs, and massage into the meat.
- Cut your ribs to fit your instant pot (I cut a normal sized rack into three pieces)
- Place the trivet in the instant pot, pour in a cup of water or stock.
- Set the instant pot at high pressure, for 25 minutes.
- Close the lid, and the vent to seal.
- Heat oven to 450F
- When the instant pot is done, do a natural release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Remove the ribs from the instant pot and put them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper or tinfoil.
- Baste ribs liberally with sauce, and bake for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from oven.
- Baste with more sauce or serve the sauce on the side.
- Devour.
Ingredients:
Full, printable recipe below – just scroll down to the recipe card!
- ST LOUIS STYLE RIBS – these are cut in such a way that they are a rectangle shape. Rhe hard breastbone and chewy cartilage is cut away. You still have to remove the membrane (see pics above)
- SEASONINGS:
- SMOKED PAPRIKA – This will add a smoky flavor to the sauce
- GARLIC POWDER – fresh garlic is a great sub, if you wish!
- CHILI POWDER – this prepared chili powder that is a blend of spices
- SALT – I use kosher salt. Salt intensifies food’s other flavors, it’s not just for savory dishes!
- ONION POWDER – you could add diced onions instead, if you wish!
- BROWN SUGAR – dark brown is what I usually use, but you can easily sub for light brown. It won’t be an issue.
- BLACK PEPPER – I use a coarse ground black pepper
- DRIED THYME – fresh thyme can be subbed, but you will need more than you would if you used dried.
- CAYENNE PEPPER – leave this out as you wish. It’s such a small amount, designed for flavor addition, not heat.
- GROUND CUMIN – Rich and earthy, and perfect for deepening the flavor
- LIQUIDS
- CHICKEN STOCK – make your own or use a store-bought one. If you opt for a lower sodium variety, be sure to taste test your dinner and adjust seasoning to make sure it works!
- KETCHUP – your favorite brand!
- APPLE SAUCE – pour a little, swig a little… apple cider is also great in this.
- APPLE CIDER VINEGAR – this helps give the sauce a tang!
- MOLASSES – I use the unsulfured kind. Find it in the baking and/or cereal aisle at the grocery store
- WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE– this is a great way to add a salty, savory flavor to the sauce.
Kylee’s Notes & FAQs
- The rub recipe below will make DOUBLE what you’ll need. Store the remainder for the next time you need it.
- Chili powder refers to prepared chili powder (not pure ground chilis)
- Use a store-bought sauce if you’re in a true rush!
- More Instant Pot Recipes?
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork – Sweet, spicy, juicy – this recipe uses an instant pot for maximum speed but tender, mouthwatering results.
- Instant Pot Beef Stew – Red wine and rosemary feature in this inviting, tasty and tummy-warming Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe- perfect for a cold day.
- Creamy Chicken Stew with Quinoa – A hearty and warming stew, pure comfort food! A delightful riff on chicken noodle soup!
- Thai Butternut Squash Soup – A velvety smooth and dreamy soup with a kick of Thai heat, balanced by creamy coconut cream.
- Chicken Masala from Lemon Blossoms
- ALL INSTANT POT RECIPES
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Instant Pot Ribs (Sweet & Spicy BBQ flavor)
Ingredients
Rub
- 2 Tbs paprika smoked
- 1 1/2 Tbs dark brown sugar (packed)
- 1 Tbs garlic powder
- 1 Tbs prepared chili powder
- 1 Tbs kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cracked pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Ribs
- 1 rack St Louis Style ribs
- 1 cup chicken stock
Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2/3 cup apple juice
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbs dark brown sugar (packed)
- 2 Tbs unsulfured molasses
- 1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp prepared chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cracked pepper
Instructions
Sauce
- Combine all the sauce ingredients into a saucepan and simmer over a medium heat until thickened, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes. Be careful not to burn – don’t leave it unattended.
Ribs
- Take a dull knife, slide the tip under the membrane on the back of each rack, and loosen it. Take the corner of it and pry off the entire membrane from the back of the ribs.
- Mix the rub ingredients together until well blended.
- Rub evenly over both sides of the ribs, and massage into the meat.
- Cut your ribs to fit your instant pot (I cut a normal sized rack into three pieces)
- Place the trivet in the instant pot, pour in a cup of water or stock.
- Set the instant pot at high pressure, for 25 minutes.
- Close the lid, and the vent to seal.
- Heat oven to 450F
- When instant pot is done, do a natural release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Remove the ribs from the instant pot and put them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper or tinfoil.
- Baste ribs liberally with sauce, and bake for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from oven.
- Baste with more sauce or serve sauce on the side.
- Devour.
nutrition facts
Nutritional Disclaimer
Recipes written and produced on Kylee Cooks are for informational purposes only. Kylee is not a certified nutritionist. Nutritional data provided on Kylee Cooks has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration.
Update: This was originally posted in January of 2018, and has been updated to improve reader experience.
