These Instant Pot Baby Back Pork Ribs are fall off the bone tender and only take 25 minutes to cook!
Instant Pot Baby Back Pork Ribs are rubbed down with seasonings then cooked to perfection and finished off under the broiler for the perfect texture.
You guys, I’m not even kidding when I say that these ribs are a game changer. A few years ago my husband bought a smoker so we could make some epic smoked meats, and it was my favorite way to enjoy ribs. Until now.
I still love my husband’s ribs, but they would take HOURS in the smoker. I would have to wait ALL DAY to get a taste of that tender rib meat. That’s all changed with these Instant Pot Baby Back Pork Ribs. Now I can have that tender, fall-off-the-bone goodness in just 25 minutes! Trust me, it’s true!
How To Make Instant Pot Ribs:
The first thing you’ll want to do is remove the skin from bottom side of a rack of ribs. To do this, simply run a butter knife under the skin to loosen.
Grab a paper towel (so you can have a better grip) and pull that layer all the way off. It looks like it would be difficult, but trust me, it comes right off!
What Spices To Use for a Dry Rub Rib Recipe?
The next thing to do is just rub down the rack of ribs with my husband’s signature spice rub. It’s a mixture of sweet and spicy with a few other spices that will really make the flavor on these ribs pop!
- Brown Sugar
- Chili Powder
- Dried Parsley
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Cayenne Pepper
After you’ve rubbed both sides of the rack down, simply throw the whole rack into the pressure cooker.
Tips and Tricks for Instant Pot Ribs:
Use your rack to keep the pork out of the liquid on the bottom. If you don’t have a rack, ball up some aluminum foil and try to make a rack of some sort to elevate the pork.
My next big tip to making these Instant Pot Baby Back Pork Ribs – THE LIQUID!
- Use one cup of water
- 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
The liquid smoke is optional, but highly recommended. Remember how I said I loved my husband’s smoked ribs? Adding that tiny bit of liquid smoke gets that flavor in the ribs without pulling out the smoker or grill!
Once the ribs are done, you’ll let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then finish with a quick release. Carefully remove the ribs (you’ll want to try and grab the rack with some tongs going perpendicular to the bones) and set it on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Brush the rack down with some BBQ sauce and pop it under the broiler for just 5 minutes to get nice and bubbly.
How To Double Instant Pot Ribs Recipe:
This recipe is for about a 3 1/2 pound rack of pork ribs and easily fits into a 6 or 8 quart instant pot. If you’re looking to double the recipe, make sure both racks of ribs can fit into your pressure cooker. Double the spice ingredients, but you do not need to double the liquid. The time will only increase by about 10 minutes.
The meat is so tender that the bones will just slip right out when gently pulled.
I’m not kidding, these are the best ribs EVER!!
I made these the other day for Memorial Day weekend (with my Mexican Grilled Corn) as a test, and they came out so good that before the week was over, I was making them again!
Just think, you can have super tender baby back ribs ready to eat in less than 45 minutes from start to finish!
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Instant Pot Baby Back Pork Ribs
Ingredients
- 3 lb baby back pork ribs
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp liquid smoke, optional
- 1/2 cup bbq sauce
Instructions
- Remove the lining from the bottom side of the ribs by running a butter knife under the skin and then using a paper towel to grip and remove completely.
- Combine the brown sugar, chili powder, parsley, salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne pepper in a small dish and rub all over the ribs.
- Place the rack in your pressure cooker and place the ribs inside the pot, standing on their side, wrapping around the inside of the pot. Pour in the water, apple cider and liquid smoke (if using), being careful to not wash off any of the seasonings.
- Secure the lid, making sure the vent is closed. Press the Meat button and set to 25 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release the rest of the way.
- Carefully remove the ribs from the pressure cooker and set on a foil lined baking sheet. Brush down with your favorite BBQ sauce, and pop under the broiler for 5 minutes, but keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn (some ovens are more hot than others). Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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John
Made two racks at once in my 6qt. Easiest and best ribs I have ever made! Thank you!
Caroline H
I made this recipe and it was a roaring success with the whole family, even my 11-month-old! It was such a hit that we bought more ribs and made it again the next night. We are adding this in to our regular meal rotation!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed it Caroline!
vanessa williams
they were fall off the bone perfect.. i added an apple in the middle as well as the smolk sauce
Robyn Hausmann
Made these tonight! Absolutely perfect. Best ribs I’ve ever made. The spice rub worked like a charm. Tender, juicy, the perfect meal to send summer on its way. This will be on frequent repeat.
David
I made this recipe. The cooking instructions were perfect. I didn’t have any sauce, so I used some Jalepeno Jelly. It was good, but not great.
I then made them again, same cooking instructions, same dry rub, but this time I had sauce. I chose Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce. I’m not a bbq officionado, but this combo elevated the whole thing. Yum! I can’t wait to make them again. Thank you.
Angie
Staple at our home! Love. It. Thanks so much 🙂
Pam
I have made this at least twice and it is AMAZING!!!!!!
I have tried to print today, so I never lose it, but there is only a blank page when I open in safari. Is it just me?
Shawn
I haven’t had this issue before, but I don’t use Safari anymore either. Keep in mind that the printable recipe will open in a new tab or window depending on your settings. If you still are having issues on Safari, try using a different browser.
Jessie
Ok, I need some guidance… I have made these 4 times now: the first 2 times they were perfect and falling off the bone, the last 2 times they were dry and a little tough. Each time, I used baby back ribs, same grocery store, I followed the recipe EXACTLY down to the minute. I’m wondering what variables would cause the ribs to be more dry? Should I cook them less or longer? Is there a minutes to weight ratio that you follow? I absolutely loved this recipe the first couple times, I have no clue what has changed! Thanks so much for any tips :). Jessie
Shawn
I’m thinking it has something to do with the weight of the ribs vs. the cooking time. I’ll work on finding the perfect balance of weight and time to give more accurate times and will update soon. Thanks for your patience! And when in doubt – increase the time a little more if the ribs are meatier than normal.
Jessie
Thank you so much for your response! I think A cooking time to weight ratio would be so helpful. I didn’t pay close attention to the weight of the ribs that I got each time, but they could have varied by half a pound or so… for now, I will increase cooking time if they seem a little meaty. thanks again, I’ll keep an eye out for updates on the recipe :). I appreciate it!
Melissa
Can you use boneless ribs and if so how long would u cook them for? Thank you.
Shawn
Yes, I think that would work just fine. I’m thinking for 3 pounds of ribs (about the weight of a standard rack) you’ll want to do 25 minutes.
Mikaela Lambert
I made these tonight and they were phenomenal!!
Patricia Pettiford
My sister sent this recipe to me. Prior to this I wasn’t on this website. My husband (grew up smoking ribs in the Deep South. BBQ is a tradition passed down father to son) loved this dinner. I actually served it as Sunday dinner. I gave a plate to a neighbor and they loved it too. I did my own rub. I used 3 tsp of liquid smoke. I mixed my own BBQ sauce. Enjoy!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed the ribs Patricia!
Bobbie
My ribs were juicy and tender/chewy. Not quite falling off the bone but close. I cooked them 20 minutes then natural release 10 minutes. The thing I find with most meats is they are much better if they are pre-seasoned several hours or over night for the best flavor so my only negative comment is the flavor was only on the surface and not nearly enough salt for my taste. I’ll try it again another time and pre-season them as well as add another teaspoon of salt. Thank you for the recipe.
Shawn
The recipe states to cook the ribs for 25 minutes with a 10 minute natural release. That extra 5 minutes definitely makes a difference in the texture. Be sure to try it as stated in the recipe instructions next time and let us know how you liked them. 🙂
Beth
Just made these tonight in my Instant Pot Ultra 6 quart. I’ve never made ribs before, but I wanted to give them a try. I followed the recipe with the exception of the apple cider vinegar, which I didn’t have, so I just put in 2 cups of water. This. Was. AMAZING. Absolutely the BEST ribs we’ve ever had. I will definitely make this again!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed them!
Steve
Made these yesterday without liquid smoke and used only Apple juice. Did 2 racks of baby back ribs. Reduced time to 20 minutes and placed on smoker for 1 hour. Wow, delicious and cook time was reduced by 5 hours.
Ryan
I love ribs, was definitely skeptical about cooking them in the InstantPot. But wow! These were possibly the best ribs I’ve ever had. I only had to look at them and the meat fell right off the bone. Incredible rub too. 10/10 will make again.
Tricia Griffin
What type of liquid smoke do you recommend? Hickory or mesquite?
Ivy
Initially tried IP ribs with a store-bought rib rub and beef broth, they were tender but lacked flavor. Tried this recipe and I’m sold! The rub is perfect on its own, but I added 1/4 tbsp cinnamon, maybe its a weird thing but I always love cinnamon and cayenne together. I also think the ACV made a huge difference. If it helps any commenters, I did 20 min and 10 npr because I had a small rack (enough for dinner for two and one lunch tomorrow) Husband approved and will become a weekly recipe- can’t thank you enough!
Shawn
Great idea on the cinnamon!
Tom
Hi
What about doing Country Ribs this way?? I will try to tweek your recipe – any suggestions?
Brandi
If you double the ribs do you change cook time?
Jackie
These were so dry 🙁
Aime
Mine were super dry as well. I was surprised. I will knock a bit off the cook time next time I try them
Jo Ann
Thank you for the recipe. I’ve made these twice and came out tender and delicious both times! So easy and quick, too!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed them Jo Ann!
Colleen
The rub is a perfect combination of spices, the ribs are very tender, and this meal is excellent! My husband is an excellent cook and always makes changes to a recipe. I gave him a taste of the rub, and he stated, “it’s perfect; it doesn’t need any changes.”
We also use the rub when we grill pork chops. Yum! Thank you!
Shawn
Awesome! We definitely love that rub too!
Karen
Super easy and delicious! Thank you!
Shawn
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed them Karen!
Keri Lee Sereika
We made these to add to our celebration for 4th of July. These were delicious! I’ll make em again!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed them Keri!
Sharon
Made these tonight… amazing! Followed the recipe exactly, the flavor and tenderness were perfect! I thought they’d be spicy, but they weren’t! Definitely making them again!
Shawn
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed them!
Mandi
Do you think it would be possible to make this with boneless ribs?
Joni
I made these and could not get over the smell and taste of the vinegar. I followed the recipe exactly. The ribs were not fall off the bone tender. Will try agin with longer cook time and less Apple cider vinegar.
Rose
6 STARS!!! Made this as written (with the exception of adding 1 teaspoon paprika to the rub & refrigerating for a few hours before)… Using a 3 lb. babyback in an an 8 qt. Instant Pot. They were PERFECT!! I had difficulty getting them out of the pot because they were just falling off the bone. Yes, a great problem to have lol. I had no issue with the apple cider vinegar… Didn’t taste it at all in the ribs. I feel like it’s just an added layer of flavor that pulls it all together. However, I do agree that clearly some people might be more sensitive. Thank you for a wonderful recipe that will be a staple in our home! Not having to stand over a grill in the 100+ degree Texas heat and/or stand over a hot stove/oven is an added bonus!! I think this is my favorite Instant Pot dinner to date!!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed it Rose! Thanks for the great review!
Shawn
Hi Joni, I’m sorry you didn’t get the best results. If the vinegar is too much, you can try substituting apple cider or apple juice in it’s place.
Boohoo
What did I do wrong?? I used a different rub, but I cooked one pound of baby backs at high pressure for 25 minutes and natural release 10 minutes. When I took them out, they were not that tender. I put sauce on them and broiled for a bit but it did not help. They taste ok, but they are TOUGH.
Shawn
Oh man, what a bummer! I’m sorry they were not super tender for you. The only thing I can think is that maybe your seal wasn’t on properly? Also, a typical rack of ribs is more like 3 lbs. of meat… I’m wondering if you only had 1 lb. if that would make a difference?
Alice
A+ … This will now be my go-to recipe for ribs! I had a Costco pack of 3 racks of ribs, so I double the dry rub recipe, but I did not double the liquids (as you suggested). I could squeeze only 2 racks at a time in my IP, so did in 2 batches, using the same liquid for the second batch. I let the first batch sit on a platter covered in foil until the second batch was done, then I did the BBQ sauce step with all 3 racks at once (on 2 foil-lined cookie sheets). Fabulous!! Thank you for posting the recipe!
Shawn
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed them Alice!
Anique Warden
Hello from Canada! My husband and I are on the KETO way of life and I modified the recipe slightly by using Erythritol instead of brown sugar, and being that we didn’t have any liquid smoke, we put in mesquite wood chips over the liquid, and we used a crock-pot instead of the pressure cooker. So far, the smell is really impressive and we’re looking forward to tasting our pork ribs! Thanks for this recipe!
Shawn
I sure hope it works out for you!
Karen Payne
I had to double the cook time! I don’t know what I did wrong., but after pressuring twice and then 5 min under the broiler…perfection! I used Baby back ribs.
Shawn
Could it be that your ring wasn’t on properly the first time and it didn’t pressurize? I’ve had that happen to me before. I’m glad the end result was good!
Becky
This is absolutely the best Instant Pot ribs recipe I have tried and believe me, I’ve tried quite a number of them. Thanks so much, I’ll never cook them any other way.
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed them Becky!
Amanda Runion
Do you happen to know the nutrition information is?
Andrea G. Heys
These are absolutely delicious!! I just got my Instant Pot for Mother’s Day, so I’m still experimenting. This is the best rib recipe EVER. Will definitely make them more often now.
Thank you!
Claire
What pressure do you cook these at? High? Thanks!
Shawn
Yes, you’ll cook them on HIGH pressure. 🙂
Tara Rutherford
Is it a problem if I doubled the liquid as I’m doing 2 racks of ribs and I didn’t see the note about keeping the same amount of liquid??
Mel Pokorny
I made these tonight for dinner and they were AMAZING! The mean fell off the bone and the flavor was yummy. I bought the ribs at the butcher and they removed the rib lining from the back of the ribs for me. Couldn’t have made it any easier to make a fabulous dinner! Ribs, scalloped red potatoes with chives, cheese and bacon – everyone was fat and happy! Thank you for sharing this fabulous recipe – it will become a monthly treat for my clan!
Shannon
I appreciate this recipe but have a question for you. I’m planning to finish on the grill. I love ‘fall off the bone ribs’, but would like to cook just shy of that stage so they can hold up and not fall apart getting on and off of the grill. Should I shorten the IP cooking time a bit? Thanks!
Shawn
You could try shortening the time by like 5 minutes. Hope that helps!
Erin
Shannon did you try the grill at the end? Did it work? How did you modify the time? Would love to know thanks!!
Lisa
We always finish ours on the grill. I always cut them into 2-3 rib pieces before cooking. I cook on high for 22 minutes. Then go to the grill.
Ruby F
I see rib posts all the time in the IP Facebook groups I’m in so tonight I thought I’d give it a go myself. Holy moly! I followed this recipe exactly (I added slightly fewer amounts of the chili and cayenne based on my families preference) and it turned out fantastic. I did 2 racks and just doubled everything taking note not to double the liquid you put in at the bottom and honestly, these were the best ribs I’ve ever had. This will be the only recipe I use for ribs in the future because I’m sure this is going to be a regular feature on our dinner table from here on out!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed them Ruby!!
Rendi
How long did you cook them for ?
Mel Pokorny
I’m with you Ruby! They are going to be the only rib recipe I use going forward as well! I actually substituted Jalapeno Pepper spice I buy locally for the cayenne pepper. Adds little different flair – still spicy, but a slightly different taste. YUM, YUM!
Regina
I have some spare ribs in my freezer. Would this recipe work for them as well?