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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Amy
My 18 year old said these are better than most restaurants. I will take that as a win !
Shawn
That’s so awesome!
Greg
I made this. I had two racks and it came out under cooked. Either add more time or broil longer.
Danette
1/6/19
This recipe is amazing!!
The ribs came out perfect!
Thank you for sharing it!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Danette!
Shawn
With two racks you’ll need to add more time in the pressure cooker.
Sasha
How long would you cook for two racks?
Rachel
What can be used instead of chili powder? Not a fan in my house. Also I am looking to feed 7 adults and 4 kids. Can I cook enough ribs all at one time? How many racks would I need?
Morgen
I used smoked paprika in place of the chili powder.
Randy
Made these tonight 1/1/19 and I must say I was quite impressed. They were very tasty and tinder except for the top portion of the rib which was ok but not as tinder as it should have been. I went by the 25 minute setting per the recipe but think I will try 40 minutes on the next set of ribs. I also used my own sauce recipe which is a modified version of “Grampa Dave’s Texas Chainsaw BBQ sauce” that I found on Allrecipes.com. It was very good.
Veronica
I’m brand new to this world of instant potting! I’m super excited to try this recipe! If I wanted to cook potatoes with the ribs, is that possible?
Ursula
Could you use beef ribs if there was someone who doesn’t eat pork in the house?? How long would you cook them??
Marilyn
I made this exactly as written and it was really delicious. I guess the pressure cooker pulverized the fat on the ribs, they were mostly lean and very flavorable meat,. We had potato salad and previously cooked instant pot drunken pinto beans which had been frozen, definitely enough for leftovers
Dyan
I can’t believe I haven’t thanked you for this recipe yet. It’s wonderful and we make it a couple of times a month. Definately our favourite! Thanks!
Lisa
I love this recipe! I put the spice rub on and let it sit for at least half an hour. Then I cook for 35 minutes and it’s perfectly tender! A big hit in my home and I serve it with rice and Hawaiian mac salad. Thanks for the deliciousness!
Caroline
Hi Shawn, yesterday was my first time cooking the baby pork rib and the Mexican grilled corn and it was a big hit. Everyone loves it. Thanks for the recipes
Patricia Braun
I haven’t tried it yet but its on my to do list,on keeping the meat out of the liquid they make a silicone rack that I use in my one pot its a egg ring and they also have a reg rack for on top of the reg rack that comes with the pot.They can be bought at bed bath beyond
Nick Norris
Thanks for sharing, I literally JUST finished cooking a rack and they are BOMB!
Heather
These ribs are amazing! My husband is still a fan of ‘traditional’ ribs from the oven, but I loved how easy this recipe was.
Shawn
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe Heather! 🙂
Holly A
Great recipe! Followed it to the letter! Oh I forgot parsley, really not needed. Ours was a bit fatty due to the quality of the meat, and quite spicy because of the rub and the sweet and tangy sauce. But those weren’t any fault of the recipe. Fall off the bone goodness! This is definitely a keeper recipe on my Pinterest board.
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed it Holly!
Cory G
Can a can of coke or beer as the liquid? Did follow your recipe tonight brighten on the bbq grill – very tasty. Thanks for recipe.
Shawn
I bet you could use a coke or beer as the liquid. Just make sure there is enough to let it build to pressure.
Pearl
Thanks for the recipe! We tried this out for the first time at a family get together, and it was a hit 🙂 It was fall off the bone tender. (We also tried the double rack idea – the ribs didn’t come out as tender.)
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed the ribs!
Jason
Hi Shawn! Thank you for this recipe. I love smoked ribs as much as the next person but seriously who has the time. This recipe is a great blueprint in order to get those tender ribs in not even a quarter of the time compared to a smoker.. Made these and they came out perfect. Thanks again for this recipe!
Shawn
Sweet! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Walter
If you like both smoked and pressure cooked, try to smoke the ribs for 2 hours and then pressure cook them to save the additional 3 hours of smoking! It is the best of both worlds and you save the time broiling.
Shawn
Awesome idea! Love it!
Emma Rina
Can I use beef ribs instead?
Shawn
Definitely!
Elly
I loved this recipe so much and so did my SO. The only step I did differently was that I added the liquid before putting the ribs in the pot so I wouldn’t wash off the seasoning, since I’m such a clutz. Thank you so much for this recipe! I will Be making this again!
Shawn
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Lisa
These were excellent! Hubby went nuts for them! Personally, I’ll cut the chili powder in half next time, but overall a great recipe!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed them!
Barbara West
Thank you Shawn! First time using my Instant Pot, so I followed your recipe and instructions to the letter. Perfect and delicious. Not only fall-off-the-bone but melt in your mouth meat. My husband gave them an A++!
Shawn
Sweet! So glad you enjoyed them Barbara!
Maria
I am planning on trying your recipe today and would like to ” bake” potatoes at the same time in my Instant Pot. What would you suggest for cook time? Thank you!
Shawn
I’ve never tried combining the ribs with whole potatoes before, so I’m not sure how it would work. My guess is that you might be able to fit 4 small to medium sized potatoes in the middle of the ribs. Make sure to prick the potatoes with a fork and I think 25 minutes of high pressure would cook the ribs and potatoes just fine. If your ribs are extra meaty (over 3 1/2 pounds) I would try 30 minutes instead of 25. Hope that helps!
Maria
Thank you very much! I will give it a try and let you know how it goes.
Michelle
The ribs I bought are St. Louis ribs. Do I cook them for the same amount of time?
Shawn
Yeah, you can cook them for the same amount of time. For a rack that is about 3 1/2 pounds the 25 minutes should be good. 🙂
Tracey Pinto
Does it matter if I place the ribs inward instead of out? I hope not! Lol
Shawn
Nope!
Elizabeth
I made these the other night and they were delicious! I’ve tried ribs in the ip before, but they weren’t fall-off-the-bone tender, but these were perfect.
Thank you!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed them Elizabeth!
Theresa Whiddon
I have tried many rib recipes over the years, but this was hands down the best ever. These ribs rival our local rib joint, which has won awards! I cannot believe something this delicious was so easy to make!
Vicky
If you put racks together in pot is it double the time…50 instead of 25?
Shawn
No, you wouldn’t double the time, but you would want to increase it to at least 35 minutes.
Shawn
Woohoo!! Isn’t fantastic to know you can make these delicious ribs in your own kitchen!? So glad you enjoyed them!
CW
These were really good. They were fall off the bone. I could have gone for some more spice in the dry rub which I will add next time. This will be my go to rib recipe for the Instant Pot.
Mary
Made these last night. Can I just say my hubs and I love you and your hubby! Such fabulous seasoning, directions clear and on point…our ribs literally fell off the bone and were so tender! I did start these and then went for a nap so they were on warm for a bit, but OMG! Soooooo gooood! xoxo
MsV
Got my Instant Pot today. Your ribs were the first recipe I tried. I even used your husband’s rub instead of my own. All I can say is the football crowd didn’t leave any and ask for more. All I can say is BAM! I followed your recipe to the tee as I was learning how to use my pot. Thank you.
Shawn
Woohoo! So glad it was a touchdown! 🙂
Brenda
Hi, what would you suggest if I have a pack of precooked smoked ribs. The suggestion is 45 mins in the oven.
marina
what is the size of the pot you use? How many quarts?
I did the Ribs they were amazing!! I’m trying to do the other recipes, but I’m not sure if they are for all types of Instant Pot.
than you!!!
Cari
There are amazing! I have to cook mine for 35 minutes though. Did the 25 minutes once and they were tough. My husband has not made me the official rib cooker in the house. Love that I can cook ribs after work on a weekday!!!
Shawn
Aren’t they so easy! My husband totally loves that I can make them super quick like this too!
Jennifer
Trying to pick these up to eat them is a joke. They came out so tender that I had to use a fork…no knife was needed!! Perfect seasoning and cooking times! I did add in a little smoked Hungarian paprika that I forgot I had in the freezer from Penzy’s, but I prefer a bit more heat. I will definitely be making these again very soon! Thank you so much for the recipe!!!
Jackie
These did not work well in my pressure cooker. Great recipe, though. I double wrapped the ribs in heavy duty foil & baked them @ 400 for 2 hrs. Perfect!!
MS
Awesome Ribs! My husband was VERY skeptical, as he loves his ribs off the grill. I always use liquid smoke with my meats and when I saw it in your recipe I had to do it! Just bought my instant pot two weeks ago and this recipe moved to the top of the charts thus far! They were DELICIOUS! I didn’t see the note about cooking two slabs at a time until after I started cooking! No worries though, we had bought a 3 pack of baby backs, so tomorrow night we’ll be cooking the other two slabs! lolol Excellent! Thank you for sharing!!
Shawn
You’re going to love your Instant Pot! I’m glad you enjoyed these ribs!
Sarah
Super excited about these but pulled them out after 35 min and it def wasn’t long enough and far from fall off the bone. Trying to put them back in for another 10 to see what happens
Gabby
Thank you so much for the recipe. I love my IP and you just gave me even more reasons to love it. I wish I could send you a picture of my ribs. Thanks for all the tips.
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed them Gabby!
Tara
You were right….best ribs EVER! I didn’t have any onion powder but made it with everything else. It turned out fantastic. The family said that it was the best ribs ever.
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed them!
Annette
I made these ribs again yesterday for dinner and we love them. They weren’t fall off the bone but my pot is a different brand so I will just try cooking a little longer next time. If you have a baby mouth like me, just leave out the peppers in the rub. Yummy!!!
Tardy
Hi! I always try recipes online but I never bother to leave a comment to the author – until now. The ribs were everything you said it was going to be! Thank you very much for your recipe. It was a hit!
Shawn
That means a lot to me! Thank you Tardy! 🙂