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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Stephania
This is the only way I cook ribs now! I cook two racks at a time and they are always perfect. Have you ever tried to make rice in the leftover liquid? I’ve done that with a pork loin and it was great. Just wondering before I tried;-)
Shawn
Ohh… I’ve never tried that, but it might be pretty good. I wonder if the apple cider vinegar might give it a weird taste? Hmm… I’ll have to try that next time and report back. 🙂
Darlene
Thank you for a delicious and easy to follow recipe. My husband and I absolutely loved these ribs! So tender and so much flavor! I will definitely be making these regularly.
Shawn
Nice! So glad you enjoyed them Darlene!
Carl
Ribs cooked perfectly but taste was way too hot and spicy. There was a taste there that does not belong in barbeque. I don’t know if it was the cumin or the chilli powder, it was too hot. I will use this recipe again but with these spices.
Shawn
Hmm… maybe you over did the cayenne pepper? Make sure you’re only using a 1/4 tsp! 😉
Carl
Only used a pinch of cayenne, that wasn’t it. Must’ve been the cumin, we won’t use it again, we don’t like it anyway. Thanks we’ll keep trying.
Shawn
Cumin is an aromatic, it’s not spicy. Did you happen to use Chipotle Chili Powder instead of regular chili powder?
Terry
My ribs turned out tough also does it matter if you put the ribs bone side toward inside of pot or toward outside of pot???
Shawn
I put the ribs in so they wrap around the bones. I’m thinking your ribs were tough because they didn’t cook long enough. If you’re using a larger rack of ribs, add a few more minutes.
Gina Ng
My pressure cooker does not have the meat function, and to be used on the stove. Do I use high fire to cook and for how long?
Shawn
Hi Gina, I am not familiar with the stove top pressure cookers. This recipe is cooked on HIGH pressure, so if High Fire is the setting you typically use for a high pressure cook, I would stick with that. I’m thinking as long as you have a high pressure, you’ll be good with the 25 minute cook time.
Mark Scheffler
I used my own rub blend and did everything else just as instructed. Those ribs didn’t even make it to the table! Now I have to figure out what to do with my 2 grills and smoker!
Shawn
Ha! So glad you enjoyed them!
Karen Cline
Thank you for doing this.
Shawn
You’re welcome!
K. Sheppard
I’ve made this once and it is wonderful! I’m making it for a crowd tonight. To clarify your notes, if I put 2 in the same pot should I cook for 35 min?
Thanks!
Shawn
Yes, you’ll want to increase the time to about 35 minutes, depending on how large the racks are. But typically 35 minutes works for the two racks.
Bev
can frozen ribs be put in the instant pot ?
Shawn
Hi Bev, because you’ll want to wrap the ribs around the inside of the pot and the dry rub not sticking to the frozen ribs, I’m not sure using frozen ribs would work very well with this recipe.
Alexa
Hi! I want to try this recipe but have a 4.5 rack. Would 25 mins still be okay? I was also going to brush bbq on it after and throw it on the grill for a few mins.
Alexa
**4.5 pound rack
Shawn
Hi Alexa, you’ll want to increase the cook time to closer to 30 minutes with a larger rack. Finishing on the grill would be great!
Chris
I made this for the first time. Followed the recipe to the letter. Loved the smell of the rub. Put the ribs on the rack. Set to meat on High. Put in the recommended amount of liquid and set for 25 minutes. It took 45 minutes before the time actually came up and started to count down. It ended up burning the liquid. Ribs were cooked, tasted good, but on the dry side. I want to try again but not sure what went wrong. Should they have been done on medium
Robert Fory
Sometimes I have to bump my lid to get the pressure started. Be sure the rubberized button is clean and free to move into the up position
Shawn
Hey Chris, I’m so sorry you had a fail on these. It sounds like your rubber seal might have not been in the right position and didn’t get a good seal. Your liquid in the bottom burned up and caused your ribs to be dry. I would definitely try again and make sure your seal is clean and positioned correctly.
Chris
I will definitely try again. I now know what I did wrong. It was a silly rookie mistake.
Shawn
No worries! Hope you enjoy it!
Mary
This is now my “go to” recipe for ribs. Excellent. Only change – I brined the ribs for about 6 hours.
Phil Swayzee
I do this brine step too. I then transfer them to my Little Chief smoker to bask for an hour, then follow her cooking instructions. A tad more involved, but a real time saver over my usual BBQ low and slow method.
Valerie
Do you think you could refrigerate them after the instant pot overnight, and then broil or grill the next day? Want to make them to bring tailgating, but don’t want to ruin the tenderness!
Shawn
Hi Valerie, the only issue is that just broiling them won’t heat them all the way through again. You would probably want to wrap them in foil and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until they’re heated through again, then unwrap and broil to finish them off. Hope that helps!
Julie
Yes. You can. I usually do it that way. Make them ahead of time.
Justin
I used this recipe a few months ago with a single rack of ribs (3 lbs) and it was perfect. Juicy, delicious, and oh-so-tender! Tonight, I followed the directions for 2 racks (2.5 lbs each) and when I opened the lid to the Instant Pot, there was a pool of liquid about 5″ from the bottom. This meant that the ribs were cooking submerged in the liquid for part of the time. They were less tender and flavorful. I think the meat released a ton of juices which wasn’t a problem with a single rack.
Shawn
Hi Justin, I’m assuming you also doubled the liquid for the recipe? If you double the ribs, doubling the liquid is not necessary. If that’s not the case, I would assume it’s extra liquid on the bottom from the ribs releasing so much fat? Were they extra fatty?
Emily
Wanting to try this tonight. We have to run an errand after work… would love to cook while we are out and then just let it natural release longer than 10 minutes. Do you think it would be okay to sit on keep warm and natural release longer? Im guessing we would be gone an hourish.
Shawn
Hey Emily! You should be totally fine. Between the time it takes for the pressure to build, cook and release, you’ll be coming home at just about the right time. 🙂
Karen Cline
Thank you for doing this. Your work is so lovely and it’s really kind of you to share.
Shawn
You’re very welcome! Thank you for your sweet comment. 🙂
Joyce
I tried this recipe but I had country style pork ribs and I subbed white vinegar because that’s all I had in hand.
They turned out delicious and so fast for such tender meat.
Next I’ll try the ribs on a rack.
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed them Joyce!
Michelle Logrande
Omg ok this recipe rocks!!! We put our ribs on the BBQ to finish them so no liquid smoke needed. DO NOT overcook ribs in your pressure cooker, they will fall apart at your next cooking step (grill or oven)
Thank you doll!!!
Xoxo
Michelle & Eugene
Spotswood New Jersey
Shawn
Love it! So glad you enjoyed the recipe Michelle!
Ri
Have made this three times this summer and my family loves it! Super tender ribs in under an hour is amazing. Followed the rub recipe almost exactly, my family commented on how these are better than any ribs they’ve had in a restaurant. Used Stubbs smokey mesquite sauce. Will definitely be making more in the future, thanks for the recipe 🙂
Shawn
Awesome! I’m so glad you are enjoying the ribs!
Virginia Strain
My husband makes this almost monthly! We love it!!! Though, our only problem is the BBQ sauce not always being the same flavor/brand so each time it comes out a little bit different, could you recommend a brand/flavor or create a recipe for the ribs that blend well with the dry rub? THANKS!! 🙂
Shawn
We almost always use Sweet Baby Ray’s bbq sauce. Typically the honey bbq flavor, although we’ll sometimes use original. 🙂
Virginia Strain
Thank you Shawn! 🙂 I will get some for the next time we make ribs! This is one of our favorite meals!
Carolyn Wright
This was fabulous! I’m throwing out all my other recipes for BBQ ribs. I followed the recipe exactly. I used Old Montgomery sauce – My hometown favorite! Thank you for this great recipe!
Shawn
Right on! So glad you enjoyed them!
Sandy
Just made these for dinner tonight. My second meal ever in my instant pot. It was amazing! Fall off the bone and so delicious!!! Thanks for the simple step by step directions!!
Shawn
You’re welcome! Happy you enjoyed them!
Joe Ryan
Delicious! Made it tonight and even my picky five-year-old loved it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Shawn
Fantastic! So glad you enjoyed the ribs!
Linda
Followed the recipe and these were delicious!
Debbie Malwick
To die for!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed them!
Heather M
I followed the recipe but when I got down to about minute 22 the steam started releasing by itself in the sealed position. Any suggestions??
Shawn
Sounds like you might need to either replace or reseat your silicone ring, or look into adjusting your float valve.
Shawn
Sweet! So glad you enjoyed it!
Mollie McCollough
These baby backs are to die for, folks! Tried this recipe for the first time tonight, and I won’t be looking elsewhere for a better one! We like our ribs to fall off the bone as we remove them from the InstantPot, so I’ll add a minute or two to the cooking time when I do them again. It just doesn’t get better than this!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed them!!
Lance
Pork was pressure cooked, but Im sadly disappointed that it’s nothing like any of the rubbed ribs I’ve made in the oven. It’s just pressure cooked pork with seasoning… like eating boiled meat. How this got such a high rating is baffling. Guess there really is no shortcut to decent ribs.
Jackie Garza
Same thing happened to me. They came out awful!!!! Best way for me is to wrap ribs in foil & bake at 400 for 1 1/2 hrs.
Kristin
Love this recipe so much! You HAVE to broil them to get the right texture. This step is not optional in my opinion. Thanks for a fabulous recipe!!!
Shawn
Yeah, broiling is definitely a must. 😉 Thanks for your comment!
Shawn
Hi Lance, I’m so sorry you didn’t have good results with this recipe. It sounds like there might have been too much liquid in your pressure cooker if your ribs were boiled as you say. I would give it another try and see if you could get better results, as so many others have gotten.
Ron B
I followed the receipe and the ribs were delicious. However, they were a little dry and not “fall off the bone”. What can I do next time, because there will be a next time.
Shawn
Hey Ron, you might want to try increasing the cook time a bit if they’re over 3 1/2 pounds. Glad you enjoyed them!
Lynn
A big thank you for this recipe. The rub was delicious – we will definitely keep this recipe!
Shawn
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed it!
Robert
These were great. Prepared as written, except, used onion salt plus the teaspoon of salt. Covered with craft original, my favorite.
Shawn
Sweet! Glad you enjoyed them!
Pat
These are best ribs I’ve made since I got the instant pot!! A friend gave me a prepared rub called Grub Rub (Texas of Course) I also make my own BBQ sauce with lots of brown sugar. it will keep forever in the refrigerator I don’t have a web page but I will be happy to send Again, these are really spectacular, and I thank you so much for sharing.
Shawn
Ohhh… yes, feel free to send me that bbq sauce recipe! I love a sweet bbq! So glad you enjoyed the ribs recipe Pat!
Connie Dueñez
Shawn,
Thanks A Million for sharing this yummalicious recipe. Oh my Starzzzz, girl they were Amazing! So tender.. and the rub was absolutely spectacular! We were definitely lickin ALL OF OUR FINGERS! LoL.
Pat,
Would you be willing to share your B.B.Q. Sauce recipe? I would love to try it.. PLEEEEZE & Thank You
Lisa Wichtendahl
I have to tell you I made these tonight and they are fantastic! 25 minutes may have been a little two long as they fell apart, but I don’t mind. I did your rub and put Stubbs sugar free honey bbq sauce and used my new Mealthy crisp lid for the instant pot on 425 degrees for 5 minutes. Amazing. Best ribs I ever had. The crisp lid makes it nice that you could do it all in the instant pot. Thank you for this recipe, I will be making it again.
Joey
Really wanted to like this recipe, but unfortunately came out a bit lackluster. I would suggest adding more salt to bring out the flavors in the rub, as the ribs didn’t really taste like anything despite all of the spices. While not tough by any means, they also came out somewhat dry.
Shawn
Hi Joey, sorry you did not get optimal results with this recipe. You can always add extra salt to your dish to your preferred taste. I try to not over salt my recipe instructions since so many have restrictions with sodium levels.
Joe Sleeman
Great recipe but the forced video playback on mobile makes me never want to visit the site again….
Shawn
Sorry about the video on mobile Joe. There should be an “x” you can select to close it out.
Sharon Gore
Wow. Inspired. Can’t wait to make this!
Shawn
Hope you enjoy the recipe Sharon!
Connie Dueñez
I forgot to rate the recipe before I made my comment..
To be quite honest, 5 stars is just not enough.. Soooo, I will give it TEN stars of my own.. YuM
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed the ribs Connie! Thanks for the comment and rating! 🙂
Lisa Wichtendahl
I also forgot to rate this recipe. Should be 10 stars.
Shawn
Thanks Lisa! So glad you enjoyed the ribs!
Troy
If I’m only doing 2lbs worth of ribs would it be safe to say that I can shave off ~10 mins from the cook time?
Shawn
Hi Troy, to be on the safe side I would only take about 5 minutes off cook time. The longer it cooks the more tender it’ll be, so I wouldn’t cut off too much time.
Trish
These were absolutely delicious! These ribs were so tender the meat fell right off the bone. The most wonderful thing about these is the time! I can make ribs any night of the week.
Alex
Hi, the burn signal keeps coming on. I’ve added another cup of water and 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar. Any suggestions as to what else to do or any idea why?
Lee
Hi Alex, Are you setting the ribs on a rack (bones vertical) to keep them off the bottom? There should not be anything else that will burn as the BBQ sauce does not go in the Instant Pot. If by chance there is anything stuck to the bottom (inside) of the pot from previous use it could possibly burn during cooking.
Lee
Hi again Alex, Also make sure your seal is properly in place and that the pot is sealing and not letting liquid escape in the form of steam and causing the pot to run out of liquid and “burn” dry.
Shawn
Thanks for answering his concerns Lee! I appreciate it! 🙂
Shawn
Hi Alex, it does sound like you might have an issue with your seal not being set on properly. This will cause all the moisture to release before the pot has enough time to come to pressure. Look and see if it’s on there right and give it another try!
Shawn
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed the ribs Trish!
Jane Peacock-Powell
I cooked two racks (3.3lb. each). I did not increase cook time.and only increased cooling time from 10 to 11 min. then did quick release. They tasted great but not sure if they were as done as should be. What do you think? Was that extra ten minutes mentioned later critical. My bad for not reading your article completely. Still, will use your recipe again! Thank you.
Shawn
Hi Jane, yes, if you increase the amount of ribs, you’ll want to increase the cook time just a few more minutes to ensure it gets real tender. 🙂
Lisa
Wow! Everyone at home loved it. My boyfriend said these were the best ribs he’d ever had, he’s from TX and he loves BBQ places! My son is super picky and he ate them in an instant. Definitely will make them again and share with others.
Shawn
Fantastic! So glad you guys enjoyed them Lisa!
Cindy
These were excellent! I used my own rub, pressure cooked and then put the ribs in the toaster oven to brown. I’ll definitely make them again!
Shawn
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed them Cindy!
Sara
This is now a family favorite for us. I’ve always used baby back ribs, but my mom bought spare ribs (they were on sale). Is there anything we need to adjust for the spare ribs to come out just as delicious?
Shawn
So glad you’re enjoying the recipe Sara! Spare ribs should cook in about the same time if your rack is about 3 to 4 pounds. Any bigger and you’ll want to increase the cook time by just a few more minutes.
Candice
Great recipe! Delicious every time I make it! Thank you!
Shawn
Hi Candice! I’m so happy to hear you are enjoying the recipe.
Molly
Iv’e made these twice and they are so delicous! I used Stubbs Smokey Mesquite bbq sauce. Thank you for the recipe.
Shawn
Hi Molly, It sounds like you have got the hang of it! I’m glad you are enjoying the recipe.
Nancy
Excellent!!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed it!
Belle
Will it come out ok without the broiler? My broiler always sets off the smoke alarm.
Shawn
You could either try a few minutes on the grill, or your oven at 425 degrees F for about 10 min. The broiling is what gives the meat a caramelized crispness on the outside. Without it the inside meat will still be “fall off the bone” tender. Hope this helps!
Phil Swayzee
This Q’r normally uses the low and slow method outside for a 3-4 hour cook. That said, sometimes ya just have to hurry things along. This is now my go-to for a quick fix. Great recipe. I now throw the rack into my Little Chief for an hour of hickory smoke (or one pan of chips), then follow your IP instructions. They come out fabulous! Oh, feel free to sprinkle additional rub on the glazed finished product. Superb!
Shawn
Great idea to toss them in the smoker for that smoke flavor! Glad you’re enjoying the recipe Phil!
Barbara
My hubby prefers them straight out of the instant pot with a bit of extra run sprinkles on, so yes, they are just fine without the broiler. Like previously mentioned, the broiler just gives them that crispness.
Shawn
Thanks for your input Barbara! 🙂
Dava Esman
Mine came out dry. Any idea why?
Shawn
Hi Dava, I’m sorry these didn’t turn out like you wanted. Sometimes the seals on the instant pot have issues causing this type of result. Remember to check to make sure your seal is clean and properly seated in your lid. Don’t give up, they are totally worth it! Hope this helps.
Dava Esman
Thanks. I think I know what happened, then. The “tab” was on release not seal for the first 15 minutes. That would be the same as a loose seal. I’ll definitely try again!!
Shawn
Oops! I’m happy to hear you’re trying again!
Ame
What a fantastic recipe!! I’ve always been a little nervous to cook ribs, but these are quick, easy and so tender. The only downside is there are never any leftovers! Thank you for this wonderful recipe–I’m keeping it forever!
Shawn
Haha! I hate when there are no leftovers of delicious food too. 😉 So glad you enjoyed the ribs!
Jennifer
This is my go to recipe! Making this again tonight which will be our 6-7th time having this. Thank you!
Shawn
Hi Jennifer, I’m so glad to hear you are enjoying this recipe!
Darleen
Agreed, these were the BEST ever ribs. I used apple cider vinegar with “mother”.
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed the ribs Darleen!
Barbara
Great flavor, we really enjoyed it. And making it again today. Thanks for the recipe.
Shawn
I’m happy to hear you are enjoying them!