Instant Pot Ribs Recipe - fall-off-the-bone tender! (2024)

Instant Pot Ribs are one of the best things to make in an Instant Pot or a Pressure Cooker. These bbq ribs cook at a fraction of the time while still keeping the meat fall-off-the-bone tender. Make Pork Ribs this way once and you’ll never do them any other way.

Looking for more recipes to use your Instant Pot with? You will love this Instant Pot Korean Beef and Rice, IP Beef Rice Pilaf, or this yummy Beef Stroganoff cooked in the Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Pork Ribs

One of the first recipes that I tried in a pressure cooker was this Instant Pot pork ribs recipe, and it has since become a favorite way to enjoy BBQ. Surprisingly, I prefer to cook with pork over beef ribs for several reasons. I find the meat to be more tender, it’s readily available, and it’s more affordable.

These Instant Pot pork ribs are created so that every slab of meat is covered 360 degrees in flavor with juicy, flavorful meat and a zingy homemade bbq sauce.

Fair warning – these are messy, but the best ribs always are! 🙂

Ribs in the Instant Pot

At first, it may seem like cooking ribs in the Instant Pot is a stretch, but it’s actually pretty clever. Here’s why:

• Ribs in the Instant Pot cook faster. If cooking in the oven, ribs take 2 – 3 hours, or longer! In the Instant Pot, on the other hand, ribs cook in well under an hour.
• They come out super juicy.Cooking ribs in the Instant Pot has the unique benefit of retaining all the moisture during cooking, in fact, they are more moist and juicy when you make them this way then if you were to do just the traditional oven method.
• They cook on their own.Like any IP meal, the pressure cooker does the work safely for you while you go about your business.
• Easy cleanup.Once your ribs are done cooking, simply skim off any fat at the top of the liquid, then dump the liquid and put the IP pot in the dishwasher.

BBQ Ribs

BBQ ribs are among my favorite foods. This version has the perfect tension of smokey spices and a tangy-sweet sauce.

You can use whatever sauce you would like to coat your BBQ ribs in. You can alsomake your own BBQ sauce following my favorite BBQ recipe HERE.

Substitute BBQ Ribs for Dry Rub

I prefer to eat bbq ribs, rather than a dry rib with a rub. However, if you have a strong preference for a dry rub, this recipe will still work.

Make the bbq ribs exactly as directed below, except skip the step where you brush with bbq before placing in the oven. Easy!

Tips for this BBQ Ribs Recipe

• Prep ahead of time.One easy way to prep is to pre-mix the seasoning for the rub. You can even make a batch and keep it in an airtight container for several days, or possibly longer if you wait to add the mayo and mustard.
• Cut the ribs between each bone.This optional step may seem like a bit of extra work up front, but it’s worth it. This will get you 100% more flavor as the ribs are wrapped in the sauce and spices 360 degrees.
• Use a ziplock bag.Rather than make the bbq ribs recipe by tossing ribs in a bowl with the rub, save a dish and dump everything into a ziplock storage bag. Shake the bag to make sure the pieces are all coated, then massage the spices into the meat through the bag.
• Use the steam rack.You don’t the ribs to sit in the liquid inside the instant pot. This bbq ribs recipe retains all the flavor of the pork by steaming the meat, rather than boiling it.
• Cut your time.I recommend this bbq ribs recipe be cooked for 45 minutes on high pressure. However, if you are really in a hurry, you can cut the time to just 30 minutes. The ribs will still be very soft and tender, but if you reeeeallly want them fall-off-the-bone-tender, the extra 15 minutes is worth it.
• Finish in the oven or on the grill.The final step of this bbq ribs recipe is to put the ribs in the oven or on a grill for 10-15 minutes until the sauce is caramelized. This is the step that gives the ribs that charred, perfect texture—don’t skip it!
• Brush with sauce before serving.To make sure this bbq ribs recipe is literally dripping in flavor, give the ribs one more brush with sauce after pulling them out of the oven.

How to Make Instant Pot Ribs

• Gather the ingredients for the Instant Pot ribs

• Combine the dry rub ingredients and set aside

• Remove skin from underneath the ribs
• Cut the ribs in between each bone

• Add the rib pieces and rub to a ziplock bag or bowl
• Toss everything together to coat the Instant Pot ribs evenly

• Combine together liquid for the IP, set aside.
• Set the Instant Pot ribs on top of the steam rack insert within the IP
• Pour in the prepared liquid.
• Seal lid and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.

• Once the Instant Pot ribs are done cooking, release the pressure.
• Place ribs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil and brush with BBQ sauce.

• Bake the Instant Pot ribs in the oven until the sauce is well caramelized.
• Brush with BBQ sauce once more right before serving.

More Pork Recipes to Try:

• Bacon-Wrapped Pork Kabobs
• Kholodets Recipe
• Meatballs in Jalapeno Cream Sauce
• Fluffy Gnocchi