Instant Pot Ribs

My Instant Pot Ribs recipe is the easiest way to achieve tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone ribs. Whether you’re using baby back ribs or pork loin ribs, pressure cooking tenderizes the meat in a fraction of the time so you can enjoy homemade ribs even on busy weeknights.

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Cooking ribs in the instant pot is crazy fast! For reference, my Smoked Ribs take about 7 hours from start to finish and Baked BBQ Ribs take more than 2 1/2 hours, cooked low and slow in the oven. This recipe requires no marinating time and is done in around 45 minutes in the pressure cooker. P.S. You can even use frozen pork ribs!

Instant Pot Ribs Video Tutorial

It’s so easy to get finger-licking good Instant Pot Ribs any night of the week. I’ll show you how quickly the instant pot tenderizes the meat, and then she finishes the meat with a caramelized crust.

Easy Instant Pot Ribs Recipe

We love ribs–no matter what way they are cooked. They are the ultimate comfort food for my family paired with Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, and Baked Mac and Cheese–YUM. In this version, the instant pot makes the magic happen – amazingly fast with excellent results, only using a few ingredients, and without babysitting the meat as it cooks. Can you imagine a more perfect recipe?

Ingredients for Instant Pot Ribs

The ingredients here are simple. If you’re feeling adventurous, add half a teaspoon of liquid smoke to add that smoked element to your Instant Pot Ribs.

• 3lbs Ribs – baby back ribs or pork loin ribs will work here. I have a 6qt Instant Pot, so this amount fits perfectly. You may be able to fit more, especially if you have a larger pot.
• Apple juice – we use 6 cups to halfway submerge the ribs while cooking. If you don’t have apple juice, swap with apple cider, orange juice, pineapple juice, or even water for less sweetness.
• Apple cider vinegar – this helps to tenderize the meat and adds a tangy flavor
• Seasoning salt – more tenderizing, but also adds so much flavor
• BBQ Dry Rub – Here’s one of our favorite Dry Rubs, but you can also use the spice rub from our Smoked Ribs recipe. If you’re gluten-free, check the labels of your seasonings and BBQ sauce to ensure they are GF.
• Sweet BBQ Sauce – See our favorites linked below.

What is the Best BBQ Sauce for Ribs?

We love sweet BBQ sauce for Instant Pot Ribs because it caramelizes on the ribs in the final step of the recipe. You can make our favorite Homemade BBQ sauce or use storebought such as Stubbs (Sweet and Sticky) or Sweet Baby Rays. I’d love to hear any BBQ sauce recommendations in a comment below.

How to Prepare Baby Back Ribs for Cooking

Baby Back Ribs and Pork Loin ribs typically already have the silver skin on the meat side trimmed and the membrane on the bony side removed.

To Remove the Membrane from Ribs: If they are present, use a small knife to loosen it at the corner and a paper towel to help grip and pull it off of the ribs. You want to remove that so the flavors can penetrate the ribs.

How to Make Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs:

The process of making instant pot ribs is truly easy. Once the meat is cooked, we finish it off in the oven or on the grill for that caramelized crust.

1. Rub the ribs with seasoning salt and BBQ Dry Rub.
2. Combine apple juice, vinegar, 1/3 cup BBQ sauce, and liquid smoke (if using) in the instant pot.
3. Coil the ribs inside the pot, cover, and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release.
4. Remove the ribs to a rimmed cookie sheet with a rack on top. Brush with BBQ sauce, and then broil or grill for 5 minutes (scroll down for directions). Lip-smacking good in under 1 hour!

How to Caramelize and Finish the Ribs

This next step is optional (and takes less than 5 minutes), but I love to finish the ribs under high heat, which gives them a delicious caramelized crust. Here’s how to finish the Instant Pot Ribs:

• On the Grill – Preheat the grill to 350-400˚F. Place the BBQ sauce-smothered ribs directly on the preheated grill, cover, and grill for 5 minutes.
• In Air Fryer – Cut rack in half, smother with BBQ sauce as usual, and place both halves side by side in the air fryer basket for 4 min on high.
• In the Oven – Broil for 3-4 minutes or until the BBQ sauce bubbles – Be careful with this method, the sugar in the sauce can easily burn if left even 1 minute too long.

What to Serve with Instant Pot Ribs

These saucy BBQ ribs in the instant pot are perfect with just about any side dish. Some of our favorites include:

• Mashed Potatoes
• Coleslaw
• Egg Salad
• Avocado Corn Salad
• Soft Dinner Rolls
• Sourdough Dinner Rolls

Can I Use Frozen Ribs in the Instant Pot?

Frozen ribs can be used following the same recipe. Before freezing the ribs, cut them into thirds (so they fit into the instant pot later since they won’t be able to coil) and add the dry rub before freezing. Dry rub won’t adhere if you try to put it over frozen ribs.

This Instant Pot Ribs Recipe really is the fastest and easiest way to make mouthwatering ribs. It’s easy enough for a weeknight meal but tastes like they’ve been cooked for hours. Instant Pot Win!

More Instant Pot Dinner Recipes

These easy dinner ideas are perfect for busy weeknights:

• Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
• Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
• Mac and Cheese in the Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Chicken and Rice