Description

This Quick Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs recipe is an easy and flavorful way to enjoy tender, juicy ribs in under an hour. Utilizing the Instant Pot pressure cooker for fast results, these ribs are seasoned with a smoky, spicy dry rub, cooked to perfection, and finished under the broiler with a caramelized BBQ sauce glaze. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a casual weekend meal, these ribs come out fall-off-the-bone delicious with minimal effort.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Rub

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 ½ tablespoons sea salt

Main Ingredients

2 racks baby back ribs (or use spare ribs)
1 cup water
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons liquid smoke
½ cup BBQ sauce

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Instructions

Prepare the Ribs: Rinse the ribs under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. Check the back of the ribs for the thin, shiny membrane; if present, flip ribs meat-side down and use a dull butter knife to loosen the membrane. Grip the membrane with a paper towel and carefully pull it off, then discard.
Make the Dry Rub: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and sea salt. Mix well to ensure all spices are evenly blended.
Apply the Rub: Generously coat all sides of the ribs with the dry rub mixture, ensuring the seasoning is well distributed.
Set Up Instant Pot: Place the metal trivet or a DIY aluminum foil rack in the bottom of a 6-quart or larger Instant Pot. Pour in 1 cup water, ½ cup apple cider vinegar, and 2 tablespoons liquid smoke to the bottom of the pot to create steam and infuse flavor.
Pressure Cook the Ribs: Place the ribs on the trivet or rack inside the Instant Pot. Seal the lid and set the valve to sealing. For baby back ribs, cook on high pressure for 25 minutes (reduce to 22 minutes if cooking only one rack or very meaty ribs). For spare ribs, set to 35 minutes. After cooking, allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes for baby backs (full release for spare ribs about 15 minutes), then carefully vent to release remaining pressure.
Preheat Broiler & Prepare Ribs: While ribs pressure cook, preheat your oven’s broiler on the third rack from the top. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. When ribs are done, transfer them carefully to the baking sheet and brush generously with BBQ sauce.
Broil for Caramelization: Place ribs under the broiler for about 2 minutes or until the BBQ sauce lightly caramelizes and bubbles. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
Serve: Remove ribs from oven, slice between each bone into individual portions, and serve immediately with additional BBQ sauce if desired. These ribs pair wonderfully with mashed potatoes and cabbage slaw.

Notes

To remove the membrane easily, grip it firmly with a paper towel to prevent slipping.
If you do not have a trivet for the Instant Pot, roll up aluminum foil to create a makeshift rack to keep ribs elevated above the liquid.
Adjust pressure cooking time based on rib type and thickness; baby back ribs cook quicker than spare ribs.
Broiling is a quick finishing step to caramelize the BBQ sauce but watch closely to avoid burning.
Leftover ribs can be refrigerated and re-heated gently in the oven or air fryer to maintain tenderness.