These quick and easy Instant Pot Pork Ribs are the absolute best way to get tender, juicy, flavorful and fall-off-the-bone baby back or spare ribs with barbecue sauce that are ready to eat in just a little over an hour!
If you love BBQ ribs but are usually in a hurry and don't have hours to cook them, or if the weather outside isn't ideal for grilling, this recipe for cooking pork ribs in the Instant Pot is a must-try.
I use this recipe a lot since I'm often short on time, so I can satisfy my craving for ribs pretty much whenever I want!
It may seem hard to believe that they can be ready so quickly, but the magic of the pressure cooker is that it makes the ribs super tender and infuses the meat with the flavors from the dry rub with just a 25-minute cook time at high pressure.
Once you make ribs this way and see how fast, simple and delicious it is, you may find it hard to go back to using any other method. It really is a game-changer.
Don't have an Instant Pot? Try my Oven-Baked BBQ Pork Ribs. They do take more time, but most of it is hands-off, and they're excellent as well!
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Why I Love This Recipe (and You Will Too!)
- It's so quick and easy that you can even enjoy ribs for a weeknight dinner.
- No grill or smoker required, so no need to worry about the weather. Rain or shine (or even snow!), hot or cold, you can make these ribs any time of the year.
- Minimal effort. Since the Instant Pot does most of the work, you can move on to other things like making your side dishes while the ribs cook.
- The simple homemade sweet-and-smoky dry rub is made with pantry staples and gives the meat lots of flavor, as does a generous amount of barbecue sauce.
Ingredients & Notes
Here are all of the ingredients you need to make barbecue pork ribs in the Instant Pot, along with notes on some of them to help you make the best selections.
Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Pork ribs - I use baby back ribs, but you can also use pork spare ribs. Baby back ribs are generally smaller, shorter, leaner, and more tender, while spare ribs are usually more meaty and have more fat, which can make them more flavorful (but they can also be more chewy and less tender).
- Barbecue sauce - I use and recommend my quick and easy Homemade No-Cook Barbecue Sauce, but you can use any barbecue sauce that you like, homemade or store-bought.
- Brown sugar - Light or dark; I use dark because I like the deeper molasses flavor.
- Smoked paprika - This adds a bit of smoky flavor to the ribs that mimics what you would get from grilling.
Substitutions & Variations
- You can use just plain water instead of chicken broth, or you can use a different liquid like apple cider, apple juice, beer, or even soda (like Dr. Pepper).
- If you like your ribs with a spicy heat, add a little cayenne pepper to the dry rub.
- Have a favorite store-bought or homemade dry rub for ribs? Use that instead if you prefer.
- You can finish the ribs on the grill instead of under the broiler.
Removing the Membrane/Silverskin from Ribs
Unless it's already been removed prior to purchasing, most pork ribs will have a thin, whitish/silvery membrane of connective tissue (called silverskin) that runs along and covers the bone side of the ribs.
Not only does this membrane become tough and chewy after cooking, but it can also prevent the seasonings from penetrating the meat on that side. Therefore, it's highly recommended that you remove it before cooking. Here's how:
- Place the rack of ribs bone-side up and use a dull knife (such as a butter knife) or your fingers to get in between the membrane and the ribs and loosen it at one end.
- Grip the loosened membrane and pull it away from the bones to the other end of the ribs. It may come off in one piece or in several pieces. If it's slippery, a paper towel can help you get a better grip.
How to Make Instant Pot Pork Ribs
This is just a brief overview of the steps. For the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions, please go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Make the dry rub by mixing together the brown sugar and spices in a bowl. Pat the ribs dry with paper towels. Cover the ribs with the dry rub on all sides.
Pour the chicken broth into the Instant Pot. Put the trivet in the pot and put the ribs on the trivet, bending them into a C or O shape to fit.
Cook the ribs at high pressure for 25 minutes (for baby backs) or 35 minutes (for spare ribs). Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then quick-release the remaining pressure.
Remove the ribs from the Instant Pot and place them on a large baking sheet covered with foil. Generously brush the ribs with half of the barbecue sauce.
Put the ribs under the broiler until the barbecue sauce is bubbly and starting to caramelize. Remove from the oven and brush the remaining sauce onto the ribs.
Cut the ribs into individual pieces. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to put the ribs on the trivet in the Instant Pot. You don't want them sitting directly in the liquid and getting soggy.
- To ensure even cooking, curl the ribs into a C or O shape with the meaty side out when putting them into the Instant Pot. Cutting and stacking the ribs isn't recommended because they won't cook as evenly.
- Don't skip the 15-minute natural pressure release. It helps keep the meat more juicy.
- Want to double the recipe? Use 2 racks of ribs, and double the dry rub and barbecue sauce. The amount of chicken broth stays the same, as does the cooking time.
- Note that, depending on the type and size of ribs you use, you may or may not be able to fit 2 racks in a 6-quart Instant Pot. I suggest using baby backs since they are smaller than spare ribs (I've easily fit 2 racks of 3-pound baby backs in my 6-quart pot).
Leftover Storage & Reheating
Store leftover ribs, once cooled to room temperature, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
When it comes to reheating ribs, low and slow in the oven is the way to go to ensure that the ribs don't dry out. Before reheating, let the ribs sit out at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes to take the chill off. Then place the ribs in a baking dish and cover it with aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated 250°F oven until heated through.
You can freeze leftover ribs as well. Wrap the ribs in foil, put them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving these ribs with baked potatoes made in the air fryer and a veggie like steamed broccoli and cauliflower, but they really go great with so many things. Here are just a few of my favorites:
I hope you try this Instant Pot Pork Ribs recipe and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
More Instant Pot Dinner Recipes to Try
Be sure to check out my Instant Pot Recipes page for even more ideas!
If you make this recipe, I'd love to know how it went! Please leave a star rating and comment below. Thanks!
📋Recipe
Instant Pot Pork Ribs
Ingredients
For the Dry Rub
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed (or light brown sugar)
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons dry ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, if using regular table salt, use less (I suggest about 2 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Ribs
- 1 (3 to 4-pound) rack pork ribs, baby back or spare ribs (I use baby back), membrane/silverskin removed; see Notes below
- 1 cup chicken broth, for a 6-quart Instant Pot (for 8-quart pot, use 1½ cups)
- 1 cup barbecue sauce, use your favorite sauce (I use my Homemade No-Cook Barbecue Sauce)
Special Equipment
- Instant Pot (6 or 8-quart; I used a 6-quart)
- Instant Pot trivet (the wire rack that comes with the Instant Pot)
Instructions
Make the Dry Rub
- In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, dry ground mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Prepare and Cook the Ribs
- Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel, then cover the ribs evenly with the dry rub on all sides, gently rubbing it into the meat to adhere.
- Pour the chicken broth into the Instant Pot. Place the trivet in the pot and place the ribs in the pot on the rack, standing them on their side and forming them into a C shape or O shape with the meaty side out so they fit (cutting and stacking the ribs isn't recommended because they won't cook as evenly).
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the steam release valve to the sealing position. Cook the ribs on high pressure for 25 minutes (for baby back ribs) or 35 minutes (for spare ribs).It will take approximately 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure before the cook time will begin counting down.
- After the cooking time has completed, allow the pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes, then carefully quick-release the remaining pressure.Don't skip this step, as it helps keep the ribs more juicy.
- Meanwhile, preheat the broiler and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean-up).
- Remove the ribs from the Instant Pot and place them, meat side up, on the baking sheet. Brush ½ cup of the barbecue sauce evenly over the ribs.
- Place the ribs under the broiler and cook just until the barbecue sauce is bubbly and starting to caramelize and become sticky, about 4 to 5 minutes (keep a close eye on it so the sauce doesn't burn, and don't leave them under the broiler too long or they could start to dry out).
- Remove the ribs from the oven and brush the remaining ½ cup of the barbecue sauce evenly over the ribs.
- Cut the rack of ribs in between the bones to make individual rib pieces. Serve immediately.
Notes
- To remove the membrane/silverskin from the ribs, place the rack of ribs bone-side up and use a dull knife (such as a butter knife) or your fingers to get in between the membrane and the ribs and loosen it at one end. Then grip the loosened membrane and pull it away from the bones to the other end of the ribs. If it's slippery, a paper towel can help you get a better grip.
- Want to double the recipe? Use 2 racks of ribs, and double the dry rub and barbecue sauce. The amount of chicken broth stays the same, as does the cooking time. Note that, depending on the type and size of ribs you use, you may or may not be able to fit 2 racks in a 6-quart Instant Pot. I suggest using baby backs since they are smaller than spare ribs. I have easily fit two 3-pound racks of baby backs in my 6-quart pot.
- Estimated calories shown are based on using a 3-pound rack of baby back ribs, my homemade barbecue sauce recipe, and dividing the rack into 4 servings (you may get more servings depending on the amount of sides, appetites, etc.). For 5 servings, estimated calories per serving would be 674. For 6 servings, it would be 561.
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