!The best Instant Pot ribs are incredibly tender and flavorful. With easy preparation, the Instant Pot really shines in its ability to take a rack of ribs and turn it into a mouthwatering main course that tastes as delicious as any slow cooked cut of meat.

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Just because it’s not grilling season, doesn’t mean you can’t make your grilled or smoked favorites inside.

And the Instant Pot comes in handy for making them quickly and easily!

Like these ribs for example!

You’ll have incredibly tender, delicious, tastes just like barbecued ribs in under an hour thanks to your handy dandy pressure cooker!

Ingredients

To make these you’ll need:

Rack of ribs– Either baby back or spare ribs
Dry rub– Your favorite barbecue dry rub or anything you would use on grilled meats
Apple juice– This is your cooking liquid and adds more flavor and a bit of sweetness to balance any spiciness
Liquid smoke– You don’t have to use the liquid smoke, but I do recommend it since it gives it that freshly smoked taste. It can be found in the barbecue sauce section of most grocery stores or you can buy it HERE.
Barbecue sauce– Your favorite brand

How to Make

Like most Instant Pot recipes, these Instant Pot ribs are so easy!

To do it, add the liner to your Instant Pot.

Pour in the apple juice, water, and liquid smoke and set it aside.

Then, remove the membrane from the rack of ribs if it hasn’t been removed.

Sprinkle 1 1/2-2 tablespoons of your favorite barbecue rub evenly out over both sides of the ribs and rub it into the meat.

Set a trivet in the Instant Pot.

Put the seasoned ribs on top of the trivet so they are upright, wrapping them to curve around and meat side out facing the pot walls.

Secure the lid on the pot and make sure the vent valve is set to the sealed position.

Pressure cook setting on HIGH for 20 minutes.

When the Pot beeps, let it sit for 10-15 minutes while the pressure naturally releases.

After the pressure has released naturally for 10-15 minutes, carefully turn the vent valve to allow any remaining steam to escape.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and carefully transfer the hot ribs to it.

Sprinkle on a little extra rub, if desired.

Using a silicone brush, baste them liberally in barbecue sauce.

Bake at 375° for 5 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

What size Instant Pot do I need to make ribs?

For one rack of ribs you could use a 3 quart or larger Instant Pot.

Why are my ribs tough in the Instant Pot?

If your ribs are tough, you likely haven’t cooked them long enough or have skipped the natural release.

Also, don’t perform a quick release no matter the temptation.

Quick releasing as soon as the meats cooking will cause it to seize up and be tough.

The natural release allows it to rest while steam slowly dissipates.

Make sure not to skip the natural release, it will ensure your ribs are so tender!

Storing leftovers

Store any leftover ribs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat in a hot oven until warmed through, brushing with more barbecue sauce before you heat them up.

Tips and Tricks

Don’t skip the natural release! You don’t want to rush it because you need that extra time for maximum tenderness.
You could use up to 2 racks of ribs, although you’ll need to use at least a 6quart Instant Pot.
If you’re using spare ribs instead of baby back, you’ll need to add 5-10 minutes to the cooking time since they’re denser with more meat. The longer you cook them, they achieve that ‘fall of the bone’ tenderness.
You can bake or broil the ribs after they’re done, and this is another highly recommended step as it allows the barbecue sauce to caramelize and they come out finger lickin’ good!
If your ribs still have the membrane, it will need to be removed before cooking. Slide a butter knife under one end of the silvery skin to loosen it up. Grab it with a paper towel, and just pull until it’s all come away from the meat.

Sides to Serve with Ribs

These ribs are truly the best Instant Pot ribs ever. Make them today and enjoy!

Looking for sides to serve with ribs? Try these:

If you’ve tried these INSTANT POT RIBS, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!

The Best Instant Pot Ribs

The best Instant Pot ribs are incredibly tender and flavorful. With easy preparation, the Instant Pot really shines in its ability to take a rack of ribs and turn it into a mouthwatering main course that tastes as delicious as any slow cooked cut of meat.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 45

Servings:

Calories: 706kcal

Author: Meaghan @ 4 Sons R Us

Ingredients

1 rack of ribs either baby back or spare rib
2 1/2 tbsp dry rub divided
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup water
3/4 tsp liquid smoke
1 cup barbecue sauce your favorite brand

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add the liner to your instant pot. Pour in the apple juice, water, and liquid smoke. Set aside.
If the membrane has not been removed from your rack of ribs- remove it. Sprinkle 1 1/2-2 tablespoons of your favorite barbecue rub evenly out over both sides of the ribs, and rub it in.
Set a trivet in the instant pot. Place the seasoned ribs on top upright, wrapping them to curve around and meat side out facing the pot walls.
Add the lid, turning to close and make sure the vent valve is set to the sealed position.
Set the instant pot to the HIGH pressure cook setting, and set the timer for 20 minutes.
Let the pot sit for 10-15 minutes while the pressure naturally releases, then carefully turn the vent valve to allow any remaining steam to escape.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and carefully transfer the hot ribs to it.
Sprinkle on a little extra rub, if desired. Using a silicone brush, baste them liberally in barbecue sauce. Bake at 375° for 5 minutes.

Notes

Don't skip the natural release! You don't want to rush it because you need that extra time for maximum tenderness.
You could use up to 2 racks of ribs, although you'll need to use at least a 6quart Instant Pot.
If you're using spare ribs instead of baby back, you'll need to add 5-10 minutes to the cooking time since they're denser with more meat. The longer you cook them, they achieve that 'fall of the bone' tenderness.
You can bake or broil the ribs after they're done, and this is another highly recommended step as it allows the barbecue sauce to caramelize and they come out finger lickin' good!
If your ribs still have the membrane, it will need to be removed before cooking. Slide a butter knife under one end of the silvery skin to loosen it up. Grab it with a paper towel, and just pull until it's all come away from the meat.