Instant Pot BBQ Ribs Recipe

The Instant Pot BBQ Ribs recipe comes out completely tender with the perfect texture for picking up and eating with your hands, with just the right amount of sauce on them.

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Instant Pot BBQ Ribs

The Instant Pot is essentially a decked-out electric multi-cooker. It's not new on the market. However, its recently taken the cooking world by storm.

You can cook almost anything in an Instant Pot. That's the beauty of it!

If you've been afraid to use a pressure cooker, up until now, this pot changes everything. It easily replaces your pressure cooker, crockpot, rice cooker, favorite sauté pan, yogurt maker, and more!

The Instant Pot BBQ Ribs recipe will work in any brand of an electric pressure cooker, including the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, and Mealthy MultiPot.

Pressure-cooking the ribs in an instant pot makes them completely tender, the perfect texture for picking up and eating with your hands, with just the right amount of sauce on them. 

Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs Ingredients:

• Baby back pork ribs with membrane removed (2.5 to 3 pounds)
• brown sugar
• Chili powder
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Paprika
• Ground mustard
• Cayenne
• Water
• Apple cider vinegar
• BBQ sauce (whichever is your favorite is fine)
• For exact amounts, please see recipe card below.

What Can I use Instead of apple cider vinegar?

In the past, I have substituted Dr. Pepper, Coke, Apple juice, and one time even beer. The taste does not really change that much, so don't be worried about that.

Use whatever you have on hand if you forgot the apple cider vinegar.

What is the Membrane?

The membrane is the white filmy stuff on the back of the baby back ribs. I have seen many people leave it on, including restaurants.

I prefer to remove it beforehand because it makes them easier to cut and eat.

Really I think it's a personal preference. I use a paper towel to grab it while holding the ribs with the other hand.

It can be a little hard to pull off sometimes, but I just work at it and it's off in about a minute. 

How to Make the BEST Instant Pot Ribs!

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, chili powder, salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground mustard, and cayenne.

Rub mixture over both sides of ribs.

Place the trivet in the Instant Pot and add water and apple cider vinegar. Turn the ribs on their side and make them form a circle, then place them in the instant pot.

Secure the lid and close the vent. Set the Instant Pot on pressure cook for 30 - 35 minutes. Do a natural release for 10 minutes, the quick release the remaining pressure.

Carefully place the ribs on a baking sheet and cover with BBQ sauce.

Place under the broiler in the oven for five minutes or until sauce begins to bubble. Enjoy!

What if I don't have an oven for Broiling?

This you might think sounds like a dumb question. Because of course, everyone has an oven! Nope! We are full-time RVers and our motorhome did not in fact come with an oven. 

Grill - But have no fear because there are other ways to finish them up once you smother them in BBQ sauce. You can place them on the grill, outside of course.

Cover and leave them on the grill for approximately 10-15 minutes in order to bake the BBQ sauce into them a bit. They will taste just as good. 

Toaster Oven - I have a small toaster oven and while it doesn't fit very much, I can cut the ribs into pieces and broil them individually. It might take longer but gets the job done.

Air Fryer - If you have a Ninja Foodie or other Air Fryer, pop them in the basket and turn it on for a few minutes on 400 degrees. 

Any of these will work. However, broiling isn't mandatory. It gives it a nice crust but doesn't need to be done.

If you don't have a way to broil, don't stress over it. Just smother them with BBQ sauce and eat to your heart's content! Enjoy!