Easy Instant Pot Barbecue Ribs Recipe
Baby back ribs have been my favorite comfort food for years, so I started making them at home. But to be honest, sometimes outdoor grilling isn’t an option, so I decided to try to make them in the Instant Pot. The Instant Pot Barbecue Ribs turned out finger-lickin’ good! The best part is that they are steamed to perfection in minutes, not hours!! At first, I was a bit worried that they wouldn’t get nice, crunchy, and brown, but the magic happens after a few minutes under the broiler. They turn into these gorgeous looking, tender, fall-off-the-bone perfection!! Sooo good; there are not enough words to describe it.
You’ll need only 6 ingredients:
Baby back ribs Barbecue meat rub (homemade or store-bought) Vegetable broth Apple juice Liquid smoke (optional but recommended) Barbecue sauce (your favorite brand)
Best Type Of Ribs To Make Barbecue Ribs
I prefer baby back ribs because they are smaller and more tender. However, you can also use spare ribs if you prefer them to be bigger and meatier.
4 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons paprika 2 teaspoons ground black pepper 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 teaspoons onion powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
The beauty of this recipe is that these ribs are done in the Instant Pot. The result is a delicious, succulent, fall-off-the-bone rib meal.
Pressure Cooking Times for Ribs
It will depend on how you like your ribs! Adjust the Instant Pot cooking time according to your preference:
15 minutes for tender with a bit of chew, 20 minutes for tender but not falling off the bone, 25 minutes to fall off the bone ribs.
Don’t skip this step! So brush them with BBQ sauce and place them under the broiler for 5 – 8 minutes, or until the sauce caramelizes.
Recipe Card 📖
This recipe was originally published in June 2017. The recipe remains the same, but more notes, tips, photos, and information were added to the post in March 2023 to make it as helpful as possible!
