Instant Pot Pork Baby Back Ribs
These Instant Pot pork baby back ribs are fall-of-the-bone tender and simply lip-smacking delicious! The best part is that these sweet, tangy, tender ribs are ready in just about 30 minutes!
I absolutely love making Instant Pot recipes for my family. Dishes like Instant Pot Italian sausage pasta, Instant Pot chicken sausage Alfredo pasta, and Instant Pot cheesy enchilada pasta are as tasty as they are easy. That’s the perfect combo!
These delicious baby back ribs take full advantage of the Instant Pot, creating sweet, savory, and zesty BBQ ribs that fall off the bone and are ready in a flash.
Serve them with loaded mashed potatoes or classic potato salad, along with my Bhuller’s baked beans and creamy mac and cheese for a summer-time feast any time of year.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: It only takes a few simple steps and about 30 minutes to make these ribs.
- Simple Ingredients: This recipe uses basic ingredients found in any kitchen or grocery store.
- Bold Flavor: The rub for these ribs delivers bold, zesty flavor with just a touch of heat.
- Great for Busy Days: At just 30 minutes from start to finish, these ribs are perfect for even busy days.
- Versatile: These make the perfect weeknight dinner or gameday item.
- Great for Meal Prep: These ribs are freezer-friendly, so you can make extra for future meals when ribs are on sale.
Key Ingredients
You’ll find a complete list of ingredients and their exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Baby Back Ribs: Baby back ribs are meat, have the perfect amount of fat, and are an ideal size for cooking in the Instant Pot.
- Seasonings: A blend of Cajun seasoning, onion powder, cumin, and chili powder creates a rub that gives the ribs a bold kick of spicy flavor.
- BBQ Sauce: BBQ sauce adds that classic sweet, savory, and sticky flavor to the ribs.
Variations
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes for a kick of heat.
- Ribs: Spare ribs will work for this recipe. You can also use boneless ribs. Just reduce your cooking time.
- BBQ Sauce: You can use your favorite brand and variety of BBQ sauce for these ribs.
How to Make Instant Pot Pork Baby Back Ribs
Step 1: Mix the rub ingredients and season both sides of the ribs. Then, brush half the sauce onto them.
Step 2: Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. Then, allow the steam to escape naturally.
Step 3: Place the ribs on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake at 425°F until caramelized.
Step 4: Enjoy with your favorite sides!
Expert Tips
- Be sure to remove the membrane from the back of the ribs before cooking them.
- Rather than removing the membrane yourself, you can ask your butcher to do it.
- Pat your ribs dry before applying the rub to ensure it stays on the ribs.
- Really rub those ribs when applying the rub to ensure it gets pressed into the meat.
- Be sure your steam release handle is set to sealing to ensure the ribs cook properly.
- Allowing the steam to vent naturally at the end is key to tender ribs. Don’t rush it with the quick-release button.
Instant Pot Pork Baby Back Ribs FAQs
It only takes about 25 minutes to make Instant Pot pork baby back ribs.
Absolutely! Unlike a slow cooker, the heat and intense pressure of an Instant Pot can easily overcook your meat. It’s important to follow the recipe’s cooking time and venting instructions exactly.
Both methods work very well. Slow cooking ribs makes them slightly more tender. However, using the Instant Pot gets them on the table quickly with results that are almost as tender. Both are great!
Refrigerate your ribs for up to 3 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, wrap the ribs in plastic wrap and freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
More Tasty Rib Recipes You’ll Love
If you try this recipe and love it, please be sure to leave a 5 ★★★★★ rating below and leave a comment! You can also pin it to your favorite Pinterest boards and save it for later.
Also, follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Remember to “like” or “follow” us on all social media.
Instant Pot Pork Baby Back Ribs
Ingredients
- 3.5 lbs pork loin baby back ribs, bone-in
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ cups barbecue sauce, divided (I used Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce)
For The Pork Rub
- 1 Tbsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp Slap Ya Mama® seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp chili powder
Instructions
- Place water in pot and add sliced onions on top of steaming rack.
- Remove membrane from back of ribs.
- Mix seasonings together in a small bowl and then rub on both sides of ribs.
- Brush ½ the barbecue sauce on ribs and place in pot on top of onions.
- Close and lock lid. Make sure the steam release handle is positioned to "sealing."
- Cook for 25 minutes on "Manual" – "High Pressure"
- Allow the steam to naturally escape vs the quick release method.
- Finish ribs off in the oven. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, add ribs to baking sheet, brush with the remaining barbecue sauce and cook on 425° for 10-12 minutes.
Notes
- Be sure to remove the membrane from the back of the ribs before cooking them.
- Rather than removing the membrane yourself, you can ask your butcher to do it.
- Pat your ribs dry before applying the rub to ensure it stays on the ribs.
- Really rub those ribs when applying the rub to ensure it gets pressed into the meat.
- Be sure your steam release handle is set to sealing to ensure the ribs cook properly.
- Allowing the steam to vent naturally at the end is key to tender ribs. Don’t rush it with the quick-release button.
Nutrition
Here are a few pics that are the perfect size for pinning to Pinterest.
Enjoy, Terri
Copyright © Great Grub, Delicious Treats. All content and images are copyright protected. Do not use any images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, make sure to re-write the recipe in your own words and only list ingredients making sure to link back to this post for the original recipe and directions.
These ribs turned out. Amazing, I love making anything in the instant pot but, these are the absolute best!
I made these in the Instant Pot and they came out super tender. The meat pulled right off the bone.
These were just so good! We had a little leftover and even better the next day!
These were fall-off-the bone delicious. The instant pot just makes things so much easier and is perfect for tender ribs.
The Instant Pot really is a lifesaver for recipes like this. I was short on time, but this tasted like it had been simmering for hours. The flavors were deep and rich, and the cleanup was so easy. Love it!
These are awesome! I love getting ribs in 30 minutes. That is amazing.
These were so good, and I couldn’t beleive how fast they were done. Love it!
Made these tonight…YUM! This was my first time ever making ribs. The entire family loved them. Will definitely be making them again, and soon. Thanks for the recipe! Keep them coming :-)
Awesome Linda! I’m so glad you all loved the ribs. I have quite a few more delicious recipes in the works for the Instant Pot. Thanks for sharing! :)
Welcome to the world of IPot. Oh, and also leisure cooking!
Thank you so much Sharon! I am so excitied how easy using an Instant Pot is. :)