Looking for a fast and simple way to fallin-off-the-bone ribs? Grab your Instant Pot and to make some saucy, sticky, and tender ribs in just 25 minutes of cooking time.
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Howdy! Chef Alli Here. Lets Get You Cookin.
Im dead serious when I say these Instant Pot Baby-Bake Ribs are ah-mazing! We did a back flip over these pork ribs and now we wont make them any other way.
This recipe for pork ribs in your Instant Pot is pretty darn fool-proof.
If youve ever made oven-baked ribs or ribs on the grill, you already know that it takes quite a while before the ribs get uber-tender. This is not the case when you are cooking ribs in your Instant Pot.
So What ARE Baby-Back Ribs, Exactly?
Back ribs are cut from where the rib meets the spine after the pork loin is removed.
Be sure to understand that the upper ribs are only called baby back ribs because they are shorter in relation to the bigger spare ribs. Baby back ribs do NOT come from a baby pig! Lets be clear on that.
Spare ribs are the meaty ribs cut from the belly of the pig. They are usually trimmed down into the popular St. Louis-style spareribs.
St. Louis-style spareribs are flatter than baby back ribs and there is a lot of bone but also a higher amount of fat, making them very flavorful if cooked properly.
What Ingredients Will I Need to Make Instant Pot Baby-Back Ribs in my Instant Pot?
Baby Back Ribs youll need one slab of baby-back ribs that will typically weigh 2-4 pounds. Baby back ribs usually cost around $3.00 $3.50 per pound, a little more pricey than spareribs since spareribs have more bone and fat.
Mustard, Your Favorite Rib Rub, Brown Sugar the mustard is to slather on the ribs and helps to adhere the rub (made of the rub combined with the brown sugar) to the ribs better.
Chicken broth, cider vinegar these ingredients are what you will use to cook the baby-back ribs in the Instant Pot.
BBQ sauce this is for slathering the ribs once they are done cooking in the Instant Pot. Once you place the slab of ribs beneath the broiler, the bbq sauce gets nice and caramelized and sticky. YUM.
How to Make Easy Instant Pot Baby-Back Ribs in 35 Minutes
- Unwrap the ribs, placing them onto a large sheet of foil or a rimmed baking sheet.
- Flip the ribs over so that you are working on the back side of the rib rack. Use a doubled-up paper towel to grab the edge of the white membrane (it runs the entire length of the rib rack) at the end of the ribs that has the shortest rib bones.
- Pull the membrane back and off of the rib rack, slowly working until it is completely removed from the ribs.
- Continuing to work on the back side of the ribs, squirt yellow mustard onto the ribs, then use your fingertips to rub it into the nooks and crannies of the ribs.
- Continuing to work on the back side of the ribs, squirt yellow mustard onto the ribs, then use your fingertips to rub it into the nooks and crannies of the ribs.
- Sprinkle the mustard-rubbed ribs with the prepared spice rub, then flip the rib rack over and repeat the steps on the front of the ribs.
- Place the trivet into the bottom of Instant Pot, then pour in the broth and the cider vinegar.
- Place the prepared rack of ribs on top of the rack in the Instant Pot, curling the rack of ribs around the center of the pot, letting them expand as needed once you let go.
- Cook the ribs under high pressure for 25 minutes, then let them rest for 10 minutes using a natural release.
- Remove the ribs from the Instant Pot and place them onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Slather the ribs with your favorite bbq sauce.
- Place the slathered ribs beneath the broiler for a few minutes, letting the bbq sauce hot, bubbly, and caramelized. Serve at once.
What Tools Do I Need for Making Instant Pot Baby-Back Ribs?
As you already know, youll need an Instant Pot. I use the 6-quart Instant Pot most of the time, but if you wanted to cook 2 racks of baby-back ribs at once time, I think the 8-quart Instant Pot would be the best option, so that your Instant Pot isnt so crowded.
I have also used a sturdy silicone basting brush for the mustard, especially if you dont want to use your fingertips. I always wear food-safe gloves when using my fingertips, because they are easy to strip off and throw into the trash when the task is completed.
Rimmed baking sheets are handy for working on the rib racks when doing the mustard and rib rub part (or you can use a sheet of foil) and youll need a rimmed baking sheet when you place the cooked ribs beneath the broiler to caramelize the bbq sauce.
How to Make Easy Instant Pot Baby-Back BBQ Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs. dark brown sugar
- 3 Tbs. of your favorite rib rub, I used Three Little Pigs Rib Rub, Kansas City Championship
- 1 rack baby back pork ribs, 2-4 lbs., rinsed and patted dry
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
Instructions
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In a small bowl, combine brown sugar with the rib rub. s
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Remove the membrane from the under side (the back) of the ribs rack. Using a doubled-up paper towel to grab the end of the membrane at the end of the rack that has the shortest ribs, pull the membrane back, removing it from the entire length of the ribs.
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Rub the mustard all over the back side of the rib rack, then season the ribs with the prepared rib rub; turn the rack over and repeat on the other side.
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Add the chicken broth and apple cider vinegar to a 6-qt Instant Pot. Place metal trivet into the pot, then place the prepared rack of ribs on top of the trivet, wrapping the rack in a circle.
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Using the manual setting on the Instant Pot, choose high pressure for 25 minutes, bringing the Instant Pot to full pressure. When the timer sounds, allow the ribs to rest in the Instant Pot, using a natural release for 10 minutes, then perform a quick release to remove any remaining pressure in the pot.
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Preheat the oven to the broil setting with an oven rack positioned about 6 inches beneath the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty foil.
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Place the cooked rack of ribs, meat side up, onto the foil-lined baking sheet; brush with barbecue sauce.
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Place the rack of ribs into the oven; broil until the barbecue sauce is caramelized and bubbly, approx 4-5 minutes, keeping a careful watch on the ribs.
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Serve immediately with more warm sauce, as desired.
Notes
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Lets Get You Cookin,
Chef Alli
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