Name: Fast & Juicy Instapot Ribs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 24 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 rack of baby back ribs (about 2-3 pounds); 1 cup water; 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar; 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (your favorite brand or homemade); Seasonings blend; Optional: 1 tsp liquid smoke and/or 1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce

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plate of ribs with bbq sauce and gold tongs

I can’t think of a more sumptuous and comforting dish than fall-off-the-bone Instapot pork ribs. They melt in your mouth and satisfy pretty much any craving. Normally I do ribs in a slow cooker, but then I have to cut them in half so that they fit. Instead, I decided to try out the Instapot and I was THRILLED by the results. They were perfectly cooked and absolutely delightful. I could eat these Insta pot ribs every day because they were so tender and were so buttery soft but also weren’t so overcooked that they literally “fell of the bone”. That’s a win!

Insta Pot Ribs Ingredients

I’m all about high-quality and ease. Basically all you need for this recipe is the ribs (you can do baby back, spare ribs, or St. Louis style-I did St. Louis this time), a little bit of water, and whatever spices and BBQ sauce you’d like! Of course you can add it vegetables or get fancy with seasonings/rubs, but the basic recipe is still the same.

spice blends on a cutting board with packaged ribs

List of Ingredients:

1 rack of baby back ribs (about 2-3 pounds)
1 cup water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (your favorite brand or homemade)
Seasonings blend (usually containing smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, black pepper, salt, chili powder, mustard, and/or brown sugar)
Optional: 1 tsp liquid smoke and/or 1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce

Insta Pot Ribs Instructions

Prep your Insta pot by adding your steam rack to the bottom, plus the water and apple cider vinegar (for both 6-quart and 8-quart Insta pots).

Then prepare your ribs. Thaw from frozen in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Then rub the ribs with your favorite spice blend, or create your own blend of spices and rub them on the ribs. If you want to let them sit for 10-15 minutes to absorb the flavor you are welcome to, but this is not necessary.

Place them in the Insta Pot. Set your ribs upright and gently coil them inside the Insta pot- there is no need to cut them. If you have two racks, stagger the first rack on the outside and then place the other coiled rack on the inside rack, forming a spiral-like shape.

Time to Cook! Lock the Insta pot lid and be sure it is sealed well. Set the Instant Pot to Manual or Pressure Cook on High for 24 minutes. For fall-off-the-bone tender or for really meaty ribs, you can go for 30 minutes.

Once the cook time is complete, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes, then do a quick release for any remaining pressure. I did a complete natural release and they turned out perfect.

Remove the ribs from the Insta pot using tongs (these are my favorite tongs), then glaze your ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce and/or Worchestershire sauce. If you want to broil them or grill them for a nice char, you can do so for 3-5 minutes, but this is not necessary. If desired, slice the ribs between the bones. Serve and enjoy!

Tips:

For extra flavor: Marinate the ribs with the spice rub for a few hours (or overnight) before cooking to let the flavors penetrate deeply.
For a smoky flavor: Add a bit of liquid smoke to the water or sauce before cooking.