Instant Pot Barbecue Ribs

Barbecue Ribs over a piece of parchment paper.

These Instant Pot Barbecue Ribs are sticky, saucy, savory, sweet, and sooo tender. Fall-off-the-bone tender. They are done in 30 minutes, with just 6 simple ingredients.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings (servings = 4 ribs)

Calories 708kcal

Author Oriana Romero

Equipment

Ingredients

1 rack baby back ribs (about 2.5 - 3 lb | 1.1 - 1.5 kg)
4 - 6 tablespoons barbecue meat rub (store-bought or homemade) (see notes below for homemade)
1 cup (240 ml) vegetable broth
1 cup (240 ml) apple juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) liquid smoke (optional but recommended) (see notes)
1 ½ cup (360 ml) barbecue sauce (your favorite brand)

Instructions

Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. To do so, insert a table knife under the silverskin anywhere along the rack. Lift and loosen it with the knife until you can grab it with a paper towel. Pull it off the ribs; it should peel away in one large piece, but if it breaks, lift it up again and remove the rest.
Rub the ribs with the meat rub on all sides. Be generous!
Place the ribs rack into the Instant Pot. Add vegetable broth, apple juice, and liquid smoke (if using). Close the lid and set it to cook on “manual” mode for 20 minutes. When the time is over, let the pressure release on its own, this will take about 8-10 minutes. Carefully turn the vent to “Venting,” just to release any extra pressure that might still be in there. Then remove the lid.
Preheat oven to broil.
Transfer the cooked ribs to a large baking sheet. Brush barbecue sauce all over the ribs, including the bones. Broil for 5 – 8 minutes, or until the sauce caramelizes. Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

My Favorite Homemade BBQ Rub

Mix together:

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

Liquid smoke can be found next to barbecue sauces in most grocery stores or online.

Make Two Racks: Double the meat rub and barbecue sauce quantity, but keep the same amount of liquid (broth, apple juice, and liquid smoke) underneath. Increase the cooking time to 30 minutes.

How Long Do You Pressure Cook 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 for tender but not falling off the bone,
25 minutes to fall off the bone ribs.

If you're making this recipe, please read the whole post content to get lots of tips, tricks, variations, and frequently asked questions.

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Please note that nutritional information is a rough estimate, and it can vary depending on the products used.

Nutrition