These sticky, juicy and fall-off-the-bone-tender BBQ Ribs are a real favorite in my home. In this easy recipe, pork ribs are pressure cooked then coated with bbq sauce and broiled in the oven for a delicious crisp finish.
Year Round Recipe for the Best BBQ Ribs!
My family loves anything BBQ! During summer, we grill every weekend and one of our all-time favorite barbecue dishes is Baby Back Ribs! It's my husband's signature dish 🙂
But, who wants to grill when the temperature is touching the sky. And, what if you feel like having them in the middle of winter? With this all-season recipe, you can enjoy Pork Ribs anytime of the year, in any temperature, indoor and outdoor!
My husband has perfected this recipe and it combines the best of both worlds. He pressure cooks the meat in the Instant Pot till it gets super tender.
Then, he slathers it with bbq sauce and broils it in the oven, or grills it, to caramelize those amazing flavors. You cannot help but lick your fingers clean with this one!
Easy 2-Step Recipe for BBQ Ribs
The first time my husband made this recipe in the pressure cooker we were all wowed in the first bite! The meat turned out super tender and all the flavors of the spices had infused in the ribs so well.
It cannot get any simpler than this recipe to make the ultimate Pork Ribs ever! All you have to do is:
- Coat the Ribs with a spice-rub and pressure cook them.
- Then, coat them with BBQ sauce and broil them or grill them.
Easy to Double and Perfect for Entertaining
This recipe is pretty easy to double for entertaining! You can easily fit 2 slabs in a 6 qt, or 3 slabs in a 8 qt cooker. The key is to coil the ribs and place them standing upright. The best part about this recipe is:
- There is minimal mess to clean
- For a larger crowd, you can pressure cook the ribs ahead of time, wrap them in foil and finish them later when your guests arrive.
- You can can pressure cook the ribs WHILE you grill other things like corn, chicken and veggies. This way all the food gets served at the same time.
How to Remove the Membrane from Ribs
The membrane, or the silverskin, is a connected piece of tissue that is attached to the underside of the rack of ribs. It is best to remove that membrane otherwise it prevents the meat from absorbing the flavors.
Most baby back ribs that I buy these days have had the membrane removed already. But if you're not sure, it is best to check with someone at the meat counter. Here's an easy way to remove the membrane.
- Lay the ribs flat, membrane side up. Using a paring knife detach the membrane from the meat at the narrow inner corner of the rib rack.
- Using a paper towel get a grip on the membrane and pull away in the opposite direction.
- Keep pulling in the opposite direction slowly so the membrane doesn't break and comes off in one piece.
- If the membrane breaks, use a pairing knife and detach it from the meat at a starting point and pull away.
How to Make BBQ Ribs in Instant Pot or any pressure cooker
This easy and simple recipe can be made in any programmable pressure cooker. Here are the step by step instructions:
Step 1: Combine salt, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, black pepper and brown sugar to make a spice rub for the ribs.
Step 2: Spread it generously on the ribs, pressing down the spices in the meat. Flip the ribs and repeat on the other side.
Step 3: Turn on the pressure cooker. Add water, Worcestershire sauce and Apple cider vinegar. Add a trivet in cooking pot. If you don't have a trivet, you can skip this step. The ribs will be a bit more tender in that case.
Step 4: Coil the ribs and place on the trivet. Close the lid and pressure cook on Manual or Pressure cook mode for 25 mins for baby back ribs, and 30 mins for regular ribs.
Step 5: Wait 10 minutes before releasing the pressure (NPR 10). Release the remaining pressure instantly by turning the knob to 'Venting' mode in DUO, or pressing down the pressure valve in ULTRA.
Step 6: Using tongs, remove the ribs and place them on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet. Coat the top liberally with your favorite bbq sauce.
Step 7: Broil in the oven for 3-5 minutes, till the sauce caramelizes a bit. Alternatively, you can grill the ribs on the medium-high heat part of the grill (not direct heat) for the same time.
How to Serve BBQ Ribs
After you remove it from the oven, you can cut the rack of ribs based on your preference. I account for 3 ribs per person irrespective of how I cut them.
I prefer to cut it into individual ribs as that works better for easy handling. Individual ribs also work great for get-togethers and game day parties as well.
And, I always serve them with some extra bbq sauce on the side 🙂
Texture Preference | Time Variations
We like our ribs fall-off-the-bone tender, so 25 minutes for Baby Back Ribs, and 30 minutes for Regular Pork Ribs works for us. But if you like them less tender than that, you can reduce the cooking time by 3 minutes.
Another way to keep the ribs intact is to leave the membrane as-is. The membrane holds the rack together. My husband prefers to remove it for regular ribs though. He says the meat absorbs the flavors of the rub better without the membrane.
Oven Recipe for BBQ Ribs
This recipe can also be made entirely in the oven. Here's how:
- In a bowl, mix together all ingredients listed under "Dry Rub".
- Using a paper towel, remove the thin membrane at the back of the ribs, as shown in the video. This step is optional.
- Line a tray with aluminum foil and place the ribs. Coat the ribs liberally with the dry rub, flip and repeat.
- Turn ON the oven at 400°F. Wrap the ribs in heavy-duty foil so that the juices don't leak. Cook for 80 minutes for Baby Back Ribs, or 90 minutes for regular ribs.
- Remove from the oven. Line the baking sheet with fresh foil or parchment paper and place the ribs on that.
- Coat them with your favorite barbecue sauce generously.
- Adjust the top rack of the oven to the second level grooves. Place the baking sheet, cook in BROIL mode, for 2-5 minutes on the presentation side. Oven temperatures may differ so its best to start watching after 2 minutes. This step can alternatively be done on the BBQ grill for the same time. Enjoy!
BBQ Sauce
There are times when my husband makes his own BBQ sauce from scratch. But, these days there are so many great tasting store-bought sauces out there, that it's a legit shortcut that save you so much time and the result is still lip-smacking good.
Our current favorite is the Trader Joe's TJ's Bold & Smoky Kansas City Style Barbecue Sauce. It's so good on chicken too!
Make a Meal: What To Serve with BBQ Ribs
Here are some sides that pair well with these delicious pork ribs:
More Grill/ Instant Pot Recipes from my Kitchen
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot BBQ Ribs (Oven Recipe Included)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Rack of Baby Back Pork ribs (about 3 pounds)
DRY RUB
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 1½ teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 3 tablespoons Brown Sugar
FOR ADDING IN THE INSTANT POT
- ½ cup water (adjust for cooker size)
- 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar or White wine Vinegar
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
FOR GRILLING/BROILING
- 5 tablespoons Barbecue Sauce of your choice
Instructions
Remove the membrane (skip this step if already removed)
- Lay the ribs flat, membrane side up. Using a paring knife detach the membrane from the meat at the narrow inner corner of the rib rack.
- Using a paper towel get a grip on the membrane and pull away in the opposite direction.
- Keep pulling in the opposite direction slowly so the membrane doesn't break and comes off in one piece. If it breaks, use a pairing knife and detach it from the meat at a starting point and pull away.
Spice Rub
- Combine salt, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, black pepper and brown sugar to make a spice rub for the ribs.
- Using a paper towel, pat dry the ribs. If using regular size pork ribs remove the thin membrane at the back of the ribs. This step is optional.
- Coat the ribs liberally with the dry rub and press the spices into the meat. Flip the ribs and repeat.
Instant Pot Recipe
- Turn on the pressure cooker. Add water, Worcestershire sauce and Apple cider vinegar. Add a trivet in cooking pot. If you don’t have a trivet, you can skip this step. The ribs will be a bit more tender in that case.
- Coil the ribs and place on the trivet. Close the lid and pressure cook on Manual or Pressure cook mode for 25 mins for baby back ribs, and 30 mins for regular ribs.
- Wait 10 minutes before releasing the pressure (NPR 10). Release the remaining pressure instantly by turning the knob to ‘Venting’ mode in DUO, or pressing down the pressure valve in ULTRA.
- Using tongs, remove the ribs and place them on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet.
Finish in Broiler or on BBQ Grill
- Line the baking sheet with fresh foil or parchment paper and place the cooked ribs on that. Coat them with your favorite barbecue sauce generously.
- Adjust the top rack of the oven to the second level grooves. Place the baking sheet, cook in BROIL mode, for 2-5 minutes on the presentation side. Oven temperatures may differ so its best to start watching after 2 minutes. This step can alternatively be done on the BBQ grill for the same time. Enjoy!
Oven Recipe
- Preheat the oven at 400°F. Prepare and season the ribs as per directions above. Wrap the ribs in heavy-duty foil so that the juices don't leak. Cook for 80 minutes for Baby Back Ribs, or 90 minutes for regular ribs. Remove from the oven and follow the broiling directions above.
Video
Notes
- For best results, it's best to remove that membrane otherwise it prevents the meat from absorbing the flavors.
- We like our ribs fall-off-the-bone tender, so 25 minutes for Baby Back Ribs, and 30 minutes for Regular Pork Ribs works for us. But if you like them less tender than that, you can reduce the cooking time by 3 minutes.
- This recipe is pretty easy to double for entertaining. You can easily fit 2 slabs in a 6 qt, or 3 slabs in a 8 qt cooker. The key is to coil the ribs and fit them.
- For a larger crowd, you can pressure cook the ribs ahead of time and finish them later when your guests arrive.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in 2017, but was updated in 2019 with new photos, helpful information, tips, and step-by-step photos.
Roberta says
How long would you cook Country Style Pork ribs?
Aneesha says
Hi Roberta, I've never cooked country ribs myself, but looking at different cook times, I would suggest 30 mins on high pressure with 10 mins of NPR. If they're not cooked to your liking, you can always put them back in for another 5 mins.
Sam G says
This is a terrific recipe. works well.
Dave says
A winner! As a certified bbq judge, this recipe gets high marks. Falling off the bone is overcooking in contests. You want to have to pull very lightly to separate meat and bone. Will try 27-28 minutes next time. Thanks for a really fine recipe.
aneeshasg says
Hi Dave, thank you so much for your kind words. This recipe was fine tuned by my husband, the grill master in our home. He will be over the moon when he'll read that a certified BBQ Judge enjoyed this recipe. Thanks again for making our day (more like a month 🙂
Leann says
These were the most delicious ribs I’ve ever made! Everyone raved about them. I set timer for 28 minutes and did not remove the membrane. Did 5 minutes NR, then QR the rest. 4 minutes under the broiler and they were perfect!
aneeshasg says
Super! So glad to hear that. Thank you for sharing that 🙂 If you loved these, I would recommend trying the Chicken Wings. They're another hit in the IP!
JP says
Hi, do any of the measurements change if trying to fit 1.5 or 2 racks of ribs in the Instant Pot 6qt? Would it be a longer time and/or more vinegar/stock?
aneeshasg says
Hi JP, the measurements are for 1 rack of ribs, roughly 3-4 lbs. If you're cooking more than one, simply multiply accordingly. The cook time remains the same in Instant POt. Would love to hear back how they turned out. Happy Cooking!
Gary Wise says
Hello!
I highly suggest instead of Quick Release, to do Natural/Slow Pressure Release.
Meats such as the pork ribs- will be tough if QR, for tender you will need to NPR.
aneeshasg says
Thank you for the tip Gary! I have been making Ribs using this recipe for years now- each time the result is tender and fall-off-the-bone. If you had a chance to look at the video, you'll see it for yourself 🙂 I will try NPR next time and see if there is any difference. Thanks again!