These Instant Pot BBQ Ribs are the perfect recipe to make to break in your Instant Pot! They are so easy to make and taste like they’ve been slow-roasting for hours. Tender, fall-off-the-bone perfection! 
Tender, smoked BBQ ribs that have been bathed in smoke for hours are pretty magical. Heck, I believe most all slow-smoked meats should have their place in heaven! But unless you own a BBQ restaurant, are independently wealthy, don’t have children, or have a blessed BBQ pitmaster as a neighbor that will share with you, ain’t nobody got time for smoking your own bbq ribs!
Am I right?
The beauty of Instant Pot Ribs
This is where the Instant Pot comes in. If you’re not familiar, an Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker that doubles as a slow cooker, rice and yogurt maker, and more. There’s so much you can do with it! There are lots of brands out there that make similar electric pressure cookers, but the Instant Pot is what I have and love with a big capital “L.”
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Pressure cookers work by cooking food under intense pressure, so they cook incredibly fast and do a great job of breaking down the collagen and connective tissue in meats that typically take hours to break down.
But with the pressure cooker, making tender, fall-off-the-bone Instant Pot Ribs takes about one hour start to finish. Take a look!
Instant Pot Ribs Tutorial
Easy right?
Cooking tips for these Instant Pot BBQ Ribs
- Make sure to remove the membrane or silver skin on the back of the baby back or spare ribs before cooking. During cooking, this membrane forms a thick, leathery skin that is less than desirable and prevents the flavors from penetrating into the meat fully.
- Root beer or Beer? Your choice! Both obviously yield different flavors, but are equally delicious!
- My recipe below includes a super simple spice rub for the bbq ribs that is phenomenal but feel free to use your favorite homemade or store-bought dry rub. The process of cooking is the same no matter what seasoning you choose to use.
These Instant Pot Ribs are so tender and cooking them in either beer, or root beer gives them just a little extra punch of flavor.
Once the ribs come out of the Instant Pot, I like to put them on a cookie sheet, brush my favorite BBQ sauce on them, and put them under the broiler for a few minutes. Doing this gives the sauce a chance to stick to the ribs and caramelize a bit, just like they were finished off on the grill!
Want more easy BBQ recipes?
Tools Used in making Instant Pot BBQ Ribs
- The Instant Pot! : This is the model that I have and LOVE. It’s been with me for over a year, and I’ve definitely put it through the ringer, but still works like new! It’s changed the dinnertime routine at our house and helps me make meals in under an hour that used to take HOURS!
- OXO Stainless Steel Tongs: These tongs take a beating in my kitchen. They go from the grill for flipping meats to the salad bowl for tossing with very little complaint. They are built like a tank and have silicone grips that make them super easy to use, even with my very small hands.
Instant Pot BBQ Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 rack pork baby back ribs
- 1/4 cup smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 11 ounces beer or root beer *See Notes*
- 1 cup BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to Broil
- Remove ribs from packaging and dry well with paper towels. Cut into sections of 3 ribs and set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk together smoked paprika, sugar, garlic salt, and onion powder. Sprinkle all of the seasoning over the ribs and rub in with fingertips.
- Place ribs into your Instant Pot and pour entire bottle of beer or root beer over the ribs. Close lid and set the pot to cook for 25 minutes at high pressure.
- When cooking time is up, allow pot to naturally release pressure most of the way (about 10 minutes) and then quick-release the rest.
- Remove ribs from pot and place on a baking sheet. Brush each piece with your favorite BBQ Sauce and place under the broiler until sauce is bubbly and starting to brown and caramelize-- about 5 minutes. Just watch them closely as things go fast under the broiler!
- Remove from oven and serve.
Notes
- Baby Back, St. Louis Style, and Pork Spare ribs will all work for this recipe. I used Baby Back for the video and pictures.
- Both Beer and Root Beer lend great flavor to the finished ribs-- so use what you have/want to! The end flavor will obviously be different but both are phenomenal.
Nutrition
John P says
Preheating your oven should probably not be Step #1 as that means you’re preheating for the 10 minute prep, 25 minute cook, 15 minute pressure release. Close to an hour running the oven for no reason. Maybe preheat it during the pressure release?
Wendy says
This was my first recipe using my new instant pot. I followed it exactly and they turned out amazing! My family LOVED these ribs. Thank you!!! I will be saving this one for sure!!!
Magge says
Has anyone used diet root beer and sugar free barbecue sauce??
Barbara says
I made these ribs as directed and they came out just as described in the recipe! I am new to Instant Pot, so this was the second dish I made! They really were “fall off the bone” tender and flavorful. I used root beer. The only recommendation I would have is for those that like a little heat with their ribs to add a little black pepper or cayenne pepper to the spice mix. Another spice to add some additional flavor is ground mustard. I think any cola would also work well in this recipe.
Marcy says
Can you make these by just using barbecue sauce in the instapot
Cody says
I’ve done ribs in the instapot alone before, and I felt that they were a bit too tender. The taste was great, but the meat was a bit too soft for my taste. I think most recipes call for some oven time for a reason…
Angie says
Just tried these and they came out great!! I did use brown sugar instead of white sugar, and I used Dr Pepper instead of root beer – because that’s what I had my house LOL and everything came out great. They’re so tender, and so good. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Dee says
What do I do with all that wonderful leftover juice from the beer?
Leah says
Just made these for my husband for Father’s Day. I was nervous because I’ve never made ribs AND I’m new to using the Instant Pot. We ALL loved them, including my 13 year old daughter! Thanks for sharing!
Jeanne says
First time making ribs of any kind-turned out awesome!!!!!!
Julie says
Excellent ribs! Followed recipe exactly and it came out great. Don’t hesitate to try it.
Suz says
Good recipe. I’ve also used Dr. Pepper for the liquid. Before I cut my ribs apart I pull the membrane off the underside by grabbing one end with a paper towel and carefully pulling.
Katie says
If you cook two racks at the same time, do you have to increase the cooking time? 25 minutes was perfect for one rack!!
Heather Cheney says
It depends on the size of your pressure cooker. If the racks can both fit in there easily and allow the heat to hit all sides of the ribs as it does with just one rack, the time shouldn’t change. But if they are really crammed in there, the heat won’t be able to penetrate the meat as easily and will need a longer cooking time. Hope that helps!
Mary says
I had the same question. Has anyone tried 2 racks at one time? I make this often with one rack, but am cooking for a bigger crowd and wanted to try 2. I have the 8 qt pot.
Laura L. Aubuchon says
put them in a circle on inside he other and they cook just fine
Adam says
Where is a beer only 11oz?!
David Dreisbach says
Imported beers are commonly .33 liters which is 11.2 oz.
anon says
Anything over 11oz. is for the cook. 😉
Debby Gunn says
This was my first attempt with the Instant Pot. I literally went from the initial water test to this. Amazing! I feel like I’ve discovered magic. That said, these ribs were fall-apart delicious. My husband, who prior to this told me I make the best (4 hour process) ribs he’s ever tried, told me he could eat these everyday. I’m sold. Consider me a Pothead! I used root beer with this recipe, btw.
Delilah says
These were very good, however 25 min. was not enough cooking time. I used St. Louis ribs so that may have been the problem. They were done but still very tight on the bone even after broiling. Will let them go another 10-15 min next time.
Kristin Keber says
I’m new to Instant Pot use, and this looks like a great first recipe! Are the ribs frozen or defrosted to start? I’ve heard frozen meat can go into the Instant Pot so eanted to clarify.
Heather Cheney says
I prefer to use my meat defrosted. I haven’t ventured into frozen meat territory. 🙂
LAura Rodich says
I would aKwaYS. Start with DEfROsTEd ribs…you are going for “tender” with ribs and my experience with the Instant pOt I said that froz n meats don’t tender up very well. pLUS, the SEASONING you are putting on them WONT STICK to frozen ribs.
Laura Rodich says
Oops….Sorry for typos…”defrosted”
Benjamin Treckman says
This worked great! I used St. Louis ribs and hard cider instead of beer/root beer because that’s what I had on hand (oh and no onion powder). I flipped my ribs in the broiler to get both sides done.
scott krause says
Hi there, what kind of beer did you use?
Laura Rodich says
Made these for the second time in just a few weeks. I will never fire up my smoker and tend it for 6 hours again! These are hard to tell from the slow-cooked variety. I have used beer both times but added 1/2 bottle of Liquid Smoke tonight. For the BBQ sauce topping I LOVE Stubbs “Sticky and Sweet’, with NO corn syrup or additives. My husband and I can easily put away a whole rack of these!
Christine @ myblissfulmess says
This is perfectly quick and simple. Exactly the way I like to keep things in my own kitchen. I can’t wait to try these ribs!! They look so amazing!
Kim says
Do you stand the ribs upright on the sides or lay flat down? With or without trivet? Thanks
Victoria says
Hey Kim, when I watched the video I see she did NOT use a trivet and stacked the 3-rib portions on top of each other flat side down.