BBQ Ribs in the Instant Pot – Quick

Are weeknight ribs not on your menu simply because of the time it takes to make them? With this recipe, it’s really easy to have quick homemade BBQ ribs in the Instant Pot!

We received an instant pot as a wedding gift from my grandmother and it has most definitely become one of the most used appliances in our kitchen. At first, I didn’t know how to use it to make anything else besides rice. My husband and I continue to experiment with it and make anything from one pot meals, roasted veggies, perfectly cooked meats, even desserts! This time we tried our hand at BBQ ribs in the instant pot.

We love ribs, who doesn’t? A perfect baby back rib falling off the bone with BBQ sauce dripping down your hands. We use this flavorful rub mix my husband mixed up and throw them in the instant pot. You can then literally just forget about them for the next hour while you whip up some homemade fries or steamed broccoli for a side. It’s wonderful.

Prep the ribs

Simply start by patting the ribs dry with a paper towel. An optional step is to flip the ribs over so the bottom side is facing you, and score through the membrane. This allows the ribs to be more tender. Then generously sprinkle spice mixture over ribs, making sure to cover both sides. You want to make sure you rub in the mix to meat.

Add to Instant Pot

The ribs are now ready to go into the instant pot. You’ll want to add about a cup of water to the instant pot, and then place a trivet in the instant pot bowl to keep the ribs out of the water. You’ll want to wrap the ribs so that the bottom (scored side) is facing outward and so that the bones are facing down.

Instant pot settings

Now just set the instant pot to the pressure cook setting, on high for 16-25 minutes. The time depends on the size of the rack of ribs, and how tender you want them. We cooked ours for 23 minutes. If you’re new to using an instant pot, there is then a release time. So due to the pressure built up on the inside when cooking, you have to allow the pressure to release before opening the lid. In this case, it is a natural release so you just allow the instant pot to vent until you hear the click of the seal releasing (about 15 minutes).

Add the BBQ sauce

At this point, you’ll have fall off the bone ribs ready to be smothered in BBQ sauce and ready to eat. However, we took the extra step of putting them in the oven on high broil after we covered them in BBQ sauce to caramelize the sauce a little. This took about 7 minutes, and then they were perfect. You can use your favorite BBQ sauce to top them, one of our current favorites is the Kinders Honey BBQ sauce.

Ready to eat

These perfect quick homemade BBQ ribs in the instant pot in just under an hour will feel like a luxury for a weeknight dinner with such little effort! See full recipe card below for ingredient list and step by step instructions with some extra tips. We hope you’ll give this recipe a try!