An Easy Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs (Foolproof + Tender)

Like chicken wings, baby back ribs are one of my specialities. And, to be honest, I was always of the opinion that ribs belong on the grill. I learned my original BBQ back ribs recipe from my Momma, and she knows how to cook some ribs!

Eventually, I tried air fryer ribs, and now, these Instant Pot baby back ribs. The goal is always to make the ribs taste like the grill and still fall off the bone, even without the grill. Goal achieved, and man, were these good. I’ll show you how to double down on the flavor and make perfectly juicy, tender baby back ribs in the Instant Pot every time.

Why Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs Are a Weeknight Favorite

• Quick and easy. The beauty of pressure cooking is that it’s practically fool proof. Just add your ingredients to the Instant Pot, seal, and cook. The only downfall? You can only fit two full racks in the Instant Pot at one time! Haha!
• Fall-off-the-bone tender. The rib meat falls off the bone and cuts like butter. That’s when you know they’re perfect, and that’s exactly what you get with this Instant Pot ribs recipe.
• Savory seasonings. By “double down” on flavor, I mean rubbing the ribs with a smoky spice rub, cooking them over apple cider vinegar and liquid smoke, and then slathering them with BBQ sauce under the broiler. It’s my tried-and-tested method for the best BBQ ribs ever. You’ll see.

Ingredients Needed

You only need a few ingredients to make these Instant Pot baby back ribs. The key to this flavorful recipe is a smoky dry spice rub and the liquid inside the Pot, because it helps “steam” the ribs until they fall off the bone. Scroll to the recipe card for the exact measurements for each ingredient.

• Baby Back Ribs – Two full pork baby back ribs, not the beef rib or spare ribs. Make sure they are pork and say baby back.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – The Instant Pot relies on liquid to avoid throwing a burn notice. Rather than adding only water to the pot, I add apple cider vinegar for that nice Kansas City Rib flavor. A little bit goes a long way!
• Liquid Smoke – It sounds fancy, but it’s not. It’s essentially a small bottle filled concentrated smoke flavor. This will give your ribs the flavor from the grill even though they aren’t being cooked on the grill.
• Onion and Garlic – Great aromatics for added flavor.
• Spice Rub – This is a special spice rub I use on all my rib recipes. It’s a mixture of garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, cinnamon (yes, you read that right), salt, and pepper.
• BBQ Sauce – I lather the BBQ sauce on after the ribs have cooked in the Instant Pot. I use my easy homemade BBQ sauce, or you could use your favorite BBQ Sauce, and place the ribs under the broiler to crisp up.

Prep the Ribs for the Instant Pot

Most racks of ribs still have the membrane or silver skin on them. The membrane is the white shiny connective tissue on the back (bone side) of the ribs that can make meat a little chewy. Removing this from your meat can give you a more tender end result.

How to Remove the Membrane

Check to make sure the membrane on your ribs has been removed and if it hasn’t, follow these steps to remove it:

• Place the rib bone-side-up. First, flip the rib over so that the meat side is face down and bone side is facing up.
• Loosen the membrane. Starting on one side, gently slide a knife under the membrane and pull it off just a little bit.
• Pull! Once you have enough membrane to hold on to, you should be able to pull it all off in one pull. Just make sure you are pulling from one side all the way to the other to ensure you’re removing the entire thing.

How to Make Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs

Once your ribs are prepped and ready, here’s how to cook them in your Instant Pot:

1. Make the spice rub. Combine garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper in a bowl. Rub the seasoning over the ribs on all sides.
2. Fill the pot. Next, pour water, apple cider vinegar, and liquid smoke to the bottom of the Instant Pot and place the wire rack inside. Curl the the ribs inside the pot, “meat side” facing up. Add chopped onion and garlic.
3. Cook. Seal the lid, and set the IP to cook on Pressure Cooker mode for 25 minutes. Afterward, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, and then quick-release the rest.
4. Get ready to broil. Meanwhile, set your oven broiler on high, and line a baking sheet with foil. Transfer the ribs from the Instant Pot to the lined baking sheet. Brush the ribs with BBQ sauce.
5. Broil. Place your baby back ribs under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, and enjoy.

Ribs Cooking Time Guide

The exact pressure cooking time depends on how “meaty” your ribs are. The more meat on the bone, the longer you’ll want to cook the ribs. Or, if you’re doing multiple racks, you’ll want to cook them longer. Here is a quick guide on cooking times. 

• 1 full rack – 23 minutes
• 1 full meaty rack – 25 minutes
• 2 full racks – 25 minutes
• 2 full meaty racks – 27 minutes

Frequently Asked Questions

What to Serve With BBQ Baby Back Ribs

If you’re serving baby back ribs you definitely want to make them the star, but having some simple yet delicious sides is always a good idea! Here are our favorites:

• Vegetables: Try these grilled vegetables, easy Instant Pot sweet potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, or grilled corn on the cob.
• Salad: I love my quick 10-minute cucumber salad or a creamy potato salad with bacon.
• Fries: Serve baby back ribs with crispy baked fries and garlic aioli for a classic steakhouse combo.

Freezing and Reheating

You can prep these ribs ahead of time and cook Instant Pot ribs right from frozen. I like to cut the rubs to the right size and add the spice rub prior to freezing. This way, all I have to do is just place them in the Instant Pot and proceed with the rest of the recipe. If they go in right from frozen, add about 5-7 minutes extra to the suggested cooking time.

Even though you can cook these baby back ribs from frozen, I’ll always recommend thawing them out first. Whenever I’ve cooked anything from frozen, I find the meat tends to be a little drier than when it’s thawed out completely beforehand.

More Instant Pot Recipes

• Instant Pot Beef Stew
• Honey Garlic Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
• Instant Pot Chili
• Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa