These Instant Pot BBQ Pork Ribs are fall off the bone tender, delicious, and super sticky from a delicious Whiskey BBQ sauce. But most importantly they will be on your dinner table in under an hour!
Pork Ribs
I spend all day today fantasizing about fall off the bone tender pork ribs, slathered in a tangy whiskey BBQ sauce, paired alongside some creamy coleslaw. As you all know, my dreams (when they involve food) are always attainable. I decided to pop these pork ribs in my Instant Pot to speed the process along and I’m glad I did because I didn’t have to wait long at all before digging in. Let’s get this recipe going, and you’ll be feasting in under an hour!
Instant Pot BBQ Pork Ribs
I usually hold off on making ribs at home, they just take too long after a full day of work. But not anymore! Your trusty Instant Pot will develop so much flavor and cut your cooking time in half. I slathered these meaty treats in a homemade whiskey BBQ sauce that had just the right amount of kick after rubbing them all over with a gorgeous rub. Enough chatting, lets get BBQing!
Ingredients In Instant Pot BBQ Pork Ribs
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Ribs
- Ribs –Â Baby back pork ribs are what we’re using today. About 2 racks worth.
- Apple Juice –Â We need some liquid in our pressure cooker to ensure it actually works. Don’t worry about the juice washing off your dry rub!
- Apple Cider Vinegar –Â We need some tang to our ribs and apple cider vinegar is the best thing for it. It will also chemically tenderize your meat while it cooks. If white vinegar is all you have that is more than fine as a substitute.
- Liquid smoke –Â This ingredient is optional if you can’t find any at your supermarket, but I definitely recommend it in terms of achieving that smokey flavor that all good BBQ has.
Dry Rub
- Sugar –Â We want to be sure our rub has a bit of sweetness, and that complex molasses flavor that we get from brown sugar is what we want most of all.
- Seasoning –Â Salt and pepper! Savory and rubbed in well.
- Spices – Dry mustard, onion powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper all mixed up well. These ingredients are key to achieving our scrumptious flavor so do your best to hunt them down!
Whiskey BBQ Sauce
- BBQ sauce – We’re using some store bought sauce as our base, any kind will do as we’re going to improve upon it!
- Ketchup –Â Some sweetness, some acidity, plain old ketchup is perfect for a pork rib BBQ sauce.
- Whiskey –Â The star of this sauce will offer our sauce some beautiful depth and vanilla notes. Any kind will do so don’t worry about picking up anything that’s too fancy.
- Brown sugar –Â We want to carry that sweet molasses flavor through our entire BBQ Pork Rib recipe.
- Worcestershire sauce –Â This will give our ribs some savory umami flavor.
- Liquid smoke –Â Since we aren’t actually smoking these ribs, we want to ensure that faux smoke flavor is incorporated in every step.
How To Make Instant Pot BBQ Pork Ribs
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Prepare the dry rub: Combine dry rub ingredients in a small bowl and combine thoroughly.
- Remove the membrane:Â Information on exactly how to remove pork rib membrane can be found little further down the page.
- Cook your ribs: Rub the dry rub into you pork ribs and place them in your instant pot, standing up and wrapping around the inside of the pot to be sure they all fit. Pour the apple juice, apple cider vinegar and liquid smoke inside the Instant pot, no need to stir. Set the Instant Pot to the Meat/Stew setting and set the timer to 20 minutes.
- Mix up the whiskey BBQ sauce:Â While the ribs are cooking prepare the BBQ sauce. In a small saucepan add all the BBQ sauce ingredients and stir to combine. Simmer on low heat for about 20 to 25 minutes, the sauce should reduce a bit.
- Finish the BBQ Pork Ribs: Carefully remove the ribs from the Instant Pot and place them onto a baking sheet. Brush them generously with the prepared BBQ sauce on both sides and place under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Keep the door to your oven open while broiling the ribs and keep an eye on them, because they could burn quickly. Serve with additional BBQ sauce and enjoy!
How To Remove Membrane From Baby Back Ribs
- Slide a dinner knife under the membrane and over a bone starting at one end of the rack.
- Lift and loosen the membrane until it tears.
- Grab the edge of the membrane with a paper towel and pull it off.
- The membrane should come off in one whole piece.
Other Ways To Make BBQ Pork Ribs
Slow cooker
Follow all the above instructions just the same, but instead set the slow cooker to LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4. Follow it up with a good broil session and enjoy with additional BBQ sauce.
Oven
Preheat your oven to 325 F degrees and allow your ribs to marinate in your wet mixture. Remove and rub well with our dry rub mix. Wrap your dry rub encrusted ribs in some heavy duty foil. Bake for about 2 hours or until tender. Remove and slather in your homemade whiskey BBQ sauce before broiling as instructed above.
How To Serve Instant Pot BBQ Pork Ribs
This dish can be served alongside so many tasty dishes! I love to whip up some of my Mexican Street Corn Salad or Roasted Fingerling Potatoes for that veggie fix. My Zucchini And Corn Fritters also make for a perfectly crispy accompaniment or fluffy Honey Rolls.
Storing Leftover BBQ Pork Ribs
If stored properly in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in aluminum foil, these ribs will last 3 – 4 days in the fridge. You can also freeze this recipe, for 2 – 3 months wrapped tightly in foil before thawing in the microwave or in cold water. Reheat in the oven and slather in sauce.
Craving More BBQ? Try These Delicious Recipes:
- Korean BBQ Ribs
- Greek Pork Loin Ribs and Potatoes Sheet Pan Dinner
- Honey Glazed Rack of Pork Ribs
- Beer And Honey BBQ Chicken Skewers
- Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
- Maple BBQ Glazed Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
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Instant Pot BBQ Pork Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
For Dry Rub
- 1 tbsp dry mustard
- 1 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp black pepper ground
- 2 tsp salt
For Ribs
- 2 racks baby back pork ribs (about 3 to 4 lbs)
- 4 cups apple juice
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp liquid smoke
For BBQ Sauce
- 1/2 cup bbq sauce store bought
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup whiskey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp liquid smoke
Instructions
- Prepare the dry rub by combining all the dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs with a paper towel.
- Season the baby back ribs with the dry rub generously on both sides.
- Place the ribs inside the Instant Pot, standing up and wrapping around the Instant Pot.
- Pour the apple juice, apple cider vinegar and liquid smoke inside the Instant pot, no need to stir. Close the lid (follow the manufacturer's guide for instructions on how to close the instant pot lid). Set the Instant Pot to the Meat/Stew setting and set the timer to 20 minutes.
- Once the Instant Pot cycle is complete, wait until the natural release cycle is complete, should take about 15 minutes. Follow the manufacturer's guide for quick release, if in a rush. Carefully unlock and remove the lid from the instant pot.
- While the ribs are cooking prepare the BBQ sauce. In a small saucepan add all the BBQ sauce ingredients and stir to combine. Simmer on low heat for about 20 to 25 minutes, the sauce should reduce a bit.
- Carefully remove the ribs from the Instant Pot and place them onto a baking sheet. Brush them generously with the prepared BBQ sauce on both sides and place under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Keep the door to your oven open while broiling the ribs and keep an eye on them, because they could burn quickly.
- Serve with leftover BBQ sauce.
Tina says
The whole family loved these ribs! This is one of our favourite recipes now 🙂 thank you!
jo says
My pleasure, glad to hear it!
DANGIT says
If I am making two racks of ribs, can I just add the ribs with rub to the liquids remainging in the pot from the first rack; or, do I need to redo the liquid? If reusing the liquid, how many times could I reuse; or, would the remaining solids burn?
Jo Cooks Team says
You can reuse the liquid as many times as you like! The solids shouldn’t burn but take a peek between racks to make sure the liquid still looks good.
KATHY COAKLEY says
I would like to know, do I put my Instant Pot on Pressure cook or meat and stew. When I press meat and stew it only has keep warm capability.
jo says
I used the Meat/Stew setting but it’s the same as high pressure, so it really doesn’t matter which you use.
DANGIT says
Can I use Saint Louis (meatier) ribs with this recipe?
Jo Cooks Team says
For sure! You can increase the cooking time to 25-30 minutes if they’re a lot meatier than the ones shown here.
Don Turtiak says
Holy Snap,
Also my first adventure with the Instant Pot: I live alone so I only bought the 3 quart so I cut the recipe in half.
Didn’t have any Cumin so I substituted an equal amount of Curry Powder, which of course has Cumin in it.
I felt the sauce needed a little “something” while it was simmering so I tossed in a “couple of shakes” (My Grandmother’s measurement) of Tabasco. That’s what I wanted! Just enough to wake up the taste buds on the back of the tongue but not enough to make one break out in a sweat. Almost like an ambush.
The ribs came out SOOOOOO tender and full of flavor.
Nummylicious, I’ll be doing this again for sure.
Nicole Beaulieu says
Nummylicious! We’ll have to start using that. We’re glad you love the ribs so much 🙂
Marisol says
So amazon prime day just happened and i finally purchased an Insta Pot!
My pot arrived yesterday and i put it to use today making these delicious ribs!
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I am a believer now in the magic of the Insta Pot.
Looking forward to using more of your amazing recipes on it!
Nicole Beaulieu says
It’s such a great tool in the kitchen! We’re so glad you loved the ribs 🙂
tony says
just an observation in your video, why do much liquid? I’ve been doing ribs in the IP now for a year and use 1/2 cup of liquid (usually just apple cider vinegar) I.m just curious why do much
Nicole Beaulieu says
We find that the apple juice is a great vehicle for all the flavors and when the ribs are more submerged, more flavor gets sucked up into the meat!
Bonnie says
Hi Jo!
If using 5 1/2 – 6 lbs. of ribs, before finishing off on the grill, would I adjust the cooking time?
Thank you!
Nicole Beaulieu says
You can add an extra 15 minutes onto the cook time. Enjoy!
Matt says
Best ribs I’ve ever made. Screw my smoker for ribs. This is the way to do ribs. Only tweak I make is rubbing the ribs with yellow mustard first, and then I put the dry rub on. Also, instead of 4 cups of apple juice, I do 1 cup of Sam Adams Lager and then 3 cups of apple juice.
Dutch says
This is going to be a dumb question but is that 3-4 lbs per rack or 3-4 lbs total?
Nicole Beaulieu says
3-4 lbs total!
Paul says
Really great recipe.
Joanna Cismaru says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Monica Howard says
These are absolutely amazing! Best Ribs I have ever made and so tender. Thank you
Joanna Cismaru says
Yes!!
Joyce Ribey says
Has anyone found a use for the liquid left in instant pot once ribs are removed?
Nicole Beaulieu says
You can reduce it and add it to the BBQ dipping sauce!
Nana D says
Maybe I missed it, but please clarify the pressure setting: Low, Normal, High?
Nicole Beaulieu says
High pressure on manual!
papaw jeff says
using the meat / stew button negates the need to make that selection
Ruchi says
These are amazing! I had a question…if I wanted to make these in advance for company, could I just do them in the instant pot and keep them on ‘warm’. Then when my guests arrive, take them out, put the barbecue sauce on, and then broil? Or would it be better to take them out, put the barbecue sauce on, wrap them in foil and then bake them in the oven on low for a bit before serving?
Thanks so much…I’m used to doing the slow cooker method but so happy to cut the time with the instant pot.
Nicole Beaulieu says
Your first idea is exactly what I would do! You’ll get that beautiful caramelization from the broiler.