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Have you purchased an Instant Pot® yet? If not, I will link you to an alternate method to prepare these Instant Pot Barbecue Ribs, it will just take a bit longer. I mentioned last week that my kitchen is torn apart and I am without electrical outlets at the moment, so I am coming up with some creative meals…..
which is actually kind of fun!! During the summer I used my Belgian waffle iron to avoid turning on the oven and came up with some delicious Waffled Chocolate Chip Cookies, Blueberry Lemon Waffled Muffins, and even Waffled Brownies! This time around I am using my Instant Pot and an extension cord to help me create some delicious and FAST MEALS, lol…like these Instant Pot Barbecue Ribs…..
They are steamed to perfection in minutes, not hours!!
How to make Instant Pot Barbecue Ribs:
Place the steam rack in the bottom of your Instant Pot® inner pan, and pour in the water.** I knew that I was using Bourbon and Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce, so I used 1/2 a cup of Knob Creek Bourbon and 1/2 a cup of water…the bourbon is completely optional! {the riser/steam rack comes with the Instant Pot DUO60}
Sprinkle ribs with chipotle, garlic, and onion powders. Coil ribs into a circle and place vertically on top of the riser in the pan…..
Lock on the lid, and set Instant Pot to Manual, High Pressure for 25 minutes. {your Instant Pot will take 10 to 12 minutes to pressurize before it starts cooking}
When the timer is finished, use the Natural Pressure Release for 15 minutes. Unlock the lid and remove ribs from the Instant Pot…..
Place on a foil lined baking sheet and coat with barbecue sauce…..
Place under the broiler for a few minutes to caramelize the sauce. Cut ribs in-between the bones and serve with additional sauce…..
and Crispy Baked Potatoes, Baked Potato Wedges, or Crispy Herb Roasted Potatoes!
Notes:
- Why didn’t you cook the Instant Pot Barbecue Ribs with the sauce? Because the steam would pretty much wash the sauce right off the ribs. 😉
- Can I use cheap bourbon? NO – you will be able to taste the bourbon, the flavor is forced into the meat while it’s cooking. If you use cheap bourbon, your ribs will taste like cheap bourbon!
- I have not tried using Guinness yet, but I will let you know how it works once I give it a go. 😉
- Can I use a different brand of pressure cooker? Yes you can….I do not know exactly how each brand works so you may need to adjust cooking times if they seem off.
- I do not have a pressure cooker, but I still want to make ribs for dinner!! Follow the instructions in this post to bake your ribs in the oven.
More delicious barbecue sauce recipes:
- Tangy & Sassy Barbecue Sauce – alcohol free
- Cherry Chipotle Barbecue Sauce – alcohol free
- Ancho Orange Barbecue Sauce – Whole30/Paleo
- Pineapple Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
- Guinness Barbecue Sauce
- Sugar Free BBQ Sauce
Yes, I realize that having yet another kitchen appliance to store is a hassle, but you can’t beat delicious ribs in less than an hour. 😉
Check out the Instant Pot Recipes page for even more tips and recipes!
Update: If your pressure cooker did not come with a trivet you can purchase this silicone version here. {affiliate link}
Enjoy!!
Instant Pot Barbecue Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 cup water**
- 3 pound rack pork ribs
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- chipotle powder
- 1 cup barbecue sauce***
Instructions
- Place the rack/trivet in the bottom of your Instant Pot® inner pan, and pour in the water.**
- Sprinkle ribs with chipotle, garlic, and onion powders. Coil ribs into a circle to fit in the pan.
- Twist the lid to secure, and set Instant Pot to Manual, High Pressure for 25 minutes.
- When the timer beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes then turn the knob to release any remaining pressure.
- Remove the lid, then remove ribs from the Instant Pot. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and coat with barbecue sauce.
- Place under the broiler for 5 to 10 minutes to caramelize the sauce.
- Cut ribs in-between the bones and serve with additional sauce.
H says
The recipe for BBQ ribs in instant pot calls for one rack of ribs. Does the pot come larger to cook more than one rack of ribs? I cook for a large family
Lisa Johnson says
Yes, you can definitely fit more than one rack. I have seen people cook 3 racks for 40 minutes, then natural release for 15 but I have never tried it myself. Good luck!
Becky says
i just bought an instant pot, 5 qt, these ribs turned out amazing. very tender. thank you for sharing your tips.
Heather says
Trying this tonight but without the basket! Have you done this? I don’t have any accessories for my pressure cooker yet!
Lisa Johnson says
I have not Heather, but I others have and it worked great. Good luck!
Susan Slear says
With the timing noted in the recipe – is the meat falling off the bone or does it still have some chew to it? We like it to be chewed off the bone not real soft. So if this is for “falling off the bone” ribs I will reduce time.
Lisa Johnson says
Hi Susan – No, the meat is not falling off the bones as they are pulled out of the pot. 🙂