Instant Pot Ribs Recipe (VIDEO) (2024)

FAQs

How many ribs can you cook in an Instant Pot? ›

One rack of baby back ribs fits easily in a 6-quart Instant Pot, and you can also do two racks at the same time though I've never needed to cook that many ribs at once.

This means that they're not cooked long enough. Be sure to cook the ribs for the full 30 minutes on high, and let the pressure release for 15 minutes before removing the lid. If you did this and the ribs are still tough, I recommend cooking them for an additional 5 minutes on high in the Instant Pot.

Nothing that a little sauce can't fix, and it does mean you get more of the pork flavor, but they're not as nuanced. And the winner is: The slow cooker, but just by a hair (by a rib?). If you're pressed for time, pressure cooker is the way to go.

If baking more than one rack, give them each their own baking sheet. Cover the ribs tightly with foil then bake for 3-1/2 hours at 250 degrees. If your rack of ribs is larger than 3lbs, add an additional 30 minutes baking time per additional 1/2 — 1lb ribs. For example, bake a 3 — 4lb rack of ribs for 4 hours.

Your goal is to get good color and caramelization on the outside of the ribs, but also to cook them long enough that the tough collagen breaks down and the meat becomes tender. Generally, the ribs will be browned before the meat is done, which is where the balancing act comes in.

When using a slower method like the grill, smoker, or oven, you'll need about 3-5 hours. Slower methods can be ready in as little as 30 minutes - however, keep in mind that the longer you cook your pork back ribs the more tender and succulent they'll be.

Moist, gentle heat and a wet vinegary sauce can save dry ribs. Here's what to do: Make a 50/50 mixture of your favorite BBQ sauce and apple cider vinegar and coat the ribs in this mixture. Then wrap the ribs tightly in foil and put them in a low oven (say 300°F) for about an hour.

Set the oven to 300°F. Move the ribs to an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Bake 2 1/2 to 3 hours for spareribs or 1 1/2 to 2 hours for baby back ribs. Halfway through cooking, cover the ribs with aluminum foil to protect them from drying out. Brush with barbecue sauce.

Pressure Cook

Set the metal trivet in the bottom of a 6 qt Instant Pot and pour a cup of water or beef broth in the bottom. Arrange the ribs and garlic on the trivet. Pressure cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. Natural release (do nothing) for 15 minutes then quick release the remaining pressure.

Do you put water in bottom of pan when cooking ribs? ›

Pre-heat oven to 275 degrees. Use a 2 piece broiler pan, the lower half filled with very hot water, then layer racks of rib on the top. Ribs can be left whole in racks and layered, I have done 6 at a time, they still come out great.

They key to tender and juicy ribs is a slow cook process at low temperatures. The best way to maximize tenderness and juiciness is to braise your ribs, which means cook them in a liquid. This liquid needs to be salty to not draw the juices out of the ribs through osmosis.

With that in mind, what I tend to use and find is the best spritz for smoking is apple cider vinegar but water will work as well, or a 50/50 mix. Another great alternative is apple juice where the sugars in the juice also add another level of flavour to your bark.

So, if ribs are going to be the main meat you are cooking, you can usually plan for: 6 ribs per person when serving baby back pork ribs. 4 - 5 ribs per person when serving pork spare ribs. 2 - 3 ribs per person when cooking beef back ribs.

Generally, it is a good idea to buy a minimum of four ribs per person to fill up your guests. With the difference in the number of bones and meat in each rack, it can be hard to get the right amount to feed an entire party, but you should be able to get a general idea of how many orders you will need.