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The Best Instant Pot Ribs Recipe
For years we have been perfecting our mouth-watering Smoked Baby Back Ribs (they are seriously so good), but when you simply don’t have the time our trusty Instant pot comes to the rescue! It’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal and leaves you with fall-off-the-bone ribs that the whole crew will devour. And to add that finishing touch, we added an option to finish them off on the grill or under the broiler to get that tacky bbq sauce that you know and love. Plus, a not-so-secret ingredient that is going to add the most amazing touch of sweetness!
Looking for More Recipes Like This?
Then you’ve got to try our Best Grilled Ribs recipe. It’s the perfect one to try when you have a bit more time on your hands.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, & estimated nutritional information.
- pork ribs – We used baby back ribs which are just slightly smaller than spare ribs, which would also work in this recipe but requires 3 more minutes of cook-time.
- liquid smoke – Not a deal breaker, but adds such a nice smokey flavor that you can’t achieve in the instant pot alone.
- dry rub – we’ve got this awesome homemade rib rub recipe or use your favorite store-bought variety.
- Dr. Pepper – use this classic soda or a similar Olipop to bring all the best moisture with a little bit of sweetness. Definitely a secret ingredient that changed this whole cooking method for us.
How To Make The Best Instant Pot Ribs
Begin by rubbing the rubs down in liquid smoke, worcestershire, and then yellow mustard.
Mix up that dry rub and coat all sides of the ribs.
How To Remove The Membrane
A lot of pre-packaged ribs already have the thin layer of membranes removed, but if you bought your ribs straight from a butcher, it might still be attached. The membrane is the thin layer on the back of the ribs that is white(ish) in color. Simply take the tip of a butter knife, lift off the corner, and slowly pull it off! Easy!
Now, pour in the soda and place the trivet in the bottom.
Don’t Have Dr. Pepper? (or don’t want to use it)
Simply pour in one cup of chicken broth and a half cup of apple cider vinegar instead.
Place the racks of ribs on the trivet (vertically) and seal the lid on top.
Cook on a high pressure for 24 minutes and let it naturally release for 5 minutes.
Remove the ribs and place them on a sheet pan.
Option to brush BBQ sauce on each rack and place under the broiler in the oven for a few minutes to finish.
Favorite Sides To Serve With IP BBQ Ribs
We have so many side dish recipes that are perfect for enjoying with these juicy ribs. A few favorites are our Purple Cabbage Coleslaw, Slow Cooker Baked Beans, and Cornbread! Also, cooked ribs can easily be wrapped in aluminum foil to keep warm while you finish prepping any sides. Perfect for feeding a crowd at your next family gathering!
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- Will Two Racks Of Ribs Fit? We have a 6-qt instant pot, and when we cut our two slabs of baby back ribs in half, they easy fit. Check the size of your instant pot before deciding what type of ribs to cook and how many!
- Can you cook frozen ribs in the Instant Pot? Yes! Just increase the cooking time by 10 minutes (more if they are bigger than normal). But definitely make sure they are fully prepped before you freeze them (already cut in half and already have the rub on them – once they are frozen, the rub won’t stick to them)
- What are some other ways to cook ribs? BBQ ribs are a family favorite around here and we have used many different rib cooking methods! Check out our recipes for Smoked Ribs, Oven Baked Ribs, & Grilled Ribs.
- Why are my ribs tough? This is usually due to your ribs not cooking long enough to break down the connective tissue on the ribs. Be sure to let them naturally release for at least 5 minutes and then quick release for the remaining pressure.
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Dr. Pepper Ribs Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Total Time: 44 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Description
Our Instant Pot Ribs recipe is the easiest way to make ribs EVER! Fall-off-the-bone ribs ready in a fraction of the time!
Ingredients
Rib Rub:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
Instant Pot Ribs
- (2) full rack of baby back ribs (approx. 3lbs each)
- 1–2 tablespoons liquid smoke, more if needed to cover
- 1–2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce, more if needed to cover
- 1/2 cup yellow mustard, more if needed to cover
- 2 cans Olipop Dr. Goodwin OR Dr. Pepper
- approx. 1 cup of your favorite BBQ Sauce (homemade bbq sauce or store-bought)
Instructions
- Prep Dry Rub: Combine all the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl.
- Prep Ribs: Cut the rack of ribs in half and if the ribs have a membrane, pull to remove it. Place ribs on a baking sheet. Pour a little liquid smoke, one half section of ribs at a time, and rub all over to thinly coat. Repeat with worcestershire sauce and yellow mustard (use enough to leave a good coating on the ribs using more than listed, if necessary). Take the dry rub and rub all over each section.
- Instant Pot: Add the Dr. Goodwin (or Dr. Pepper) to the Instant Pot. Place the trivet inside. Set ribs on top of the trivet so the ribs are vertical.
- Cook Ribs: Secure the lid to the Instant Pot on top. Cook on High Pressure for 24 minutes (add 2-3 minutes if the ribs are bigger than normal). Let Instant Pot naturally release for 5 minutes and then manually release according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Barbecue Sauce + Finish: Once ribs come out of the Instant Pot, place them on a cookie sheet (meat side up), brush with your favorite BBQ sauce and then broil on high for 4-5 minutes – or until sauce has started to just barely caramelize (watch carefully as oven temps will vary).
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Spare Ribs: You can actually use spare ribs, if you want; they aren’t as good (in my opinion), but they definitely still work. Spare ribs tend to be bigger than baby back ribs, so I would suggest increasing the cook time by 3 minutes.
- Finish on Grill: Preheat your outdoor grill to 300 degrees F. While that heats remove ribs from Instant Pot and place on a sheet pan, meat side up. Brush with your favorite BBQ sauce to coat. Place on hot grill grates for 3 minutes per side or under your oven broiler (set to High) for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Frozen: You can cook ribs from frozen, just ensure they are fully prepped beforehand (rub with liquid smoke, mustard, and dry rub + cut into half racks) and then cook for an additional 10 minutes in the pressure cooker.
- Don’t want to use Dr. Pepper/Olipop? you can simply replace with 1 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar.
- Testing – What We Learned: One thing we tested was adding sauce to only half of the ribs before they went under the broiler – they were honestly good either way! If you are *not* saucing your ribs, then you might want to leave them under the broiler a bit longer. But both work well, it’s just personal preference whether you like the sauce or not (personally, I like the sauciness better!).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz
- Calories: 967
- Sugar: 37.7 g
- Sodium: 2257.5 mg
- Fat: 52.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 48.6 g
- Fiber: 2.7 g
- Protein: 75.1 g
- Cholesterol: 252.3 mg
Originally published May 23, 2019. Recipe retested and new photos added September 11, 2025.
Trev says
These are amazing!
Erin says
Yay!! Glad you like them!!