45 Minutes Instant Pot Pork Ribs
Craving ribs but don’t have all day to slow-cook them? These Instant Pot pork ribs are incredibly tender thanks to pineapple juice and take under an hour from start to finish. You’ll get juicy, flavorful ribs with sticky BBQ sauce on top—perfect for weeknight dinners or weekend cookouts!
How to Make Sure the Instant Pot Ribs are Tender
The secret to tender Instant Pot ribs is using a natural meat tenderizer like pineapple juice. The enzymes in pineapple break down the connective tissues, resulting in juicy, fall-off-the-bone ribs. Just be sure not to pressure cook for longer than 30 minutes—20 to 30 minutes is the sweet spot for tender ribs without drying them out or turning them mushy.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Pork Ribs
Pork ribs – Preferably baby back ribs for a tender bite and quicker cook time.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. I only recommend products I believe will be helpful to you. If you decide to purchase products through my links, please know that I truly thank you.
Salt – To enhance the flavor of the meat before adding rubs or sauces.
BBQ rub – Use your favorite brand or homemade blend for a smoky, sweet, or spicy kick.
Pineapple juice – Natural tenderizer that adds sweetness and breaks down tough fibers. I blend a whole pineapple flesh and dilute with water to make 6 cups. You can use the can pineapple. Alternatively, you can use apple or orange juice as seen in the recipe card video below if you are not a pineapple person.
Apple cider vinegar – Balances the sweetness and adds tang.
BBQ sauce – For brushing the ribs before broiling and serving.
How to Make Instant Pot Ribs
- Pat the ribs dry.
- Remove the silver skin (membrane) on the back of the ribs if needed. Most store-bought ribs already have it removed.
- Season the ribs with salt, followed by a generous amount of your favorite BBQ rub.
- Add the liquid to the Instant Pot: Combine pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, and bbq sauce of your choice.
- Place the ribs inside the pot: Roll them in a coil with the bones facing in and the meaty side facing the outer pot.
- Pressure cook on high for 20- 25 minutes.
- Brush the both sides of the ribs with BBQ sauce and broil in the oven for 15–20 minutes until caramelized.
- Let them rest for 5–10 minutes, then slice or pull apart and enjoy!
What to Do with Leftover Cooking Liquid and Related Recipes
- Homemade BBQ sauce
- Gluten Free Gravy (This is a turkey gravy but you can use the same approach.)
- Sticky Asian Pork Ribs Recipe : Sweet, a little spicy with Thai and Korean approach.
- Pickled Mustard Green Soup
- Leng Saeb : Instant Pot Pork Bones Soup
- Nam Ngiao : Northern Thai Noodle Soup
- Winter Melon Soup
45 Minutes Instant Pot Pork Ribs
Equipment
- 1 pressure Cooker Click on the link to see my Instant Pot
- 1 cooling rack
Ingredients
- 3 – 4 lbs back ribs (pork ribs)
- 2 tsp salt or to taste
- ½ cup bbq rubs I used my homemade one but you can use your favorite bbq rubs.
- 6 cups pineapple juice (or apple or orange juice) (Add a little bit of pineapple juice if you can to make it super tender.)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup bbq sauce ( and more for brushing later)
Instructions
- Prep the ribs: Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel. If needed, remove the silver skin (the thin membrane on the back of the ribs) using a small knife. Most store-bought ribs already have it removed.
- Season the ribs: Sprinkle salt all over the ribs, then coat them evenly with your favorite BBQ rub. Be sure to rub it in on both sides for full flavor.
- Add the liquids to the Instant Pot: Pour pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, and bbq sauce into the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Place the ribs in the pot : Roll the seasoned ribs into a coil and place them inside the pot with the bone side facing in and the meaty side facing out.
- Pressure cook the ribs : Seal the lid and set the Instant Pot to High Pressure for 20–25 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Brush with BBQ sauce and broil : Carefully remove the ribs and place them meaty side up on a foil-lined baking sheet or cooling rack then baking sheet. Brush with your favorite BBQ sauce and broil on high for 15–20 minutes, until caramelized and slightly charred.
- Rest and serve : Let the ribs cool for 5–10 minutes before slicing or pulling them apart. Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side and enjoy!
So delicious!! You weren’t lying about the time! Juicy, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs with sweet undertones, but not too sweet. I definitely recommend the pineapple juice trick-yum-o!!
Yay! Thank you so much. So glad to hear that you like them 😀