Chowing down on ribs has become something of a Father’s Day tradition in my family, though I’m not entirely sure where or when it started. The past few years I have been trying to figure out the most delicious, time-saving, and easiest way to whip up these bad boys, and I think I’ve finally found it – The Instant Pot.
If you haven’t heard of the Instant Pot, it’s basically a pressure cooker, steamer, crockpot, and hot plate all in one little device. When I received one as a Christmas gift this year, I wasn’t entirely sure I would ever use it. After all, I already had two crockpots and a pressure cooker and didn’t think I needed another device in my arsenal. (Yeah, my kitchen storage is very full). Slowly but surely I started experimenting with this little guy and now it’s a permanent fixture on my counter.
From my many years of experimentation, I’ve found that the best ribs are slow cooked in some way before being slathered in BBQ sauce and charred. This makes the meat fall right off the bone without sacrificing any of the yummy burned tips and sticky fingers. Last year, I finished my ribs on the grill, but this year I wanted to shoot for something a little more practical for the average cook. Using a broiler is the easiest method for delicious char and it involves a heck of a lot less finagling to unstick your prized ribs from the grates of your grill. The pull apart rib is a wonderful thing, but is not easily scraped off of a flaming hot grill in one piece.
This recipe is based off of my Magical Baby Back Ribs.
Ingredient List:
- 1 full rack of baby back ribs
- 1 cup water
for the spice rub:
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pink curing salt
- 2 tsp smoked salt
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp pepper
for the bbq sauce:
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp smoked salt
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
Kitchen Tools: Instant Pot, baking sheet, aluminum foil, pastry brush, saucepan
Prep Work:
- Remove the membrane from the underside of your ribs. Discard the membrane.
- Set your ribs upside down on a cutting board so that the bones on both sides are sticking up at you. Slip a paring knife under the transparent membrane that runs along the entire backside, perpendicular to the rib bones. Carefully make a big enough space for your fingers, and use a good yank to tear it off the rack. It should come off in one long sheet.
- Combine all ingredients for your spice rub in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle evenly on all sides of both racks, rubbing it in lightly with your fingers before flipping.
Cooking:
- Place the steaming rack in your Instant Pot and pour the cup of water in. Arrange your ribs in a circle so that they fit inside the pot.
- Set a manual pressure cook for 27 minutes.
- While ribs are cooking, whisk together all BBQ sauce ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes or until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Once ribs are done, flip the release knob on your Instant Pot to start the steam release. Preheat your broiler to high.
- Place your ribs on a baking sheet and baste both sides liberally with barbecue sauce. Broil for 3-5 minutes until the top is burnt to your liking.
- You probably won’t use all of the sauce. Save the rest for dipping and slathering tableside.
- Slice and serve with remaining BBQ sauce.
Tips + Tricks:
- Seasoning your ribs a few days ahead with the dry rub will allow the flavors to really penetrate the meat. If you’re not making these last minute like I was, I strongly suggest the pre-seasoning method!
- If you’re low on time, feel free to sub the homemade spice rub and bbq sauce with your favorite store bought versions.
- Removing the membrane from the back of the ribs helps to make them even more tender after low and slow cooking. Your butcher should be able to do it for you – just ask!
