Serve your family tender and delicious saucy Beef Ribs without hours of cooking time or the need for a BBQ. The Instant Pot really shines in this easy three step meal!
Ribs can be challenging but with the right tools, they can also be amazing. This is a three step recipe that begins with a dry rub applied to the ribs anywhere from 2-24 hours before cooking. This adds flavor without adding moisture.
The ribs then go into the pressure cooker to get fall-off-the-bone tender, and then are bathed in a generous layer of barbecue sauce and baked to caramelized perfection.
Delicious results in just a fraction of the time, all thanks to the Instant Pot!
How to make Easy Three Step Instant Pot Beef Ribs
The Instant Pot has the ability to tenderize meats while cooking them and the Instant Pot makes all the difference in this recipe by literally shaving hours off of the process.
These ribs are super easy to make. The meat is off-the-bone tender, bathed in a generous layer of barbecue sauce, then baked to caramelized perfection.
Please note: I am using “Instant Pot” as a blanket term for any pressure cooker, not just the name brand one.
STEP ONE: The first step is to give the ribs a jump start of flavor by using a dry rub and giving it some time to permeate the meat.
In a small bowl, combine the dry rub ingredients and set aside. Cut the rib sections so that later they will be able to fit into the Instant pot (2 or 3 rib sections). If there is a membrane on the ribs, you will want to remove it. There is a great video by The Frugal Chef that shows you exactly how to do it.
Once the ribs are ready, lightly rub the olive oil all over the rib sections and then work the dry rub into all sides of each section. Cover, refrigerate, and rest for 2-24 hours.
STEP TWO: Place a steamer rack or small trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot to keep the ribs above the liquid. Pour apple cider vinegar into the bottom of the instant pot and place the rib sections on the rack.
The flavor that the ribs gain with the infusion of the vinegar is the perfect amount of acid to balance the dry rub and the sweetness of the barbecue sauce that finishes the dish.
Seal the Instant Pot and set to cook on manual for 30 minutes. Once finished, allow the pressure to naturally release over a 15 minute period. This is an important part of the process of getting the ribs tender and a great time to preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Cover a baking sheet in foil. Remove the ribs from the Instant pot and place onto the baking sheet.
Using a pastry brush, generously coat the ribs in barbecue sauce. Any barbecue sauce that you want to use is fine. You need about 1/3 cup but you can use as much or as little as you like.
We make a homemade barbecue sauce that is absolutely delicious. It is great on beef, on pork, on chicken and as a dipping sauce. There’s no added sugar, no added salt or preservatives, and it is wonderful on these ribs!
STEP THREE: Place the ribs into the oven on the middle rack and bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes until the barbecue sauce begins to caramelize and the ribs crisp up a bit.
Remove the ribs from the oven, cut and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Other Easy Meal Ideas You May Enjoy
Grilled Chicken Fajita Salad – all of the deliciousness of a perfect fajita in a salad. A great summer meal.
Easy Instant Pot Mongolian Beef – This is a delicious take on traditional Mongolian Beef that takes a fraction of the time and has delicious results!
Baked Salmon with Green Goddess Sauce – Bright and flavorful, this baked (or grilled) salmon is served with the most delicious sauce you’ve ever tasted. So good!
Crockpot Sweet and Sour Ribs – Pork ribs in a sticky sweet and sour sauce – fall off the bone delicious!
Penne Pasta with Vodka Sauce – A made-from-scratch simple sauce with just a couple of extra ingredients takes pasta to a whole new level.
Easy Three Step Instant Pot Beef Ribs
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
Dry Rub
- 2 tbsp brown sugar packed
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp dry mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
Other Ingredients
- 4 – 5 pounds Beef back rib sections membrane removed if present
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
Step One – Dry Rub
- In a small bowl, combine the dry rub ingredients and set aside.
- Cut the rib sections so that later they will be able to fit into the Instant pot. Lightly rub the sections with the olive oil and then work the dry rub into all sides of each section. Cover, refrigerate, and rest for 2-24 hours.
Step Two: Instant Pot
- Place a steamer rack or small trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot to keep the ribs above the liquid. Pour the apple cider vinegar into the bottom of the instant pot and place the rib sections on the rack.
- Seal the Instant Pot and set to cook on manual for 30 minutes. Once finished, allow the pressure to naturally release over a 15 minute period. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Step Three: Bake
- Cover a baking sheet in foil. Remove the ribs from the Instant pot and place onto the baking sheet.
- Using a pastry brush, generously coat the ribs in barbecue sauce.
- Place the ribs into the oven on the middle rack and bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes until the barbecue sauce begins to caramelize and the ribs crisp up a bit.
- Remove the ribs from the oven, cut and serve immediately. Enjoy!
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