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. Just put another rack on the inside of the outer one.

Why Are My Instant Pot Ribs Tough? If your ribs are tough, they likely haven't been cooked long enough. Try adding a little extra time to help them tenderize.

Pork ribs take closer to four hours in a slow cooker. Now that it's a little hot to have an oven on all day, I prefer cooking ribs in a multicooker, aka an Instant Pot, and then finishing them under a broiler for three to four minutes to crisp up the edges of the meat.

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.

Everyone has his favorite recipe-usually with his own name slapped on it. In general, butchers and others who know meat recommend 3/4 pound to 1 pound of pork ribs per person. To avoid burning on the grill, don`t baste the ribs with sauces containing tomato or sugars.

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.

The longer simmering time helps break down the connective tissue and skin and brings out the tenderness and flavor. The key to this method is to simmer, not boil. If you boil the meat for an hour it can lead to prematurely cooking of the ribs and you'll end up with awful, tough meat.

Yes, you can overcook ribs in an Instant Pot which is just not a good thing- the meat will be so tender that it will fall apart with just a little poke. . Often you can overcook it while you are trying to tenderize the ribs by pressure cooking.

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.

Meat Thermometer

Anything under that temperature and your ribs will be chewy, stringy, and tough. At 195 degrees F, that tissue starts to gelatinize and turn into tasty, melty deliciousness. Most ribs hit their sweet spot for doneness around 198 degrees F, but some take until 203 degrees F to be perfectly tender.

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.

Rather than going by the pound, consider the number of actual ribs. With other tasty dishes in the works, it's safe to serve around five or six ribs per person.

Count on half a rack, or six ribs per person if you are serving baby back ribs. Aim for four or five ribs per guest if you are serving spare ribs. Plan for two or three ribs per guest if you are cooking up beef back ribs.