🍖 Fall-Off-The-Bone BBQ Ribs – Easy Instant Pot & Oven Method
These BBQ baby back ribs are slow-cooked until tender, then finished with a smoky, caramelized glaze. Perfect for dinner or a backyard cookout.
Baby Back Ribs or St. Louis Style Spareribs
4
servings10
minutes1
hour400
kcalThese BBQ Baby Back Ribs or St. Louis Style Ribs are insanely tender and flavorful thanks to the Instant Pot! Cooked to perfection, slathered with BBQ sauce, and finished in the oven for a sticky, caramelized finish. ✅ Instant Pot makes them fall-off-the-bone tender
✅ Quick cooking with juicy, flavorful results
✅ Finished in the oven for perfect BBQ texture
✅ Great for meal prep or comfort food cravings!
📌 Pin this for more Instant Pot and BBQ recipes!
Ingredients
1 rack baby back ribs or St. Louis style spareribs (about 2.5 lbs)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional for heat)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 – 1 cup BBQ sauce of choice
Directions
- Prep the Ribs: Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs (optional) for extra tenderness, or score with a knife if you prefer to leave it on.
- Season: Mix brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Rub generously over both sides of the ribs.
- Pressure Cook: Add water, apple cider vinegar, and liquid smoke to the Instant Pot. Insert the trivet and arrange the ribs in a circle, meat side out. Seal and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. (Need an Instant Pot? CLICK HERE for the one I use.)
- Natural Release: Let the pressure release naturally for 25 minutes. Carefully remove the ribs — they’ll be very tender.
- Broil: Preheat oven to broil. Place ribs on a baking sheet and broil for 3–5 minutes until they start to brown.
- Bake with Sauce: Reduce oven to 375°F. Slather ribs with BBQ sauce and bake for 10 minutes until caramelized and sticky.
- Serve: Slice and serve with extra sauce if desired.
Notes
- ✅ Removing the membrane helps ribs fall off the bone, but leaving it on keeps ribs more intact — your choice.
✅ Add more liquid smoke if you want bolder smoky flavor. (Need liquid smoke? CLICK HERE for the one I use.)
✅ Use any BBQ sauce — sweet, smoky, spicy, whatever you love. (CLICK HERE to see some of my favorite sauces.)
✅ Want an Instant Pot? (CLICK HERE for the one I recommend for fast, easy meals.) - CLICK HERE to discover how I cut my protein costs in half and save thousands every year.