Craving BBQ country ribs but don’t have access to a barbecue grill or 8 hours to tend the smoker? Not to worry, this Instant Pot Country Ribs recipe is your answer. With all the flavor of traditional barbecue ribs, these are conveniently made in an Instant Pot, delivering a tender and succulent experience in a fraction of the time and with very little effort.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Affiliate Disclosure.
A generous coat of barbecue sauce transforms the ribs into a glossy and sticky delight that’s sure to satisfy your appetite. Easily adaptable to any season, this dish promises the great taste of barbecue without the need to light a fire or spend hours tending to a grill. Whether you use store-bought or homemade sauce, these country ribs will become a favorite for those moments when only truly great barbecue will do.
Like Instant Pot Hoisin Glazed Spare Ribs, this is a quick and easy way to cook and serve meaty, flavorful ribs.
Why You’ll Love This Dish
What’s not to love about sticky-spicy-sweet ribs with tender, fall-off-the-bone meat? But if you do need convincing, here are several reasons you’re sure to love this recipe.
- Effortless preparation: The Instant Pot makes this dish almost hands-off, cooking the ribs to perfection without the need to monitor them constantly.
- Rich flavor: The blend of spices and barbecue sauce, whether you use a store-bought or homemade version, infuses the meat with a delectable taste that is both rich and complex.
- Versatile method: You can finish the ribs either under the broiler or on the grill. Either way, the sauce will caramelize and give them the sticky, slightly charred exterior you love in ribs.
Ingredients You Need
Beyond the meat, you only need some basic pantry items to make these succulent ribs. Here’s what you need:
- Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, Creole seasoning, ground ginger, parsley, and black pepper give depth of flavor and a hit of spice.
- Brown sugar: Just a little adds a hint of sweetness and also helps the seasonings stick to the meat and the whole thing to caramelize nicely.
- Chicken broth: Acts as a cooking liquid. You can substitute vegetable broth or even water, with or without bouillon.
- Barbecue sauce: I love to use Stubb’s Sweet Heat for its balance of sweet and spicy, but you can use any brand you like or make your own.
- Country-style ribs: The star of the dish; look for meaty cuts with a balance of fat and lean.
How to Make It
This dish is incredibly straightforward to prepare, and the ribs turn out juicy on the inside and caramelized on the outside. Here’s how:
- Mix the seasonings and generously coat the ribs.
- Cook the ribs in the Instant Pot with broth and barbecue sauce.
- Once tender, remove the ribs and slather them with more barbecue sauce, then broil or grill to perfection.
What to Serve With It
Consider pairing these Instant Pot Country Ribs with my Best Cookout Coleslaw for a crunchy and cooling side, Elote for something more sweet-spicy and also cheesy. Air Fryer Cornbread Muffins would be great for sopping up the sauce.
For a refreshing salad, serve Japanese Cucumber Salad or Kachumber Salad. For dessert, choose anything from S’mores Ice Cream to Apple Galette or Flourless Chocolate Cookies.
If you’re looking for more Instant Pot recipes, don’t miss my Instant Pot Chicken Biryani, Instant Pot Beef Pho, or Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup.
Instant Pot Country Style Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons parsley
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce divided
- 1 ½ pounds country-style ribs
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the garlic powder, onion powder, Creole seasoning, ground ginger, parsley, pepper, and brown sugar. As you mix, make sure the brown sugar breaks down and is not clumpy.
- Generously coat all sides of each rib with the seasonings.
- In the instant pot, add the broth ¼ cup of the barbecue sauce and mix until fully incorporated.
- Add the ribs to the Instant Pot and make sure all of them are partially submerged.
- seal the lid and pressure valve. Cook on high for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally when done.
- Once the pressure is released, remove the ribs and place them on a baking sheet.
- Coat the ribs with the remaining 1/c cup of barbecue sauce.
