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Instant Pot Fall Off the Bone BBQ Ribs

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These Instant Pot BBQ Ribs will blow you away with how EASY they really are! They were given the name "Fall Off The Bone" for a reason. They are so tender and full of BBQ flavor.
Instant Pot Fall Off the Bone BBQ Ribs

There isn’t a better way to make ribs than this Instant Pot Fall Off the Bone BBQ Ribs recipe. When you make Instant Pot recipes like this, you can cut the cooking time in half and still get perfectly bone tender pork ribs slathered in the best sticky barbecue sauce.

Instant Pot Fall Off the Bone BBQ Ribs sliced on a cutting board

You can use your favorite BBQ sauce and pour in apple juice with a sprinkle of seasonings and you will have the best ribs in a fraction of the time of slow cooker ribs with the use of the Instant Pot, still with just as much flavor. 

So, when you are ready to indulge in some wonderfully delicious ribs, then just pair it with your favorite side dish recipe and you are ready to enjoy your new favorite go-to ribs recipe.

Ingredients needed to make Instant Pot Fall Off the Bone BBQ Ribs

Ingredient Notes:

  • Seasonings: salt (kosher salt) and black pepper will be use to enhance the flavors of the spare ribs
  • Meat: pick a rack of beef ribs or pork ribs
  • Sauce: you will need to use apple juice and your favorite bbq sauce or homemade bbq sauce

How to make Instant Pot Fall Off the Bone BBQ Ribs:

  1. Take the slab of ribs (make sure that they are defrosted) and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.  Leave them together or you can cut them into individual slabs (about 2-3 ribs each).
Rib slap sprinkled with Salt and Pepepr
  1. Pour the Apple Juice into the bottom of the Instant Pot pan.
  2. Place the Ribs in the Instant Pot by folding them into a half circle, or if they are cut, place them on top of each other.
Sliced rib slab stacked in instant pot
  1. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and cook on Manual for 25 minutes of pressure cooking on high pressure. (Make sure the knob is turned to sealing, not venting)
  2. After they are done in the Instant Pot, use tongs to gently pull them out (they will literally fall apart when you touch them).
  3. Gently brush the ribs with BBQ sauce.
Brushing BBQ Sauce on top of cooked ribs
  1. Place them onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Cook them on Broil for a few minutes (be sure to watch them)
Instant Pot Fall Off the Bone BBQ Ribs on a baking sheet
  1. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Storing for this rib recipe:

Fridge: Carefully place any leftover rib into either an airtight container or ziplock bag and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Instant Pot Fall Off the Bone BBQ Ribs sliced on a cutting board with an Instant Pot in the background
Apple cider vinegar or apple juice?

When making these pressure cooker ribs you will want to use apple juice because the Instant Pot requires the cup of liquid you need to make this recipe. If you used that much apple cider vinegar you will not enjoy the bone ribs nearly as much.

Do these types of ribs need a rub?

When you use the combination of your favorite barbecue sauce and apple juice, it provides all the flavor you need, so you no longer need to add a spice rub to these simple ingredients. They will still turn out great, and honestly, the fact that you only need 4 ingredients for this easy recipe is the best part.

Ways to add more flavor?

If you are skeptical and making this recipe for the first time and want to bump up the flavor you can always add a little bit of one or more of these:
Brown sugar 
Liquid smoke
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Chili powder (for a little kick)

Instant Pot Fall Off the Bone BBQ Ribs sliced on a cutting board

Serving suggestions:

Sliced Instant Pot Fall Off the Bone BBQ Ribs on a cutting board with sauce

Instant Pot Fall Off the Bone BBQ Ribs

There isn't a better way to make ribs than this Instant Pot Fall Off the Bone BBQ Ribs recipe. You'll get perfectly bone tender pork ribs slathered in the best sticky barbecue sauce.
Serving4 servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
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Video

Ingredients

  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 2 pounds rack of ribs, beef or pork
  • 1 cup apple juice
  • ½ cup bbq sauce

Equipment

Instructions

  1. Take the slab of ribs (make sure that they are defrosted) and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.  Leave them together or you can cut them into individual slabs (about 2-3 ribs each).
  2. Pour the Apple Juice into the bottom of the pan
  3. Place the Ribs in the Instant Pot by folding them into a half circle, or if they are cut, place them on top of each other.
  4. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and cook on Manual for 25 minutes. (Make sure the knob is turned to sealing, not venting)
  5. After they are done in the Instant Pot, use tongs to gently pull them out (they will literally fall apart when you touch them).
  6. Gently brush the ribs with BBQ sauce.
  7. Place them onto a foil lined cookie sheet. Cook them on Broil for a few minutes (be sure to watch them)
  8. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Notes

Ways to add more flavor:
  • Brown sugar 
  • Liquid smoke
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Chili powder (for a little kick)

Nutrition

Calories: 530 kcal · Carbohydrates: 22 g · Protein: 25 g · Fat: 37 g · Saturated Fat: 12 g · Cholesterol: 127 mg · Sodium: 498 mg · Potassium: 530 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 18 g · Vitamin A: 80 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 41 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Cuisine: American
Cost: $15
Author: Steph Loaiza
Course: Main Course
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
Published: October 29, 2018Updated: June 25, 2024

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Questions & Reviews

  1. Cheryl says:
    How much apple juice?
  2. Cyd says:
    1 cup of apple juice
  3. LuAnn says:
    Do you quick relesse or natural release this recipe? I may have missed that somewhere, but not seeing it.
  4. Jennifer says:
    I would like to know this as well. I'm afraid to make this recipe without knowing for sure .
  5. CHRISTINA LUMMUS says:
    I am wondering this too
  6. Paulyn says:
    Hi, if I have no apple juice. Can I just use water or stock?
  7. Cyd says:
    Water or stock will work, the flavor will be altered since the apple juice is sweet.
  8. Judy says:
    Hello, Your video instructs to use the Meat/Stew button, but the online directions say to cook on Manual. Does it matter which you use? The amount of time for each is the same. Thanks!
  9. Monica says:
    Can I use short ribs with this recipe?
  10. Cyd says:
    You can use any type of ribs with this recipe. Watch the cook time closely.
  11. Mary W says:
    On her video post, she says she uses the SLOW release. She lets the pressure come down on its own. https://www.facebook.com/SixSistersStuff/videos/318986025391486/
  12. Shirley Cook says:
    can you put two racks of ribs in the pot if you have a 8qt pot and if so would you change the cooking time. Thank you Shirey
  13. Alli Shepherd Decker says:
    I've made this recipe twice and each time my meat has been tough and not falling apart at all. What am I doing wrong? Does it make a difference if you quick release?
  14. Trish Deihm says:
    I tried this recipe tonight and my ribs, like another commenter, also came out tough and not falling off. I did quick release. Should I have let it come down on its own?
  15. ETTA says:
    Kristen, I bought ribs with the intent to cook them in the instant pot. I looked at quite a few people's takes on how to do it. I was leery about all of the instructions, so I came back to you because I've trusted your instructions on other things in the instant pot and they came out good. I have extensive chewing issues, so I really needed them to be tender. I tried your method and they turned out tender and delicious. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
  16. Cyd says:
    WIN!! So glad they turned out for you!!! We love the Instant Pot!
  17. Robert Lovato says:
    I don't see any mention of removing the "Membrane" or "Silver" on the ribs. If this is intact you will likely have a tough chew to get through it when the ribs are finished. I always remove the membrane, using a slotted screwdriver (yes I just said screwdriver ;-) and a paper towel to grip the membrane as I rip it off the ribs. I learned this with my Traeger BBQ and the instructions that came for that.
  18. Melissa says:
    Is there a place to find the nutrition facts?
  19. Momma Cyd says:
    We are slowly getting the nutrition info on all of our recipes on our new website. It will take some time. I'll make a note to do this one soon.
  20. Tim Hoover says:
    I have a perfect method for ribs but it takes 2 hours in the oven in a cooking bag then sauce and broil. Super tender. I'm going to try this and see if it's as good cuz a lot less time involved and no hot oven in the summertime😊
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