Easy Instant Pot Ribs (baby back or side ribs) - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

FAQs

Do you cook ribs meat side up or meat side down? ›

Place ribs bone-side down in smoker at 225 F /110 C and cook for three hours. Remove ribs from the smoker and wrap tightly in aluminum foil to form an airtight seal. Return to the smoker bone-side up and smoke for two hours. Unwrap the ribs and return to the smoker bone-side down for one more hour.

In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, chili powder, onion powder, dry mustard, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Blend the spices thoroughly and then rub the mixture all over the ribs. Place a trivet in the Instant Pot and add the 1 cup of stock or water and the apple cider vinegar.

Why are my pork ribs tough when cooked in the Instant Pot? This means that they're not cooked long enough. Be sure to cook the ribs for the full 30 minutes on high, and let the pressure release for 15 minutes before removing the lid.

Meatier than the Back Rib, Spareribs – also known as side ribs - are thick, juicy, and come from the belly section of the pig (where bacon comes from). They usually come with the sternum, costal cartilage and flap still attached. From the Sparerib you can get St. Louis style or Louisiana style ribs.

Do You Cook Ribs Bone Up or Bone Down? Place the ribs with the bone side facing the heat source. The bone side has little meat, and it will take the brunt of the fire's heat. This leaves the top, meaty part cooked beautifully.

5 – Put the ribs, bone side down, on the 180 degree grill for 2 hours. 6 – After 2 hours, it's time to wrap the ribs in foil.

Essentially, 3 2 1 ribs go like this: 3 hours of smoking the ribs directly on the pellet grill. 2 hours wrapped in foil, still cooking on the grill. 1 hour of cooking, unwrapped and slathered in barbecue sauce.

I always smoke mine bone side down (so the meaty side is facing up), for two reasons. First, I want the smoke to penetrate the bone side too, so each and every bite of the ribs is equally smoky and delicious. Secondly, if you cook them bone side UP, the juices will pool in the concave center of the bones.

Yes, you can use a pressure cooker to make tender and flavorful ribs, although it won't give you the same texture or flavor profile as traditional slow-cooked or grilled ribs. Pressure cooking is a faster method that can help you achieve tender and juicy ribs in a shorter amount of time.

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.

What liquid to add to ribs? ›

3 – Smoke Ribs for 3 Hours.

Spritz: During the first three hours I also like to keep adding moisture to the pork with a spritz. A spritz is simply a spray bottle with liquid. We use equal parts apple cider vinegar and water (you can also add equal parts apple cider vinegar and apple juice for a little more sweetness).

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.

If you don't remove the rib membrane before cooking, it can make the ribs tough and chewy. The membrane doesn't break down during cooking, so it can be difficult to chew and can ruin the texture of the meat.

Meat Thermometer

The light connective tissue in ribs begins to break down around 195 degrees F. 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.

Make sure the meaty side of the ribs is facing up. Broil until the sugar in the dry rub is bubbling and the ribs are evenly browned, about 5 minutes. Bake the ribs. Set the oven to 300°F. Move the ribs to an oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Place the ribs bone-side down, on the cooler part of the grill (indirect heat). Cover and cook, rotating the ribs once, until the meat is tender and pulls away from the bones, about 2 hours.

Remove the ribs from the marinade and add them to the grill over indirect heat, bone-side down. Cover the grill and cook, rotating once or twice, until the meat is tender and the internal temperature reaches somewhere between 180 and 195 degrees.