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instant pot ribs topped with sauce
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How To Make Ribs In instant Pot

These instant pot ribs are going to melt in your mouth and fall off the bone! They are perfectly tender and then covered in a sauce that’s absolutely addictive!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, Caribbean
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 956kcal
Author Savory Thoughts

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ Lbs. Short Ribs
  • 1 Cup Apple Juice
  • 1 Tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp. Paprika
  • 1 ½ Tsp. Black Pepper
  • 3 Garlic Cloves
  • 4 Bay Leaves

For The Sauce / Gravy

  • 1 Rosemary Sprig
  • 1 ½ Tsp. Vegetable Bouillon
  • 1 Tbsp. Corn Starch
  • ¼ Cup Water

Instructions

Instant Pot Ribs Cooking Method

  • Remove the membrane on the back of the ribs. To remove the membrane, turn the ribs over with the meat facing downwards. Use a knife to detach the membrane from the bone. Tightly grip the membrane and pull it away, discard the membrane once removed. Wash and rinse the ribs thoroughly and pat them dry. Place the ribs in a large bowl, dish, or plate and set aside.
    In a small bowl, add in the apple juice, paprika, black pepper, salt. Mix well.
    Pour the mixture over the meat. Swirl the mixture around so that the meat is completely covered. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes; however, the longer the better.
    steps 1-5 to make short ribs in instant pot
  • Place the short ribs in the instant pot, pour the mixture over the ribs. Best to stand the ribs up, but if you are unable to do so that’s perfectly fine.
    Cover with the Instant Pot lid and turn the knob to seal the Instant Pot.
    Pressure cook on high for 40 minutes. The instant pot will take about 10 to 15 minutes to reach temperature then the 40-mniute timer will begin. Once complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent to release the remaining pressure from the instant pot.
    steps 6-7 to make short ribs in instant pot
  • Place the ribs in baking tray or dish, broil in the oven on low for 5 minutes or until lightly brown. Best to set a timer so you do not go over the time. Remove the ribs from the oven when the timer goes off.
    On the instant pot, click on cancel, then select sauté. Adjust the timer to 30 minutes and add in 1 rosemary sprig. Once the sauce / gravy starts to boil, add in the slurry (cornstarch and water mixed together). Continue to cook until the sauce starts to thicken. This process should take about 7-10 minutes.
    Spoon the sauce / gravy over the meat as desired. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, plantains, and enjoy!
    instant pot ribs topped with sauce

Slow Cooker Ribs Method

  • Season the short ribs as instructed above and marinate. Transfer the ribs to the slow cooker (instant pot).
    seasoning to make instant pot short ribs
  • Pour the marinating mixture over the meat and in rosemary sprig. Cover and cook on low for 5 ½ hours. Uncover the meat and add in the slurry all over the meat. Mix well to combine without breaking the meat.
    Cover and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes. Do not cook the ribs for no more than 8 hours. Serve over a bed of rice or mashed potatoes or plantains. Drizzle the sauce over the meat and enjoy!
    instant pot ribs topped with sauce

Oven Cooking Method

  • Season the short ribs as instructed above and marinate. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
    Pour the marinating mixture over the meat and in rosemary sprig. Cover with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Cook the ribs for 3 hours until the short ribs are perfectly tender and falls off the bone when poked with a fork.
    seasoning to make instant pot short ribs
  • Serve over a bed of rice or mashed potatoes or plantains. Drizzle the sauce over the meat and enjoy!
    instant pot ribs topped with sauce

Video

Notes

This recipe has been updated with new pictures, more information and with a how-to video. 
When purchasing your ribs, it’s best to keep in mind the size of the instant pot. We used a rack that was 2 lbs.
Two racks were enough for the size of our family (all of 5 of us). If the ribs refuse to stand in the instant pot, that’s perfectly fine.
You can lay them around each other or on top of each other. This will not interrupt them from cooking evenly. If the rib slab is too large, feel free to cut it down into smaller pieces.
Calories are estimated per serving. 
**** When printing the recipe, please unselect the camera so that the pictures are NOT printed with the recipe (if preferred).

Nutrition

Serving: 4Servings | Calories: 956kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 980mg | Potassium: 899mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 68g | Vitamin A: 3150IU | Vitamin C: 85.8mg | Calcium: 230mg | Iron: 5.4mg