Emilie Meyer
Cooking ribs in an Instant Pot air fryer is a quick and easy way to make tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs without needing to turn on your grill or oven. The Instant Pot method is mostly hands-free, giving you plenty of time to prepare side dishes and relax. All you need to make pork ribs in the Instant Pot is a rack of baby back ribs, a homemade or store-bought spice rub, and your favourite BBQ sauce. The Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer model allows you to pressure cook and air fry all in one pot, but you can also use a classic Instant Pot model for pressure cooking and then finish the ribs in the oven or on a BBQ grill.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time | Under an hour |
| Taste | Sweet, spicy, sticky, tender, fall-off-the-bone |
| Ingredients | Baby back ribs, barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, brown sugar, chili powder, parsley, salt, garlic powder, pepper, cumin, onion powder, paprika, basil |
| Equipment | Instant Pot, air fryer lid, oven, grill, pressure cooker |
| Steps | Remove silver skin, apply dry rub, pressure cook, broil, brush with barbecue sauce, air fry |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
How to prepare ribs for cooking
First, you'll want to prepare your ribs by rinsing and patting them dry with kitchen roll or paper. Remove any excess connective tissue or membrane on the back of the ribs. The membrane is the slippery, tough white layer found on the bone side of the ribs. To remove it, slide a butter knife under the membrane to lift and loosen it, then grip and pull it away with a paper towel.
Next, you'll want to make your spice rub. You can use a simple mix of salt and pepper, or try something more complex like a combination of brown sugar, chilli powder, ground cumin, black pepper, and salt. Mix your spices together in a bowl, breaking up any large clumps, and then generously coat the ribs on both sides. You can leave the dry rub on the ribs for a few hours or overnight in the fridge for extra flavour.
Now your ribs are ready to be cooked!
Air Fryer Frozen Breaded Chicken: How Long Does It Take?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
How to cook ribs in an instant pot
Ingredients
To make Instant Pot ribs, you'll need a rack of ribs, barbecue sauce, and a spice rub. For the spice rub, you can use a simple combination of salt and pepper, or create a mix using spices like brown sugar, chilli powder, cumin, black pepper, and salt, or garlic powder, parsley, onion powder, and paprika.
Method
Prepare the ribs:
Remove any excess connective tissue or membrane from the back of the ribs. Flip the ribs over so they are meat-side down, and use a butter knife to loosen the membrane before pulling it away.
Apply the spice rub:
Combine your chosen spices in a bowl, breaking up any large clumps. Sprinkle the spice rub over the ribs, then use your hands to rub it into both sides of the meat. You can leave the dry rub on the ribs for a few hours or overnight in the fridge for extra flavour.
Prepare the Instant Pot:
Place a steam rack inside the Instant Pot. Pour in water (and optionally, cider vinegar or other liquids) to create steam. The amount of water will depend on the size of your Instant Pot—use 1 cup for a 6-quart pot or 1.5 cups for an 8-quart pot.
Cook the ribs:
Curve the ribs around the edge of the pot, ensuring they touch the sides as little as possible. Close and lock the lid, then set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 20-28 minutes, depending on your desired texture. A 2-pound rack of ribs cooked for 25 minutes will have a slight pull, while 30 minutes will produce fall-off-the-bone tender meat. Allow 10-15 minutes for pressure to build, then carefully release the pressure using the quick-release method according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Apply barbecue sauce:
Remove the ribs from the Instant Pot and place them on a cutting board. Brush the ribs generously with barbecue sauce on all sides. You can use a store-bought sauce or make your own.
Caramelize the sauce (optional but recommended):
To caramelize the sauce, you can use an air fryer lid, the oven broiler, or a separate air fryer. If using an air fryer lid, set the temperature to 400°F and cook for 5-10 minutes until the sauce is caramelized and lightly charred. Alternatively, line a baking sheet with foil, set your oven broiler to high, and broil for 5-10 minutes.
Slice and serve:
Cut the ribs into individual portions and serve hot. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheated in the oven or air fryer.
Air-Fryer Skirt Steak: A Quick, Crispy, and Juicy Delight
You may want to see also
Explore related products
How to make a spice rub
To make a spice rub for your ribs, you can use a simple combination of salt and pepper. However, if you want to add more spices, you can include paprika and basil. You can also try a mixture of brown sugar, chilli powder, ground cumin, black pepper, and salt. Another option is to use brown sugar, chilli powder, parsley, salt, garlic powder, pepper, cumin, onion powder, and paprika.
To prepare the ribs, rinse and pat them dry with a paper towel. Remove any excess connective tissue or membrane on the back of the ribs. Insert a butter knife between the membrane and the ribs to loosen it, then grip and pull it away with a paper towel.
Once the ribs are prepared, make your spice rub in a bowl and cut the ribs in half. Apply the dry rub generously to both halves of the ribs, using your hands to rub it into the meat and bones. You can leave the dry rub on the ribs for a few hours or overnight in the fridge for extra flavour.
Air Fryer White Castle Sliders: Cooking Time Perfection
You may want to see also
Explore related products
How to finish ribs in an air fryer
To finish ribs in an air fryer, start by brushing the cooked ribs with BBQ sauce. You can use a very smokey or sweeter, tangier sauce, or even a sugar-free, keto option. Place the ribs in the air fryer basket and insert the basket into the inner pot. Set the air fryer to 'Roast' or 'Broil' at 400°F/204°C for 10-15 minutes, or until the ribs and sauce start to brown and caramelize. If you want a charred finish, cook for 5-7 minutes.
If you don't have an air fryer lid, you can finish the ribs under the broiler in the oven. Line a baking sheet with foil and set your broiler to high. Broil for 5-10 minutes, until the sauce caramelizes.
Air Fryer Pizza Rolls: The Perfect Timing Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
How to reheat ribs in an air fryer
To reheat ribs in an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Place the ribs inside the air fryer basket and reheat for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through. You might want to brush on some extra BBQ sauce before reheating to improve the taste and texture.
If you don't have an air fryer, you can reheat the ribs in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the ribs on a baking sheet lined with aluminium foil. Reheat for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. Again, you may want to brush on some extra BBQ sauce before reheating.
To cook the ribs in an Instant Pot Air Fryer, start by preparing the ribs. Rinse and pat dry a rack of ribs with some kitchen roll or paper. Remove any excess connective tissue or membrane on the back of the ribs. Flip the ribs over, meat-side down, and insert a butter knife between the membrane and the ribs to loosen it, then grip and pull it away. It's fine to leave the membrane on if you prefer.
Combine the spice rub seasonings and sprinkle them all over the ribs on each side. Use your hands to rub the spices into the meat and bones. You can leave the dry rub on the ribs for a few hours or overnight in the fridge for extra flavour. A simple dry rub can be made by mixing together brown sugar, chilli powder, ground cumin, black pepper, and salt.
Place a steam rack inside your Instant Pot. Pour water and cider vinegar into the bottom of the pot. Lower the ribs into the pot by curving them around the edge. Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to the manufacturer's instructions and set the timer for 25 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for the pressure to build. Release the pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to the manufacturer's instructions, which should take about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid.
Brush the ribs with BBQ sauce to coat, then cook. Set the air fryer to 400°F and cook for 5-7 minutes, until lightly charred on the edges and the sauce caramelises.
Air-Fried Hamburgers: A Quick, Crispy Treat?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
It takes about 30 minutes to pressure cook the ribs. After that, you can either serve the ribs as they are or spend another 5-10 minutes broiling or air frying them to caramelize the BBQ sauce.
You will need a rack of ribs, water, apple cider vinegar, and BBQ sauce. You can also add spices and seasonings like brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and salt and pepper.
Start by preparing the ribs by removing the membrane and patting them dry. Then, apply a dry rub of spices and seasonings to the ribs. Next, pressure cook the ribs in the Instant Pot with water and apple cider vinegar for 25-30 minutes. Finally, if desired, brush the ribs with BBQ sauce and place them in the Air Fryer for 5-10 minutes to caramelize the sauce.
