These Instant Pot Country Style Ribs are fast, easy, and delicious! Make them in under 30 minutes for a great weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
Ever since we first started making ribs in the Instant Pot, we can't stop! It's the best way to cook ribs when the weather is dreary and you don't feel like grilling outside.
We started making Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs, which inspired us to make this Instant Pot Country Style Ribs recipe. It's such a flavorful, easy meal that is sure to become a new family favorite!
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🌟 Why this recipe works
These country style ribs cooked in the Instant Pot are a fantastic weeknight dinner!
- Easy: this boneless ribs recipe is super easy to follow. It's a great recipe if you're new to electric pressure cooking and even if you're using the Instant Pot for the first time!
- Fast: Make this dinner in under 30 minutes, including come to pressure time. That's a fraction of the time it takes to grill, bake, or smoke ribs!
- Delicious: This recipe results in tender meat that has so much flavor, with warm spices and seasonings and your favorite barbecue sauce.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Ribs - This recipe calls for boneless country style ribs, which are sometimes labeled as country ribs or Western-style ribs. They're an affordable cut of meat compared to other ribs, and actually aren't ribs at all but rather the cut comes from pork shoulder. They look like long thick strips of pork meat and you'll want some meat with nice marbling for extra flavor. You can cut some of the fat off but it's too lean, it won't taste the same.
Seasoning - You'll make a simple dry rub with brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Feel free to add some cayenne pepper or chili powder if you want a bit of a kick.
Cooking liquid - For this recipe, we use apple cider vinegar, a cup of water, and a touch of liquid smoke (not pictured; you can substitute Worcestershirt sauce) to help cook the ribs in the Instant Pot under high pressure.
BBQ sauce - You can use homemade BBQ sauce or your favorite BBQ sauce from the store.
✅ Step-by-step instructions
Full instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here's a visual step-by-step guide to reference and help as you make these delicious ribs!
- Make the seasoning by mixing together the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl.
- Rub the boneless pork ribs with the seasoning.
- Add the liquids to the Instant Pot.
- Add the seasoned ribs to the Instant Pot.
- On the pressure cooker, select Pressure Cook (or Manual), high pressure, and set the time to 18 minutes. After the pressure cooker comes to pressure and starts cooking, it will count down from 18 minutes. When pressure cooking is complete, allow 5 minutes of Natural Release then do a Quick Release.
- Transfer ribs to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and brush barbecue sauce on all sides.
- Place the sheet on the top rack of your oven and set the oven to Broil for 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
Country style ribs aren't technically ribs: they're taken from the pork shoulder, just above the baby back ribs. They are meatier than the other cuts. Baby back ribs are from the upper part of the pig's rib cage. They are tender than spare ribs, but contain less meat and fat. Spare ribs are from the bottom of the ribs, after the bacon is removed. They usually contain more fat and meat, and can feed more people than baby back ribs.
Yes, you can. Although country style ribs usually are sold as boneless, you do see stores selling bone-in country style ribs. I've found you don't usually need to adjust the cooking time since even bone-in country style ribs don't generally have a lot of bone in them.
Allow the meat to cool completely, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three or four days.
🍽 Serving ideas
These country style ribs are absolutely delicious with any of the following side dishes:
🍷 🥂 Wine pairings
These ribs have a rich seasoning and BBQ sauce, so pair them with a big, bold red wine. I love serving these ribs with a Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or a Malbec.
🍳 Kitchen tools and equipment
Ready to make this recipe? Here are the kitchen tools and equipment you'll need:
- Electric pressure cooker - You'll need an electric pressure cooker that is 6-quarts or larger. I use my 8-quart Instant Pot Duo or 8-quart Ninja Foodi XL Deluxe.
- Tongs - Kitchen tongs make it easy to lift these tender country style ribs in and out of the pressure cooker.
- Basting brush - Use a basting brush to brush the barbecue sauce on both sides of the cooked ribs before broiling.
- Baking sheet - Use a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil to broil these perfect ribs in the last cooking step.
- Meat Thermometer - A meat thermometer is the best way to confirm whether the meat is fully cooked or not.
More Instant Pot recipes
Be sure to try any of our Instant Pot recipes below, and check out our entire collection of Instant Pot recipes!
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Instant Pot Country Style Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 - 2½ pounds boneless country style ribs
- 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon liquid smoke
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Place the ribs on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil and season the ribs on all sides.
- Pour the water, apple cider vinegar, and liquid smoke into the pot of the Instant Pot.
- Place the seasoned ribs into the Instant Pot.
- Secure the lid, making sure the pressure release valve is over to SEALING.
- Select PRESSURE COOK (or Manual on some pressure cookers), then select HI temperature, and set the time to 18 minutes.
- The Instant Pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure and then start counting down from 18 minutes. While the ribs are cooking in the Instant Pot, clean off the baking sheet and line it with aluminum foil; set aside.
- Once the 18 minutes are up, allow for Natural Pressure for 5 minutes, then carefully do a Quick Release.
- Once all of the pressure has been released and the pressure release valve pin has fallen all the way down, carefully open the lid.
- Transfer the ribs to the prepared baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush the ribs on all sides with barbecue sauce. Broil on high in your oven for 5 minutes. Then serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
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