Cooking pork spare ribs in an Instant Pot is one of the best time-saving methods for a dish that normally takes hours. Ribs are delicious but traditional smoking or slow-roasting can take most of a day. Grilling is great, but weeknights rarely allow that luxury — that’s where a pressure cooker shines.
My smoked ribs usually take about six hours, so they’re not a weekday option. But pork spare ribs are too good to reserve only for weekends, so I turned to the Instant Pot to get tender, flavorful ribs in a fraction of the time.
If you’re new to the Instant Pot, there are many useful resources available to get started. This recipe assumes basic familiarity with how to use an electric pressure cooker, trivet placement, and the sealing/venting settings.
PIN IT TO PINTEREST
Save this easy recipe to Pinterest.
This Page Contains Affiliate Links. For more Information See My Disclosures.
What exactly is a “spare rib”?
When shopping for pork ribs you’ll commonly find three types: baby back ribs, spare ribs, and St. Louis style ribs. Baby backs come from the top of the rib cage near the spine and are generally shorter, curved, and often meatier between and on top of the bones. They’re the most popular ribs in the U.S.
Spare ribs come from the lower portion of the rib cage near the belly and include more cartilage and fat, which makes them flavorful and ideal for long, slow cooking. St. Louis style ribs are simply spare ribs trimmed to make a uniform rectangular rack — many cooks buy a whole spare rack and trim it themselves. Trimming yields rib tips and the brisket flap, which are great for stir-fries, tacos, or extra bites to enjoy.
What inspired this dish?
I’m a big fan of Star Wars and Disney, so I visited Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios and tried a themed item called “Smoked Kaadu Ribs” at Docking Bay 7. The dish was inspired but, in my opinion, the ribs I tasted were overcooked and had too much cartilage.
I thought I could do better
I took the Korean-inspired flavor profile I enjoyed in concept — soy, pineapple, ginger, and garlic — and adapted it into a sticky sauce suited to pork spare ribs. These flavors are common in Korean galbi-style dishes and translate beautifully when combined with the tender texture the Instant Pot produces.
How difficult is it to cook ribs in the Instant Pot?
Ribs are among the easiest recipes for the Instant Pot. You can cook a whole slab rolled, halved, or cut into individual bones. Season them, add aromatics and a cup of liquid, and pressure cook to your preferred texture. For fall-off-the-bone ribs, cook for about 18 minutes. For slightly firmer, chewier ribs (especially if cut to single bones), you can reduce the time to around 10 minutes. After pressure cooking, finish the ribs under the broiler or on the grill to develop a caramelized, slightly charred exterior.
Instant Pot Spare Ribs
Print
Pin
Rate
Equipment
-
Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 Slab of Pork Spare Ribs (about 5 lbs)
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder For the ribs.
- 1 tablespoon Onion Powder For the ribs.
- 1 tablespoon Sea Salt For the ribs.
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper For the ribs.
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic For the ribs.
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger For the ribs.
- 1 Cup Water For the ribs.
- 1 Can Pineapple Tidbits For the sauce.
- ½ Cup Soy Sauce For the sauce.
- ¼ Cup White Vinegar (spiced or regular) For the sauce.
- ¼ Cup Honey For the sauce.
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic For the sauce.
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger For the sauce.
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder For the sauce.
Instructions
-
Trim the ribs by removing tips and the brisket flap, peel off the silver skin from the back, and cut into single bones or desired pieces.
-
Combine 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon sea salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a shaker or bowl. Coat the ribs evenly with the seasoning mix.
-
Place the trivet in the Instant Pot.
-
Pour 1 cup water into the pot and add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and 1 teaspoon ground ginger to the water for aromatics.
-
Arrange the seasoned ribs in the Instant Pot, stacking them on the trivet if needed.
-
Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing.
-
Select Manual (or Pressure Cook) and set the time to 18 minutes for fall-off-the-bone ribs.
-
While the ribs cook, drain the pineapple tidbits and reserve the juice for the sauce. Set the tidbits aside.
-
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, pour in the reserved pineapple juice.
-
Add ¼ cup soy sauce and ¼ cup white vinegar.
-
Stir in 1 tablespoon minced garlic and ¼ cup honey.
-
Add 1 teaspoon ground ginger and 1 teaspoon onion powder, then whisk to combine.
-
Bring the sauce to a boil, then simmer and whisk until reduced by about half, roughly 10–15 minutes, until slightly thickened.
-
Stir half of the reserved pineapple tidbits into the reduced sauce and remove from heat.
-
Preheat your oven to Broil and position the oven rack so the ribs will be on the second slot from the top.
-
When the Instant Pot finishes, allow a 10-minute natural release, then move the valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure. Remove lid, trivet, and ribs.
-
Place ribs on a sheet pan with a wire rack. Brush generously with the sauce.
-
Broil for 5–10 minutes, watching carefully, until the glaze is browned and caramelized.
-
Top the ribs with the remaining pineapple tidbits and serve with your favorite sides.
Video
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?Mention @DadGotThis or tag #DadGotThis!I hope you try this spare ribs recipe and share feedback — I love hearing how readers adapt and enjoy these dishes.