October brings with it the desire to embrace flavors of summer with a decidedly autumn twist. Whether it's enjoying brats and beer or digging into a plate of gloriously sweet, spicy, smokey ribs, we seek to maximize the nice weather the season has yet to offer and blend it with heartier flavors. And when you can do that without sacrificing hours and hours of cooking time, you've got some kitchen magic going on.
If you have an Instant Pot, you already have a firm understanding of this magic. This time around, I'm sharing a way to get tender ribs on the table in well under an hour. That easily puts them in weeknight menu mode.
I like setting these fantastic ribs on a bed of hearty greens. The ones pictured here got several collard greens to rest upon, but kale can be equally lovely. A bonus for my corgi was that he got to enjoy a collard green that was utterly coated in sauce and rib juices. The little guy was most grateful!
If you're lucky enough to have a day boasting sunshine and mild weather, I'd say that calls for an al fresco meal outside, complete with some pickles, a fall-inspired cole slaw featuring apples, dried cranberries, and nuts, and your favorite cold beverage.
Instant Pot BBQ Ribs
- 2 lbs. boneless country style ribs
- 1 T. brown sugar
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
- ⅛ - ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper - optional
- 1 ½ c. water
- 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ T. cider vinegar
- 3 whole garlic cloves, crushed
- BBQ sauce - use your favorite variety
Lay the country style ribs out on a baking sheet.
In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, kosher salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper (if desired). Stir well until there are no clumps remaining. Sprinkle the seasoning rub on the ribs, coating both sides and rubbing it in a bit.
Pour the water, Worcestershire sauce, and cider vinegar into the Instant Pot. Crush the garlic cloves and add them to the liquid in the pot. Add the metal trivet that came with your Instant Pot to the bottom of the pot. Place the seasoned ribs on the trivet in the pot.
Add the lid and lock it in place. Turn the pressure valve to seal. Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. At the end of 20 minutes do a quick release of the pressure.
Place the cooked ribs on a sheet pan and coat one side of the ribs with the desired amount of your favorite BBQ sauce. Broil in the oven for 4-5 minutes. Remove the ribs from the oven, flip them over and coat that side with more BBQ sauce. Return to the oven for 3-4 minutes more broiling before serving.
- Yields: 6-8 servings
- Preparation Time: 40 minutes