Pressure Cooker BBQ Ribs are a super easy fall off the bone tender dinner and tailgating idea with a delicious spicy date paste sweetened (no added Sugar) BBQ sauce for the win.
When you are low on time but want big flavors without all the added sugar, you are going to love our Pressure cooker BBQ Ribs. Fall off the bone, lip smacking, finger licking good BBQ baby back pork ribs have it all going on.
These delicious Pressure Cooker BBQ Ribs are first rubbed in a zesty dry rub then placed in the pressure cooker (Instant Pot) for 24 minutes, slathered with this delicious spicy and date sweetened BBQ sauce. We then popped it under the oven broiler for just about 2-4 minutes for that crispy topping. In addition, you could also throw them on the BBQ grill.
You are going to love Pressure Cooker BBQ Ribs because…
In under 30 minutes, you can have dinner on the table or be ready for the half time festivities.
There is no added sugar. The BBQ sauce is lightly sweetened with date paste and the natural sweetness from caramelized onions.
You can actually pronounce all the ingredients in this recipe. There are no added weird preservatives or thickeners, just REAL Food.
Your pressure cooker takes all the hard work, so you don’t have to. There is no slaving over an hour for 4 hours or the grill whilst your ribs are cooking.
Ribs can be made ahead and then just reheated and browned under the broiler or on the BBQ grill.
Rocking Rib Rub
Pressure Cooker BBQ Ribs is extra delicious with this quick and easy dry rub. We bet you have everything in your spice drawer right now to make this. Go ahead and check.
Garlic powder
Cumin
Chili powder
Paprika
Salt and pepper
Finger Licking good Sticky Spicy BBQ Sauce with No Added Sugar
No Guilt BBQ sauce that will have you swooning over these ribs. A little spicy, savory, sour and slightly sweet from the natural sweetness of caramelized onions and date paste. Dates are even better than brown sugar because it gives the sauce a real unique depth of flavor.
We start by caramelizing onions and garlic. Then, we add Hunt’s Tomato sauce as it has no added sugars, a little dash of Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, red chili peppers and salt and pepper to taste.
Date paste Benefits
Date paste is a delicious and healthy alternative to granulated sugar or brown sugar. It can be exchanged for brown sugar or sugar as a 1:1 ratio. In addition, date paste compared to granulated sugar has a low glycemic load. Therefore, they don’t cause the huge sugar spikes like regular sugar. Dates have potassium, iron and fiber and help to thicken the BBQ sauce naturally. They are an easy sugar alternative for baking as well. Be sure to try our...
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How to Make Homemade Date Paste
Making your own date paste is super easy. You will want to use it in many recipes so make a larger batch as it can keep for at about 1 month in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer. Take 2 cups of Medjool dates and soak in about hot water. Pop your soaked dates, with a little of the water the dates were soaking in, in the food processor to make a thick date paste. Sometimes, we like to add a teaspoon of vanilla. You will have to stop periodically and scrape down the sides. If your mixture is too thick, add a teaspoon at a time of extra water so that it blends well.
Let your Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Do all the Work
No more fussing over a hot grill or oven for hours while your baby back ribs slowly cook. You can have perfectly fall of the bone tender ribs using your pressure cooker (Instant pot). Our instant pot came with the little rack that is the perfect height to hold a rack of baby back ribs. With a 6 quart or 8 quart you can get in at least one to 2 racks of ribs.
As you already know, you must put some liquid in the pressure cooker to start the cooking process so that was a combination of chicken broth and apple cider vinegar.
Our Slow cooker (Instant Pot) is a life saver on most days. If you have not tried our Instant Pot Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup, Instant Pot Lentil Ham Stew or our 55 MUST TRY Cozy Crockpot Slow Cooker Instant Pot Recipes, you are totally missing out on some deliciousness.
If you are looking for other delicious appetizers for your next tailgating party be sure to try our…
Thai Firecracker Shrimp Party Appetizer
Baked Cheesy Salami Wrapped Jalapeños
How to Make the Best Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps
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Pressure Cooker BBQ Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back ribs
approximately 1.5 - 2 pounds
Dry rub ingredients
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- red chili flakes
dash or to your desired heat level - optional
Pressure cooker (Instant Pot Liquid) Wet Ingredients
- 1.5 cup chicken broth
gluten-free - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Caramelized Onion BBQ Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup onions
chopped - 3 cloves garlic
peeled and chopped - 1 cup Tomato sauce
(with no added sugar- We used Hunt’s brand) - 3 tbsp date paste
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- red chili pepper flakes
to taste - salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash your ribs and dry them. Remove the skin membrane from the back side of your ribs (This is a very important step. If you do not remove the membrane from the back of the ribs, it will make your ribs tough and prevents the ribs from soaking up the flavors of the rub. I put my ribs meat side down on the cutting board and take one of my very sharp knives and run in very shallow to start the end of the membrane and then I use my fingers to pull off.)
- Put the dry rub ingredients (salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika and dried red chili flakes) into a small bowl and mix.
- Sprinkle the dry rub ingredients all over the ribs. Rub the dry ingredients all over front back and sides of ribs to get the flavors into the meat.
- Place the wire rack into your pressure cooker (instant Pot) Set your ribs in a semi-circle around the edge of the pressure cooker.
- Mix the pressure cooker (instant Pot) Wet ingredients (chicken broth and apple cider vinegar) together. Pour into the bottom of the pressure cooker.
- Set your pressure cooker to high pressure and make sure the vent is closed for 24 minutes. Allow the natural release of pressure for 10 minutes. Then, you can do a quick release of pressure. Stay safe and use an oven mitt to protect your hand and turning the vent away from your face.
- In the meantime, make your homemade Caramelized onion BBQ sauce: In a small pan place olive oil and onions and sauté slowly and gently until slightly golden. Add garlic and stir until aromatic. Then, add tomato sauce, date paste, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, dried hot red pepper flakes (optional) and salt and pepper to taste.
- Taste BBQ sauce and adjust seasonings as required. If you want it sweeter, add a little more date paste. Cook on stove top over low heat for about 10-15 minutes until the flavors have a chance to mingle. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to broil or you can Preheat outdoor grill, if you prefer. Broil your ribs for 2-4 minutes until they are lightly browned. Keep a super close eye on them so they do not burn. You can also finish your baby back ribs off on the grill just 5-8 minutes on each side or until lightly browned or a few grill marks.
- Step 9: Serve up Pressure Cooker BBQ Ribs with plenty of napkins as this is one finger licking good experience. Enjoy!
Some excellent lessons here, Bobbi - thank you ! Have never made date paste - that will be first on the agenda ! Absolutely love the sound of your barbecue sauce - I can 'taste' an awful lot of flavour in that one and can think of a number of other ways to use it also - great ! We do not use racks of pork ribs as oft as lamb ones . . . that too will be overcome ! And tho' I am the most modern of beings all will be cooked on stove and in the oven . . . a huge benefit of working from a home office . . . well, after the months of Covid an awful lot of people have unfortunately discovered the delights we hid . . .
Yummmmm! Lamb ribs! We will be right over. What time is dinner? I bet you could find many uses for our caramelized onion BBQ sauce. It really is finger licking good. Stay well and take care
Made these on the weekend and they were a hit with all! The meat falls right off of the bone and the sauce is to die for! Will make again.
Thanks so much Betty. So glad your family enjoyed our ribs. Wishing you a super week ahead.
I love how you used fig syrup in your bbq sauce - how interesting. It looks fabulous!