Equipment
Ingredients
Ribs & Cooking Liquid
- 1200 g baby back ribs, membrane removed
- 250 ml water
- 60 ml apple cider vinegar
- 5 ml liquid smoke
Spice Rub
- 10 g sweet paprika
- 10 g hot paprika
- 10 g chile powder
- 20 g dark brown sugar
- 15 g kosher salt
- 5 g black pepper
- 5 g garlic powder
Sticky Lime Honey Glaze
- 120 g honey
- 120 g tomato ketchup
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 3 g hot paprika
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1137 kcal
- Protein
- 84 g
- Carbohydrates
- 53 g
- Fat
- 71 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 42 g
- Sodium
- 2266 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 26 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 1477 mg
- Calcium
- 121 mg
- Iron
- 6.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 114 mg
- Phosphorus
- 881 mg
- Zinc
- 13.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 200 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.11 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 6 mcg
- Water
- 82 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Pat the baby back ribs dry with paper towels. If not already removed by your butcher, peel the thin membrane off the back of the ribs using a butter knife to pry up a corner, then grip it with a paper towel and pull it off. Wash hands and surfaces thoroughly after handling raw pork to prevent cross-contamination.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the sweet paprika, hot paprika, chile powder, brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Rub this spice mixture evenly over both sides of the ribs, pressing firmly so it adheres.
Pour the water, apple cider vinegar, and liquid smoke into the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Place the metal trivet inside. Coil the seasoned ribs on top of the trivet, standing them on their side wrapping around the inner pot like a crown.
Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and ensure the valve is set to the sealing position. Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Note that it will take about 10 minutes for the pot to come to pressure before the timer starts.
While the ribs are cooking, prepare the glaze. In a clean small mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, tomato ketchup, lime juice, lime zest, and the remaining 3 grams of hot paprika. Set aside.
Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, carefully turn the valve to venting to quick-release any remaining pressure. Preheat your oven broiler to high, or 260C/500F, and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Using tongs, carefully lift the tender ribs out of the Instant Pot and place them meat-side up on the foil-lined baking sheet. The meat should be shrinking back from the bones. Brush the prepared sticky lime honey glaze generously over the top and sides of the ribs.
Place the baking sheet under the broiler for 5 to 7 minutes. Watch the ribs very closely as the high sugar content in the honey can burn quickly. Remove when the glaze is bubbling, caramelized, and sticky. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Ensure the pork has reached an internal temperature of at least 90C/195F for maximum tenderness.
Chef's Notes
- Removing the silverskin membrane from the back of the ribs is crucial. It prevents the ribs from curling during cooking and allows the spice rub to penetrate the meat fully.
- While an internal temperature of 63C/145F is strictly safe for pork, bringing ribs up to 90C/195F breaks down the tough collagen into gelatin, resulting in that signature fall-off-the-bone texture.
- For extra depth of flavor, reserve a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid left at the bottom of the pressure cooker and whisk it directly into your lime and honey glaze before broiling.
- If your rack of ribs is exceptionally large or thick, you may need to increase the pressure cooking time to 30 minutes to achieve the desired tenderness.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The glaze may thicken when chilled.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap tightly in foil and place in a freezer-safe bag.
Reheating: Cover loosely with foil and bake at 150C/300F until warmed through, then uncover and broil for 2 minutes to refresh the sticky glaze.
Troubleshooting
The ribs are tough instead of fall-off-the-bone tender
Cause: The ribs were not cooked long enough under pressure, or pressure was released too quickly
Fix: Return the ribs to the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for an additional 5 to 10 minutes
Prevention: Ensure you cook for a full 25 minutes on high pressure followed by a strict 10-minute natural release
The glaze burns to a crisp under the broiler
Cause: The baking sheet was placed too close to the broiler element or left unattended
Fix: Cannot be completely fixed. Scrape off the worst charred bits and apply a fresh, thin layer of glaze off the heat
Prevention: Keep the oven rack in the middle or upper-middle position, and never step away while broiling high-sugar glazes
Cultural Context
Barbecue ribs are a staple of American regional cuisine, deeply rooted in traditions where tough cuts of meat were slow-cooked over wood fires until meltingly tender. This modern adaptation utilizes pressure cooking to mimic the tenderizing effects of low-and-slow barbecue in a fraction of the time, while the bright honey, lime, and chile glaze pays homage to the bold, sweet, and spicy flavor profiles highly sought after in modern game-day and Super Bowl snacking.
