Instant Pot Whole30 Baby Back Ribs

First off, never having done a diet, cleanse or reset before, Jimmy and I decided to take on the Whole30. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, which we broke down in our Whole30 Timeline but definitely well worth it now having been through it all. We were set on not having the same boring meal for 30 days straight and had to figure out a way to eat the things we like, in a healthy way of course. There was no way I was going to make it eating chicken breast and steamed veggies every night.

Cue baby back ribs.

But not just any baby back ribs. We, like many others, ended up buying an Instant Pot on Prime Day and wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Hailing from St. Louis, Jimmy is always in the mood for ribs, but I’m not always in the mood for a meal that is going to take me all day to prep and cook. Enter, the Instant Pot. I’m typically pretty hesitant with anything assuring me of a “quick and easy” yet still delicious meal – I’m old school in the assumption that things need to simmer in the crockpot for half a day to really pull out all the flavor that you want. Also – I was pretty firm on believing that you can’t just throw liquid smoke into a dish and call it ribs. I will admit that I still believe that when making real ribs, but come Sunday night and you haven’t started meal prepping for the week… this is now my go-to alternative. Be sure you look for a non-sugar/molasses liquid smoke like Lazy Kettle’s.  Perfect for a last-minute lunch with friends, potluck, dinner, meal prep, it’s fantastic as a hearty meal or even just as the protein to top a simple salad. These ribs are the most versatile and truthfully one of the easiest things we’ve ever made.

Ribs

• 1 rack ‏baby back ribs (spare ribs)

Spice Rub

• 2 tablespoons ‏chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ‏cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ‏cumin
• 1 teaspoon ‏garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ‏onion powder
• 1 teaspoon ‏salt
• 1 teaspoon ‏pepper

Smoking Liquid

• 1 cup ‏water
• 1/2 cup ‏apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon ‏non-sugar or molasses liquid smoke

BBQ Sauce

• 1 cup ‏whole30 ketchup
• all of it ‏leftover smoking liquid from the instant pot

1. Start by removing the skin off the bottom of the rack of ribs. Sometimes it’s easier to use a paper towel to grip the fat/skin as you use a knife to separate it from the meat and bones
2. Rub the ribs front and back with the spice rub.
3. Make sure your Instant Pot has the metal rack inside to allow the juice from the meat to drip off and stay separate (you will use this later to make your BBQ sauce!) Curl the ribs around the instant pot, with the meat side facing out and that the rib bones are facing up.
4. Add the ingredients for the Smoking Liquid to the Instant Pot – try not to let it touch the ribs as it might take off some of the rub. This is where the magic happens. 
5. Secure the lid and select the Meat button, set for 25 minutes and when done, let the pressure naturally release for about 10 minutes then quick release the remaining pressure.
6. Remove the ribs carefully with tongs. The ribs are going to be super tender so you will want to do it carefully and keep them flat as you move them to a roasting pan. 
7. Take the remaining liquid in the instant pot and mix in a cup of ketchup and allow it to simmer until slightly thick. Pour some of the sauce over the ribs and coat the top evenly. Save the rest of the sauce for dipping or coating your ribs later for a more wet finish.
8. Place it in the oven to high broil for 5-10 minutes until somewhat caramelized but keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn’t burn.