Instant Pot Boneless Pork Ribs (Country Style Shoulder Ribs). Boneless "ribs" from the pressure cooker in a little over an hour. This recipe is so simple it is barely a recipe; it is more of a technique. Sprinkle the boneless ribs (cut from the pork shoulder) with barbecue rub, put them in the Instant Pot with ½ cup of water, and drizzle them with ½ cup of barbecue sauce. Pressure cook for 45 minutes, then run them under the broiler to brown a little, and you have tender, falling apart boneless ribs.
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Before we get started, I have to add a disclaimer. I know this isn't Real Barbecue. It isn't cooked with smoke or using live fire. Think of this as barbecue sauce braised pork, and go here for authentic, low and slow barbecue. OK? OK. (I'm hoping to head off blistering comments from barbecue fanatics. Wish me luck.)
If I'm disclaiming this recipe already, why am I sharing it? It's one of my go-to "It's a busy Thursday, and I need a dinner with five minutes of effort" recipes. With minimal effort, I get tasty pork, "slow" cooked in a little over an hour in the pressure cooker.
These pork strips are great on their own - I eat them like boneless ribs - but my kids like to shred them and pile them on hamburger buns to make a fantastic pork sandwich.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 pounds pork shoulder ribs (pork shoulder cut into 2-inch thick strips)
- 1 tablespoon barbecue rub (or 2 teaspoons of my salt-free homemade BBQ rub and 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt)
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
- 1 cup barbecue sauce (I use my homemade BBQ sauce, or use your favorite BBQ sauce)
How to make Instant Pot Boneless Pork Ribs
Season the ribs with BBQ Rub
Sprinkle the ribs evenly with the barbecue rub.
Everything in the pot
Pour the ½ cup water into an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker. Add the (optional) liquid smoke. Add the ribs in a loose stack, then pour ½ cup of barbecue sauce over the ribs. (Don't stir - we want the sweet barbecue sauce to float on top to keep it from burning.)
Pressure cook the ribs for 45 minutes with a natural pressure release
Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for 45 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker, or for 40 minutes in a stovetop PC. (Use Manual, Pressure Cook, or Pressure Cook - custom mode in an Instant Pot). After the pressure cooking finishes, let the pressure release naturally, about 15 more minutes. (You can quick release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes.)
Serve
Unlock the lid, tilting it away from you to avoid any hot steam. Move the boneless ribs to a platter using tongs or a slotted spoon - be gentle; they will be fall-apart tender. Brush the ribs with the BBQ sauce. Serve, passing extra BBQ sauce at the table. Enjoy!
What are boneless pork ribs?
Boneless pork "ribs" are strips of pork shoulder, cut about 2 inches thick and anywhere from 4 to 8 inches long to look like rectangular "ribs". Occasionally, you'll get a bone in there, but that's a piece of the shoulder blade, not a rib. Do I care they are not actual ribs? No. I love pork shoulder, and cutting it into strips makes it perfect to pressure cook. My local grocery store sells these as "Western Ribs", and I've also seen them sold as boneless country style ribs. (You can substitute bone-in country style ribs, or pork chops cut from the pork shoulder. The cooking time remains the same).
Equipment
Tips and Tricks
- Homemade BBQ Rub and BBQ Sauce: I make my own homemade simple dry rub and barbecue sauce. My homemade rub is salt-free; if you use it, make sure to add the salt. Of course, you can use your favorite barbecue sauce or favorite barbecue rub.
- Mixing the pot liquid with BBQ sauce: My original version of this recipe was more complicated, mixing the BBQ sauce and ½ cup of the pot liquid before brushing it on the ribs at the end. I simplified the recipe, but here are the original "sauce the ribs" instructions: Ladle ½ cup of the liquid from the pot into a small bowl. (If you have time, de-fat the pot liquid in a fat separator for ten minutes, then pour ½ cup of the de-fatted liquid into a measuring cup). Stir ½ cup of barbecue sauce into the bowl with the pot liquid. Brush the BBQ sauce/pot liquid mix over the ribs, then serve.
- No pressure cooker? No problem: This is an update of my most popular crock pot recipe, Slow Cooker Pork Western Ribs for the pressure cooker. Go there to slow cook your ribs instead of pressure cooking them.
- Bone-in Ribs? If you have bone-in ribs, try my Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs, Instant Pot Spare Ribs, or Instant Pot Beef Ribs, Texas BBQ Style recipes.
What to serve with Instant Pot Boneless Ribs
I like to pretend this is a summer BBQ, so I serve these ribs with Potato Salad, Green Beans, Cole slaw, and dill pickle slices.
Print
Instant Pot Boneless Pork Ribs Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
Instant Pot Boneless Pork Ribs (Country Style Shoulder Ribs). Boneless "ribs" from the pressure cooker in a little over an hour.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork shoulder ribs (pork shoulder cut into 1½- to 2-inch thick strips)
- 1 tablespoon barbecue rub (or 2 teaspoons of my salt-free homemade BBQ rub and 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt)
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
- 1 cup barbecue sauce (Use my homemade BBQ sauce, or your favorite BBQ sauce)
Instructions
- Season the ribs: Sprinkle the boneless pork ribs evenly with the barbecue rub.
- Everything in the pot: Pour the ½ cup water into an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker. Add the (optional) liquid smoke. Add the ribs in a loose stack, then pour ½ cup of barbecue sauce over the ribs. (Don't stir - we want the sweet barbecue sauce to float on top to keep it from burning.)
- Pressure cook the ribs for 45 minutes with a natural pressure release: Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for 45 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker, or for 40 minutes in a stovetop PC. (Use Manual, Pressure Cook, or Pressure Cook - custom mode in an Instant Pot). After the pressure cooking finishes, let the pressure release naturally, about 15 more minutes. (You can quick release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes.)
- Serve: Unlock the lid, tilting it away from you to avoid any hot steam. Move the boneless ribs to a platter using tongs or a slotted spoon - be gentle; they will be fall-apart tender. Brush the ribs with the BBQ sauce. Serve, passing extra BBQ sauce at the table. Enjoy!
Notes
I make my own homemade barbecue rub and barbecue sauce. My homemade rub is salt-free; if you use a store-bought rub, and it has salt as the first or second ingredient in the ingredient list, skip the kosher salt - the rub is salty enough.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Weeknight Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
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Related Posts
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- My Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipe Index
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Judy Fuller says
This is my go to recipe now for southern style short ribs. I love your rib. Keep it handy all the time. I omitted the salt though. I omit the soy cause of limited sodium intake and I use Splenda brown sugar. ❤️❤️❤️ My new Instant Pot. Still learning. Thank You for sharing this recipe.
Amanda Tays says
I’ve made this for years but in the slow cooker. It’s one of my favorites with mashed potatoes and a veggie. Thanks for making one of my favorite dinners quicker to make!
Tracy D says
Thank You! Would you set the same cook time if the ribs were packed lightly to the max fill line?
Mike Vrobel says
Yes - cooking time is because of the thickness of each rib. Doesn't matter how many you add, they'll take the same amount of time.
Tracy D says
Hi Mike, your site is quickly becoming the favorite for me and my new Instant Pot! Thanks for all your great recipes and I especially appreciate the time-lapse videos! I am planning on making these ribs and even found the pork western shoulder cut sliced in 1 1/2" slices, but wonder if 3 lbs is the maximum amount that will fit and/or cook properly in the 6 qt Instant Pot? I have crowd to feed! Do you think I could fit more and get good results?
Mike Vrobel says
As long as you don't go over the max fill line, or pack them in too tightly, you can keep adding ribs. 3 pounds is the average size of a "family pack" of ribs from my local grocery store, so it is what I went with in the recipe.
NanW says
Making these tonight! Is there any benefit to putting the rub on early instead of right before putting them in the pressure cooker?
Mike Vrobel says
Maybe a little?
Mike Vrobel says
Yes, turn down the heat - and maybe try adding more water next time.
OldManFood says
This receipe could not have been easier. I did a broiling step at the end in the oven for 3 minutes just to get some charred bits mixed in with everything else. Definitely a great dish that can be made as a fancy Monday or Tuesday dinner.
MB says
This is awesome! I used "country style ribs" and they were actually quite fatty so it was perfect for this recipe. I also used the Galena Street rub from Penzey's, which I adore. I followed the cooking instructions exactly as written and these were amazing - so tender and falling off the bone. It was also super easy! I will definitely be making them again!
Lori says
I plan to make this tonight, however I am going to put them under the broiler after coming out of the pressure cooker to get a little crispy burnt on the sauce!
Thanks for the direction!
Tami says
I tried my instant pot for the first time tonight with this recipe. Made it with Country Style Ribs, Instant Pot setting Meat/Stew for 45 mins. All pieces were great, with the pieces in the liquid even more tender! Next time I might try to squeeze all the pieces on one level. Thanks for sharing!
DT says
What other names do "western ribs" go by? No one around here has heard of that cut, so I'm thinking they may have other names?
Aisha says
Here we call them Country style.
Mike V says
Actually, country style ribs are a different cut - they come from where the loin and the shoulder meet. They'll work in this recipe, but they cook up drier because they're a leaner cut of meat. If you can't find western ribs, buy a boneless pork shoulder roast and cut it into 2 inch thick strips.
Megan Mckendall says
I have a electric pressure cooker with a setting for steak/meat, can I use that setting? Mine doesn't have the high heat for certain amount of minutes.
Mike V says
I don't know. Maybe? "Steak/meat" is not enough information. Sorry!
Megan Mckendall says
Hello Mike, so in regards to my last question on the electric pressure cooker I have I simply used the "steak/meat" button and cooked for the time mentioned above they were unbelievably tender and juicy. Thank you very much for the recipe. Will be making again tonight. Once again thank you for sharing.
Randy says
I have a crockpot brand instant and the meat setting has done perfect for these country style ribs. It takes about 45-50 minutes before the pressure release. Fantastic ribs every time.
Paula says
I just want to say I really love your site. I got my InstaPot cooker 5 days ago after my stovetop pressure cooker's gasket was shot and I had a hard time finding a replacement. I have already used it every day, sometimes twice a day!!! I have many of your recipes on my "must try" list. I am a pretty accomplished home cook and I am super impressed by your site! Keep up the great work! Thanks you.
Mike V says
You're welcome, and thank you for the kind words!
dt says
Mike -
Do you set the ribs on a "steamer rack", or do you set them directly in the 1/2 cup of water? Or does it matter?
Mike V says
I put them directly in pot - no rack necessary.
Terry says
You are right, it's not real BBQ, but it does look like a great quick meal. Thanks Mike.