Baby Back Rib Cooking Time

Pressure Cooker Baby Back Ribs was one of the first dishes we've made in the pressure cooker. And boy! We were blown away by how the meat was so tender and flavorful after a short prep and cooking time. But what is the best pressure cooking time for baby back ribs?

We had some fun with a couple of pressure cooking experiments. We were overwhelmed by the positive responses for our How to Make the Most Tender, Flavorful Pot Roast in Pressure Cooker Experiment.

So, time for another little test with one of our favorite Baby Back Ribs in Pressure Cooker.

Time for some ribs baby!

Materials & Methods for Pressure Cooker Baby Back Ribs Test

Pressure Cooker: Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker

Altitude: close to sea level
Meat: Rack of Baby Back Ribs
Meat Thickness: the thickest part of the meat is roughly 1/2 inch thick
Meat Weight: 1.5 – 1.8 lbs
Pressure: High Pressure (10.15~11.6 psi)
Cooking Time: 16 minutes, 25 minutes, 30 minutes
Release Method: Full Natural Release

Cooking Method for the Pressure Cooker Baby Back Ribs:

Remove the membrane from the back of the baby back ribs
Dry rub the baby back ribs
Pressure cook at High Pressure
Full Natural Release
Cover the baby back ribs with aluminum foil and set aside
Reduce the BBQ sauce
Apply BBQ sauce
Finish in the oven

How long to cook pressure cooker baby back ribs? We tested different cooking times to make tender to fall off the bone tender ribs. Come find your favorite one!

Pressure Cooker Baby Back Ribs Testing Results

Since baby back ribs is a tender cut, the resulting meat juice, meat flavors, and the sauce were all quite similar among the 3 cooking times. The meat were moist and flavorful.

The main difference stands in the meat texture.

Test 1: 16 Minutes Pressure Cooker Baby Back Ribs

Meat Texture: The meat was tender with a bit of chew. We were able to pick up the baby back ribs with tongs without worrying the bones falling off.

Test 2: 25 Minutes Pressure Cooker Baby Back Ribs

Meat Texture: The meat was very tender. We had to pick up the baby back ribs very carefully with tongs or else the bones will fall off.

Test 3: 30 Minutes Pressure Cooker Baby Back Ribs

Meat Texture: The meat was literally fall off the bone tender. We couldn't pick up the baby back ribs with tongs without the bones falling off.

How long to cook pressure cooker baby back ribs? We tested different cooking times to make tender to fall off the bone tender ribs. Come find your favorite one!

Side Note:

When should we cook baby back ribs directly in the liquid in the pressure cooker?

Some of the baby back ribs' meat flavor will transfer to the liquid when cooking it in the pressure cooker. It only makes sense to place the ribs in the cooking liquid if you are making the sauce in the pressure cooker at the same time. Because all the flavor that has gone into the sauce will be brushed back onto it.

When should we cook baby back ribs on a trivet in the pressure cooker?

However, if you're discarding the cooking liquid in the pressure cooker afterwards or you're using an already made/store-bought BBQ sauce, you should place the ribs on a trivet when cooking in the pressure cooker to preserve the flavors.

Which cooking time is your favorite?

Choose your favorite cooking time and start cooking some delicious Pressure Cooker Baby Back Ribs!

Recipe: Pressure Cooker Ribs

What do you think of this cooking time test forPressure Cooker Baby Back Ribs? Share with us in thecomments! 🙂

How long to cook pressure cooker baby back ribs? We tested different cooking times to make tender to fall off the bone tender ribs. Find your favorite one!

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