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Asian-Inspired Instant Pot Ribs are sticky, sweet, savory, and so easy to make in the Instant Pot. #instantpot #quickdinner #instantpotribs

Asian-Inspired Instant Pot Ribs

Sweet, sticky, savory spare ribs that are a cinch to prepare in the Instant Pot. 

Course Appetizer, Dinner, lunch
Cuisine American, asian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 2 Large servings
Calories 1978 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 rack pork spare ribs or St. Louis Style ribs
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 scallion sliced (optional garnish)

Instructions

  1. Trim the membrane from the back of the ribs. Use a dull knife, such as a butter knife, and wedge it between the membrane and the bone. Wiggle it around to loosen the membrane, and then peel the membrane off. It might take a few tries. 

  2. Cut the rack of ribs into thirds or in half, so they will fit in the Instant pot. Place them into the Instant Pot. They will not fit in one layer, so you can lie them flat on top of each other. 

  3. In a medium sized bowl, mix the remaining ingredients until combined. Pour this sauce on top of the ribs. 

  4. Close and seal the pot. On manual mode, set the timer to 25 minutes on high pressure. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 F. 

  5. When the Instant Pot is done cooking, allow it to do natural pressure release for about 10 minutes, then manually release the remaining pressure. 

  6. Remove the ribs to a plate. Turn the pot onto saute mode on high, and reduce the liquid by about 2/3, until it is a thick sauce. This takes about 10-15 minutes. 

  7. Place the ribs on a baking sheet, meat side up. Brush them generously with the sauce, and place in the oven. Cook for 10 minutes, until the sauce is very sticky. 

  8. While the ribs are baking, pour the remaining sauce into a small bowl. Skim as much fat off the top as possible. 

  9. Remove ribs from the oven. Garnish with sliced scallions (white and green parts) and serve with additional sauce for dipping. 

Recipe Notes

To prepare the ribs in a slow cooker, follow steps 1-3 using a slow cooker instead of the Instant Pot. Cover the slow cooker, and turn on high. Cook for 4-5 hours. When finished, remove the ribs to a plate. Turn oven on to 400 F.  Pour the sauce into a saucepan, and reduce over medium heat by about 2/3 the volume. Place ribs on a baking sheet, and brush with the sauce. Bake for 10 minutes, until the sauce is very sticky. Pour remaining sauce into a bowl, and skim the fat from the top. Serve ribs with extra sauce for dipping.