Servings: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2– to 2½- lb. rack of baby back ribs, cut into 3 equal sections
- 1 cup water or broth
- BBQ sauce of choice*
For the Spice Rub:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Instant Pot Directions:
- Combine the ingredients for the spice rub; set aside.
- Cut the rack of ribs into 3 equal sections, then pat the ribs dry with paper towels. Rub and press the spice rub generously over each section of the ribs, pressing the spices into the ribs.
- Place the metal rack into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add the broth or water to the Instant Pot.
- Place the ribs on the rack and arrange the ribs into a pyramid by standing each section up on its end and leaning them against one another.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock it into place. Flip the valve to the ‘Sealing’ position.
- Select the high-pressure setting and set the cooking time to 30 minutes. It will take several minutes for the Instant Pot to build up pressure before the 30-minute timer starts.
- As soon as the cooking time is up, immediately release the pressure by flipping the valve to the ‘Venting’ position.
- Preheat the broiler to medium-high heat. Remove the ribs from Instant Pot and place them on a rimmed baking sheet (line the baking sheet with foil for easy clean up).
- Brush the ribs with barbecue sauce on both sides. See the Notes section below for finishing the ribs on the grill instead of under the broiler.
- Broil for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and slightly caramelized.
- Cut into individual ribs for serving.
Slow Cooker Directions:
- Combine the ingredients for the spice rub.
- Cut the rack of ribs into 2 or 3 equal sections (whatever you need to do to get them to fit into your slow cooker) then rub each section with the spice rub.
- Place the ribs in the bottom of a slow cooker with ½ cup of water.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 hours) or until tender, then proceed with the saucing, broiling, or grilling as indicated next.
- Remove the ribs from the slow cooker and place them on a rimmed baking sheet (line the baking sheet with foil for easy clean up).
- Preheat the broiler to medium-high heat. Brush the ribs with barbecue sauce on both sides.
- Broil for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and slightly caramelized. Alternatively, you can finish the ribs by placing them on a hot grill until the sauce is slightly caramelized.
- Cut into individual ribs for serving.
Notes
*Try Primal Kitchen Classic BBQ Sauce for a no-added-sugar, Whole30-friendly BBQ Sauce option
To finish the ribs on the grill, preheat the grill to low-medium and place them directly on the rack over indirect heat and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce ‘tightens’ and becomes thick and sticky.
If using a Traeger Grill, preheat the grill to 185℉ using your favorite pellets (we love the hickory, mesquite, or Traeger Signature Blend pellets for ribs). Place the ribs directly on the grill grates and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce tightens.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/4th recipe
- Calories: 514
- Fat: 26 g
- (Sat Fat: 17 g)
- Sodium: 563 mg
- Carbohydrate: 17 g
- (Fiber: 0 g
- Sugar: 2 g)
- Protein: 30 g