A few years ago we offered a method for cooking baby back ribs. For ribs it’s not as much about the recipe as it is about the technique. The trick is to transform a very tough but very flavorful meat into a simple delicacy that melts in your mouth.
In our original “Best Damn Ribs Ever” feature we utilized the sous vide method to create tender and delicious ribs. We still love this method but we have a new favorite kitchen tool and a tool that can be found in more kitchens. While a sous vide cooker is a great tool to have in your kitchen very few home cooks own this tool. However, many home cooks do have a pressure cooker (often called instant pots — a silly name in my view…).
Beautiful Ribs on the Grill
Click here to see out original sous vide method ribs.
A pressure cooker is a great kitchen tool. It does some jobs well, other not so well, and for some jobs it’s the ideal tool. The pressure cooker does a fantastic job of getting baby back ribs 3/4 done and ready for the table.
Prepare your ribs as you always should by giving them a rinse and then dry the ribs. Remove the tough, white membrane on the back of the ribs. If you slowly work a corner of this membrane away from the bone you can typically grab it and pull the length of the rack removing it all in one movement. At this point I like to season the ribs generously with my favorite homemade dry rub. Get the recipe here. I like to allow the rub to sit on the ribs in your refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
Now you can prepare your pressure cooker. I use an electric, free-standing pressure cooker as opposed to the old-school, stove-top cooker. Place pieces of carrot, celery, and onion in the bottom of your cooker’s pot. Add a beer of your choice. Stand the ribs vertically in the pot (you can cut the rack in half ) and bring the liquid to a boil. Clamp on the lid as instructed and set your cooking time for 25 minutes. When the cooking has completed allow the pressure to dissipate naturally (don’t use the pressure release valve). In 15 minutes or so the pressure will dissipate.
At this point the ribs are fully cooked, fall-off-the-bone tender and ready for the final stage.
You can finish the ribs in an oven but the grill is the best. If going to the grill decide if you want a little grill flavor or if you would like to smoke the ribs. Regardless of your style of grill, heat the ribs through using the indirect heat method. In other words, have your hot coals to one side of the grill and place the ribs on the cooler side. The ribs are cooked so you are just looking for a little bark on the exterior.
In the last 10 minutes of grill time brush the ribs with the Red Wine Barbecue Sauce (get the recipe) – or your sauce of choice – three times giving a few minutes between applications for the sauce to sink in and dry a bit. Pull the ribs from the grill to a large dish and cover with foil and let stand for 10 minutes. Eat.
Now grab the beverage of your choice: If you are going for beer I suggest a Märzen or Vienna lager and you can’t go wrong with a classic Porter. If wine is your drink of choice I suggest: Montepulciano, Grenache, or Petite Sirah.