High Cotton Instant Pot Sticky Ribs

This quick easy recipe does an excellent job highlighting the stick goodness of grilled tasting ribs. Crispy crust and tender, fall off the bone textures make this recipe a real hit without spending 6 or 8 hours around a smoker.

Choose either baby back or St Louis style as they are meaty but will also fit into the instant pot. This could be served with traditional baked beans and cole slaw or potato salad or just as easily stripped off the bone and turned in to bbq rib sliders.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup Texas bbq dry rub or other quality pork dry rub
2 slabs baby back or st louis style ribs
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 cup Apricot ginger jam
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1 star anise pod
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp rice wine
2 tablespoons neutral oil such as safflower or canola
1 lg onion, diced (about 1/3 cup)
2 garlic cloves minced
Honey (optional)

Directions:

Cut the ribs into chunks of 3-4 ribs, depending on their size. Place them in a large bowl and toss with dry rub. In a small bowl, combine the apricot ginger jam, lime juice, soy sauce, lime zest and juice, and star anise. Set aside.

Using the saute function on your Instant Pot, heat the oil. Stir in the onions and cook until they start to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute; then stir in the jam mixture and add 3/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer. Scrape the sauce into the large bowl of ribs. Toss gently to combine.

Place the trivet in your instant pot and arrange the ribs, standing upright along the outer edge of the pressure cooker, making a ring with the meat side of the ribs facing out. Continue with the remaining ribs, arranging them in concentric circles. Pour any remaining sauce over the ribs. Cover and set pressure to high for 25 minutes. Turn off and follow with natural release for 10 minutes the quick release. Transfer the ribs, meat-side down, to a rimmed baking sheet.

Turn the instant pot to the saute function and cook to reduce the sauce until thick, about 15 minutes; spoon the fat off the top when finished. Taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning, adding honey if necessary. Blend with a hand blender for a smooth texture.

Heat the oven on broil. Brush the ribs with the sauce. Broil the ribs until they are charred in spots, 1 to 5 minutes. Flip them over, brush with more sauce and broil on that side until charred. Serve immediately, with more sauce on the side.

Urban Cowgill March 2018