Quick Ribs from Pressure Cooker to Grill

One of my favorite foods is barbecued ribs. Not many foods are surrounded by as much mystique and "secret sauce" as are these tender, sweet cuts of meat. Every grill master seems to have a recipe for great ribs - and they are usually hesitant to share it. One of the most common claims is that smoking the ribs makes all the difference. But smoking is a tedious process and if you don't have a smoker it can be bothersome. However, if you don't smoke or pre-cook the ribs in some way you must grill them over low heat for over an hour which can dry out the ribs.  Some people will boil their ribs to pre-cook them but boiling can make the meat rubbery, doesn't add any flavor to the meat and the total cooking time can still be an hour or more.

So, if you have a taste for ribs, you can ordinarily expect to spend a while out at the grill or the smoker - which is great if you have the time on a pleasant Saturday afternoon. But what if you have a craving for a nice rack of ribs on a weekday after work?  With a pressure cooker, grill and a simple combination of spice and mirepoix you can produce a succulent rack of ribs in about 35 to 45 minutes!  Pressure cooking the ribs keeps them moist and tender and infuses the flavor of the mirepoix and spices into the meat, replacing the process of marinating or smoking.

Ingredients:

1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 cup coarsely chopped onions
2 tablespoons red wine balsamic vinegar
2 leaves of fresh basil
1/4 cup whole black pepper corns
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 rack of baby back or spare ribs
1 bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce

1.) Preheat the grill

2.) Put about 2 cups of water in your pressure cooker. I used an 8 quart pressure cooker and was able to put two whole racks of baby back ribs in at once. Place the trivet that came with your cooker in the bottom of the pan and then add the aromatic vegetables, herbs, vinegar and spices. Add the ribs. If your cooker is large enough you can bend the whole rack and place it in. Otherwise, cut the rack into sections. Lock on the lid and cook at high pressure for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the cooking speed of your particular cooker.

3.) Immediately after removing the ribs from the pressure cooker place them on the grill. Baste liberally with barbecue sauce on both sides and let cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat. Baste the ribs again and turn them over and cook for another 10 minutes. You now have tender rib meat that will fall right off the bone! Grab a handful of napkins and enjoy.