Combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sweetener, smoked paprika, chili powder, and cayenne pepper (if using).
Place the trivet in your Instant Pot, then pour in the water, apple cider vinegar, and liquid smoke (if using).
If there are membranes on the back of your rib racks, remove them to make the ribs easier to eat.
Pat the ribs dry with paper towels, then rub the spice mixture all over them.
Instant Pot Instructions
Stand the rib racks up in the instant pot so the bones are vertical. This helps them cook more evenly. Seal the Instant Pot lid, and set to cook on Manual for 30 minutes under High Pressure. Let the pressure release naturally.
Place ribs on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet and brush with BBQ sauce. If desired, broil the ribs for 3-5 minutes.
Oven Instructions
Heat oven to 275°F. Spread out a large piece of foil for each rack of ribs. Top each piece of foil with a piece of parchment paper. Place the ribs on the parchment paper and wrap tightly with both the parchment paper and the foil.
Place the foil-wrapped ribs on a rimmed baking sheet with the seam of the packet facing up. Bake for 2-3 hours or until very tender. Carefully remove ribs from the packets.
Place ribs on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet and brush with BBQ sauce. If desired, broil the ribs for 3-5 minutes.
Slow Cooker Instructions
Stand the rib racks up in a 6 qt. slow cooker so the bones are vertical and the meatier side of the ribs is facing the outside of the slow cooker. This helps them cook more evenly. Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 8 hours or until tender.
Place ribs on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet and brush with BBQ sauce. If desired, broil the ribs for 3-5 minutes.
Notes
Notes: These ribs should be fall-off-the-bone tender. If you prefer chewier ribs, reduce the time to 25 minutes. If you take them out of the Instant Pot and you want them to be even more tender, put them back in the Instant Pot for another 3-5 minutes.This recipe can be halved. Keep the amounts of water, apple cider vinegar, and liquid smoke the same, but cut the amounts of all other ingredients in half. Reduce the cooking time to 20 minutes.