Maple-glazed ribs, BBQ without the nightshades

Classic barbecue leans on tomato and pepper, both nightshades, so this version proves you can still have the sticky, caramelized, fall off the bone result without either one. Pressure cook the rack until tender, then glaze and broil for the lacquered finish. Having a real BBQ option again keeps the table festive, and that matters as much as the recipe itself.

Pork ribs are a source of B12, zinc, and selenium, minerals involved in immune function, tissue repair, and thyroid hormone conversion. Pressure cooking breaks down the connective tissue so the meat turns tender and the collagen softens into the dish. The glaze leans on maple, coconut aminos, and balsamic for deep, sweet savory layers, with just a modest amount of maple keeping the sweetness in check.

A rack of ribs is a generous, shareable cut, and there is reverence in cooking it well: seasoning it simply, cooking it patiently, glazing it with care. Serve it to people, eat with your hands, and let it be the easy joy it is meant to be.

Ingredients

• 1 rack baby back pork ribs, about 1.5 lb
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 cup broth or water
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp coconut aminos (in place of the original's tamari and to build the glaze)
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar (to round out the glaze in place of tamarind)
• Tamarind paste, 1 Tbsp, reintroduction-only option, not a Core ingredient

Swaps made: the source builds its glaze on tamarind, which is a legume and excluded from AIP Core, and the wider recipe family uses tamari, which is soy and also excluded. Tamari is replaced with coconut aminos. Tamarind is dropped from the Core version and the glaze is rebuilt on maple syrup, coconut aminos, and a little balsamic vinegar for the tangy depth tamarind would have given. If you have cleared tamarind in reintroduction, you can stir 1 tablespoon of tamarind paste into the glaze, but it is not part of the AIP Core dish.

Method

• Rub the sea salt, garlic powder, and dried thyme over both sides of the rack.
• Cut the rack into thirds so it fits, and stand or layer the pieces in the Instant Pot. Pour the broth or water around the ribs. Use a rack or trivet under them to keep the bottom layer off the pot floor.
• Seal and pressure cook on high for 50 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally.
• While the ribs finish, whisk the maple syrup, coconut aminos, and balsamic vinegar into a glaze. Stir in the tamarind paste only if you are past reintroduction and using it.
• Move the ribs to a broiler pan, meaty side up. Brush with half the glaze and broil 5 to 7 minutes. Baste with the rest and broil another 3 to 5 minutes until caramelized. Watch closely, since broiler strength varies.

Instant Pot variation

The recipe above is already the Instant Pot path: high pressure for 50 minutes with natural release, then a broiler finish for the glaze and char. A rack or trivet under the ribs is the key step. One stovetop pressure-cooker user scorched the bottom layer without one.

Oven variation

If you do not have a pressure cooker, season the ribs the same way, wrap the rack tightly in parchment and foil, and bake at 300 F until tender, roughly 2 to 2.5 hours (untested timing, verify). Unwrap, brush with the glaze, and broil 5 to 8 minutes until caramelized, basting once.

*Adapted from grazed-and-enthused*