Instant Pot Short Ribs

I love braised short ribs. I don’t, however, love the time required to prepare my favorite short rib recipe. That’s why I came up with these Instant Pot Short Ribs that are still full of my favorite braised short ribs flavor without the time investment.

Ingredients

Don’t let the length of this list intimidate you! The ingredients are all simple, and you may already have many in your pantry.

• Bone-In Beef Short Ribs – These are the heart of the dish, of course. Be sure to choose the bone-in variety so you wind up with deliciously moist short ribs. 
• Kosher Salt – Salt brings out the flavor of the other ingredients. Be mindful using a smaller grain salt, you will not need as much.
• Ground Black Pepper – This adds just a subtle bit of heat. For even less robust peppery flavor, opt for white pepper.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Be sure to use high-quality olive oil. 
• Carrots – Slice these uniformly so that they cook evenly. 
• Celery Stalks – Celery is a key part of the mirepoix and complements the other ingredients.
• Garlic Cloves – Use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor. Measure garlic with your heart!
• Yellow Onion – Slice these into chunky wedges. Red or white onion can also be used.
• Red Wine – Dry red wine helps to add depth to the dish. Cabernet, merlot, and pinot noir are two good options. If you don’t cook with wine, usemore beef broth.
• Tomato Paste – Tomato paste helps to give the ribs rich flavor. Make sure to grab paste and not sauce.
• Low Sodium Beef Broth – The liquid base needed for cooking in an Instant Pot. I like the low sodium version so I have full control over the saltiness.
• Fresh Thyme – This herb gives the ribs a fresh herbal flavor. Dried can be used, but fresh is best in this case.
• Bay Leaves – Bay leaves help to build a more complex sauce offering an earthy and peppery undertone.
• Cornstarch – This helps to thicken the sauce and give it glossy, rich texture and looks.

Variations

You can make a few simple changes to switch up the flavor profile in this dish.

• Herbs – Try adding rosemary or oregano.
• Balsamic – Swap out some or all of the red wine for balsamic vinegar.
• Smokiness – Add smoked paprika or chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. You can also do a few dabs of liquid smoke.
• Beer – Substitute a dark beer or stout for the red wine.
• Soy Sauce or Worcestershire Sauce – Whisk in a little bit of soy sauce to add umami flavor.
• Sweetness – Add honey or brown sugar for a sweeter gravy.

How to Make Instant Pot Short Ribs

This Instant Pot short ribs recipe results in the most amazingly tender and delicious short ribs!

1. Prep the ribs. Use a paper towel to pat them dry before seasoning with salt and pepper. Dry meat will help with the browning, which adds flavor. This is called the maillard reaction.
2. Set the Instant Pot. Turn it to saute and pour in the olive oil. 
3. Brown the ribs. Place the ribs in the Instant Pot and sear them all with a golden brown over before transferring to a plate. 
4. Cook the mirepoix. Place the carrots, celery, garlic, and onion in the Instant Pot and saute until they become tender. Using the same oil helps to build on robust flavor.
5. Deglaze. Use the red wine to deglaze the Instant Pot, ensuring to incorporate the brown bits which will add flavor to the sauce. 
6. Add liquid ingredients. Stir in the tomato paste, broth, and a cup of water. The instant pot need enough liquid to seal and build, this will also be your “pan” sauce.
7. Cook ribs. Transfer the browned short ribs to the Instant Pot and cover with the sauce. Then, secure the lid and set the vent to sealed before setting the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 40 minutes. 
8. Release. Natural release for 10 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure. 
9. Remove the ribs. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to take the ribs out of the Instant Pot.
10. Combine. Blend together the vegetables and liquid with an immersion blender before adding a cornstarch slurry to the sauce. 
11. Simmer. Turn the Instant Pot back to saute and allow it to reduce and thicken for several minutes. 
12. Reheat meat. Place the short ribs back in the sauce, cover, and reheat. 
13. Serve. Serve immediately or all the ribs to cool before storing.

What to Serve with Instant Pot Short Ribs

Nearly any side dish pairs well with these tender ribs. For starches, try rice, pastina, polenta, risotto, or mashed potatoes. You can also serve bread to sop up that delicious sauce!

For veggies, we love roasted root vegetables, red wine vinegar broccolini, and broccoli.

Common Questions about Instant Pot Short Ribs

Storage 

Once cooled, all you need to do is transfer these to an airtight container and pop them in the fridge or freezer.

Refrigerator

These short ribs can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Freezer

Freeze the short ribs in a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months.

More Instant Pot Recipes:

Chicken Main Dishes

Chicken Birria Tacos

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Soups

15 Bean Soup (Instant Pot Recipe)

4.64 from 63 votes

Appetizers + Snacks

Grape Jelly Meatballs Recipe

4.22 from 128 votes

Also try our Honey Ginger Short Ribs and Short Rib Soup!

Instant Pot Short Rib Recipe

5 from 8 votes

These Instant Pot Short Ribs are fork tender, flavorful and so good you’ll make them again and again. Pressure cooker short ribs take considerably less time to make than typical braised short ribs!

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Equipment

• Garlic press
• Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Liners
• Immersion Blender
• Ninja Blender System

Ingredients

• 5-6 bone-in beef short ribs
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 carrots , cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 celery stalks , cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 garlic cloves , roughly chopped
• 1 yellow onion , cut into wedges
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2-3 large bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

• Dab the short ribs dry with a paper towel. Season them with the Kosher salt and ground black pepper.
• Turn the Instant Pot to the saute feature and add the olive oil to heat.
• Add the short ribs, browning on all sides. Remove them to a plate and set aside, keeping the Instant Pot on saute.
• Saute the carrots, celery, garlic and onion in the residual oil from the short ribs. Saute until soft, about 8-7 minutes.
• Deglaze the pot with the red wine, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
• Stir in the tomato paste, beef broth and 1 cup of water.
• Return the short ribs back to the Instant Pot, spooning the liquid over the tops.
• Secure the lid of the Instant Pot, setting the vent to "sealed".
• Set it to manual, high pressure for 40 minutes.
• Allow for 10 minutes of natural release, then release the remaining pressure.
• Carefully remove the short ribs, they will be tender, set aside.
• Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
• Using an immersion blender, mix the vegetables and liquid until a thick sauce forms.
• Blend the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and stir into the vegetable based sauce .
• Return the Instant Pot to saute, allowing the sauce to reduce and thicken for 5 minutes.
• Add the short ribs back to sauce, covering and allow to reheat.
• Serve immediately.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Nutrition

Calories: 433 kcal, Carbohydrates: 24 g, Protein: 4 g, Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Sodium: 1953 mg, Potassium: 988 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 11 g, Vitamin A: 6230 IU, Vitamin C: 19.6 mg, Calcium: 63 mg, Iron: 2.5 mg

Author: Chef Jessica Anne

Calories: 433

Course: Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: braised short ribs, instant pot short ribs

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