The Ultimate Instant Pot Short Ribs
Anyone who likes ribs needs to try this recipe. With barely any work, I can have fall-off-the-bone tender, juicy short ribs full of rich, tangy flavors in minutes instead of hours. My instant pot short ribs are soaked in red wine sauce and taste better than those I have gotten at a restaurant. This simple yet packed with flavor one-pot wonder recipe can be made at home for a fraction of the cost.
Instant pot recipes are a staple in my house; I turn to them anytime I need to prepare something impressive and delicious without spending too many hours in the kitchen. These types of recipes are especially helpful when you want a cozy, gourmet-style meal but you are short on time. Take this herbed butter whole chicken or instant pot pork tenderloin; these recipes can still be done on a busy weeknight, even if you forgot to defrost the meat in the morning!
Table of contents
This recipe is perfect if you crave a comforting meal without the long cooking time and effort. There is no reason to worry about basting or checking these ribs. The instant pot does all the work in under an hour, which usually takes me several hours of roasting or grilling. These satisfying ribs are cooked in a mixture of red wine with aromatic herbs and served with a sweet and savory sauce! It’s amazing how with minimal effort, magic happens, yielding fantastic results.
Why you will love this recipe
- This is such an easy dish to make: With just a few steps, I can have tender and juicy short ribs that taste better than restaurant quality made in my Instant Pot. The Instant Pot does all the hard work.
- It is so fast: In the instant pot, I only cook these for 45 minutes, and they melt in your mouth with a rich, meaty flavor that beats any other recipe.
- My special blend: I have secret ingredients and a unique blend of herbs to make this dish taste better than any other short ribs recipe!
- Falling off the bone: Cooking these in the pressure cooker allows the meat to be cooked to perfection, so they fall off the bone without spending hours braising them.
What you will need
- Beef short ribs: I use five or six large grass-fed organic short ribs, about one pound each. I sear them in olive oil before pressure cooking to lock in the flavors.
- For the broth: The secret to good pressure-cooked short ribs is to create a fantastic mixture to cook them in. I mixed savory fresh garlic with red wine, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce for the complex umami flavor, and beef broth.
- Veggies: I add onion and carrots to complement and enhance the richness of the beef.
- Herbs and seasonings: I add dried thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves to create a savory and aromatic broth.
- Sauce: This is the final touch. I add balsamic vinegar for a tangy finish and my secret ingredient, molasses, to make the sauce thicker but with a delicate taste.
How to make
Marinate the ribs: When I have time, I marinate the ribs for a few hours in red wine for extra flavor. When ready to cook, I pat them dry and season them with salt and pepper while the pot is warming up to sauté.
Brown the ribs: When the pot is hot, I add the olive oil and sear the short ribs in batches until they are browned, which usually takes about eight minutes. Then, I brown them for a few minutes on the other side before placing them on a plate covered with foil until I finish searing the rest of the ribs.
Deglaze: When I finish them, I sauté the garlic for one minute before adding the rosemary and thyme to sauté for another minute. I add one cup of wine, the soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot to deglaze it and scrape any bits stuck to the bottom.
Add it all to the pot: After a few minutes, I add another cup of wine, one layer of short ribs, the quartered onion, and the carrots, topped with the rest of the ribs, the wine, and the broth. The bay leaves go on top.
Cook the ribs: Now, I close the lid and cook on high for 40 minutes for boneless or 55 minutes for bone-in. Afterward, I do a natural pressure release for 15 minutes before releasing the rest of the pressure.
Set aside: Next, I transfer the ribs to a platter, cover them with foil to keep them warm, and discard the bay leaves. Then, I strain the fat from the sauce with a spoon or mesh strainer.
Make the sauce: I add the balsamic vinegar and molasses to the pot. Then, I set the pot to sauté again and adjust the heat to medium to simmer for about 30 minutes until it is thick, stirring occasionally. If it is not thick enough, I add a cornstarch slurry of one tablespoon of cornstarch and two tablespoons of water. After it boils, I let it thicken for a few minutes until it reaches the right consistency.
Add the ribs: Finally, I add the ribs back to the pot and coat them with the sauce, letting them absorb the sauce with the lid on for about 10 minutes before serving. I like to garnish mine with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Expert tip
How to choose the best short ribs
Sometimes, looking for short ribs can be difficult. However, not all butcher shops and grocery stores consider them the same. I have found two ways they are described: English and Flanken style. English-style short ribs are cut lengthwise and divided, with the meat sitting on top of each rib bone. Flanken-style ribs are cut across the bone and have pieces of bone throughout the meat.
When shopping for this recipe, I recommend English-cut ribs. Try to get thick pieces with meaty cuts and a lot of marbling. The marbling makes them juicier and more tender. Avoid any ribs with a lot of fat on top. Always choose those that are a vibrant red color, and stay away from anything that looks gray or brown. If choosing flanken-style ribs, ensure they are evenly cut and not ragged or torn at the edges.
More tips to consider
- Don’t skip the searing step—it really makes a difference. Sear them in batches so they are not crowded.
- Crushing the garlic makes the taste a lot more prominent. If that is not what you’re looking for, mince it.
- Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot well with a wooden spoon or spatula when deglazing it to get all the brown bits off the bottom. It also prevents a burn notice.
- To make the ribs crispy on the outside, broil them in the oven for a few minutes or put them in the air fryer for five minutes at 350 degrees F.
- Marbling is good for flavor, but trim any excess fat to avoid greasy sauce.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Korean-style ribs: Sometimes, I make Korean-style short ribs by marinating them in 1/4 cup soy sauce, three cloves minced garlic, three tablespoons sesame oil, two tablespoons rice vinegar, two tablespoons honey, and two tablespoons Gochujang paste.
- Sauce: Some great flavors can be added by marinating the ribs in Teriyaki sauce, BBQ sauce, or Szechuan sauce, or by replacing the wine with one of these sauces.
- No wine: I often use my favorite bourbon or whiskey instead of wine. It adds a different dimension of flavor to the whole dish.
- Alcohol-free: To make this meal completely alcohol-free, I use beef broth, apple cider vinegar, or apple juice instead of wine.
- More vegetables: I often add more vegetables like baby red potatoes and corn for a heartier meal.
- Crockpot: If you want fall-apart tender and flavorful ribs but don’t have an Instant Pot, make them in the slow cooker. Check out my Slow Cooker ribs recipe here.
Serving suggestions:
This is a very delicious and savory meal. It’s the perfect comfort food with a bowl of creamy mashed potatoes or mac and cheese casserole on a cold winter day. But it’s also perfect for summer barbecue parties, served with Mexican street corn on the cob, creamy potato salad, and bacon ranch creamy corn salad.
This is such a classic dish, so when I serve it during summer BBQ parties, I love having a tangy dessert, like my creamy and smooth homemade orange custard or my refreshing strawberry shortcake pie.
How to store leftovers:
- Reheating: Reheat at 375 degrees F in the oven for 10 minutes or in the microwave for 45 to 90 seconds, covered with a damp paper towel.
- Refrigerate: Wrap the Instant Pot short ribs in plastic or foil, place them in a sealed container, and refrigerate them for several days.
- Freezing: Let them cool and keep them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for three months.
- Defrost: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
If they are cooked too long, they end up tough. The difference between being cooked too long and not being cooked enough is that being cooked too long makes the meat dry and stringy. Not cooking it long enough makes it soft and chewy. The best way to tell is by checking the internal temperature, which should be about 200 degrees F. However, doing this when using an instant pot is difficult while cooking. I would set the pot for less time than the recipe calls for and check the temperature to be on the safe side.
They were not cooked long enough. When ribs are not cooked long enough, the connective tissue does not have time to break down properly, so it cannot turn into collagen, which melts in your mouth. The connective tissue is chewy because it has not yet reached a high enough temperature to melt. Continue cooking them for another 15 minutes. Another reason this can happen is if the ribs do not have enough fat marbling. Try to make sure the ribs have plenty of marbling.
If the internal temperature is less than 200 degrees F, it can continue to be cooked for more tenderness. If not, it must be removed because more cooking will make it tougher. Extended cooking time only tenderizes the meat when the connective tissue is still breaking down. Once it has all melted, you are drying it out. To fix these, wrap them in foil tightly with a small amount of broth and put them in the oven at 200 degrees F for an hour. This may help.
The liquid creates the needed steam to cook the meat within the sealed environment and prevents it from drying out. It also ensures that the ribs are evenly cooked. If the ribs are uncovered during cooking, they might become tough. Braising them (covering and cooking them in liquid) also adds flavor since I use wine, broth, and seasonings and sauces to cover my ribs as they cook.
More delicious Instant Pot recipes:
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Instant Pot Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 6 large beef short ribs about 1 lb. each
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil canola or peanut oil
- 8 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups red wine
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 large onion quartered
- 2 medium carrots sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
- 5 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons light molasses
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Optional:
- 1 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Garnish:
- Chopped green onions
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- This is an optional step, but if you have time and can plan ahead, pour the red wine over the short ribs in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours.
- When ready to cook, pat dry the ribs and season with salt and pepper.
- Select the "Saute" setting on an electric pressure cooker and adjust it to High. Once it reads HOT, add olive oil.
- Add 2-3 short ribs to hot oil. You need to sear the short ribs in batches in one layer in the Instant Pot.
- Cook until the bottom is browned, about 8 minutes. Cook a few more minutes on the other side. Transfer browned short ribs to a plate and cover with foil. Repeat cooking with remaining short ribs.
- Once the ribs have been seared and are resting on a plate covered in foil, add the crushed garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute. Add the rosemary and thyme, stir, and cook for 1 minute.
- To deglaze the pot, add 1 cup of red wine, the soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pot really well to remove any stuck pieces.
- Add one more cup of wine and the broth.
- Add one layer of short ribs, the quartered onion, and the carrots. Top with the remaining ribs. Add the bay leaves.
- Close and seal the pressure cooker. Turn the venting knob on top to "Sealed".
- Press the "Manual" button and set the timer for 40 minutes on High Pressure. For bone-in, larger short ribs, add 15 more minutes to the cooking time. Note that the pot has a lot of liquid, so it may take over 20 minutes to come to pressure.
- When it beeps, do a natural pressure release for 15 minutes and then release any remaining pressure.
- Remove ribs to a platter with tongs and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Optional: Use a fat separator or a mesh strainer to separate the fat from the juices; remember that you won't be able to do this if you add the carrots. If you added the carrots, skim the sauce with a spoon to remove the fat.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves. Return juices to the pot.
- Add the molasses and balsamic vinegar to the pot.
- Select the Saute function and adjust to Medium heat. Simmer the sauce for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until it thickens.
- If the sauce is not as thick as you want it, combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Add it to the pot, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Turn the pressure cooker off.
- Optional: Add the ribs to the pot and gently coat them with the sauce. Put the lid back on the pressure cooker and let the ribs absorb some of the sauce for about 10 minutes.
- Serve over mashed potatoes.
Video
Notes
How to choose the best short ribs
Sometimes, looking for short ribs can be difficult. All butcher shops and grocery stores may not consider them the same. I have found two ways they are described: English and Flanken style. English-style short ribs are cut lengthwise and divided, with the meat sitting on top of each rib bone. Flanken-style ribs are cut across the bone and have pieces of bone throughout the meat. When shopping for this recipe, I recommend English cut ribs. Try to get thick pieces that have meaty cuts with a lot of marbling. The marbling makes them juicier and more tender. Avoid any ribs with a lot of fat on top. Always choose those that are a vibrant red color, and stay away from anything that looks gray or brown. If choosing flanken-style ribs, make sure they are evenly cut and not ragged or torn at the edges.More tips to consider
- Don’t skip the searing step—it really makes a difference. Sear them in batches so they are not crowded.
- Crushing the garlic makes the taste a lot more prominent. If that is not what you’re looking for, mince it.
- Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot well with a wooden spoon or spatula when deglazing it to get all the brown bits off the bottom. It also prevents a burn notice.
- To make the ribs crispy on the outside, broil them in the oven for a few minutes or put them in the air fryer for five minutes at 350 degrees F.
- Marbling is good for flavor, but trim any excess fat to avoid greasy sauce.