Succulent, savory, fall-off-the-bone Instant Pot Short Ribs with rich beef gravy is the most delicious dinner made quickly and easily!
Instant Pot Short Ribs will melt in your mouth and wow everybody around your dinner table! Meaty short ribs in a red wine sauce, braised with carrots, onion, and garlic, have SO MUCH flavor – this is so easy and one of my all-time favorite recipes!
The Recipe Your Instant Pot was MADE for!
Instant Pots are amazing, aren’t they? No dragging out the big crock pot for all-day cooking, no heating up the oven – just quick, easy, FANTASTIC food prep!
This tender, juicy, braised short ribs recipe lets your instant pot live up to its fullest potential! Braise & cook the meat and make the gravy from the drippings all in the instant pot for a delectable, “high-end” meal that’s simply fantastic!
Other Recipes to Serve with Braised Short Ribs
- Pair the braised short ribs with fluffy mashed potatoes or these cheesy, delicious Scalloped Potatoes!
- A dinner this yummy deserves more than a “plain” vegetable. These Easy Balsamic Glazed Carrots are a winner!
Ingredients
Protein: You’ll need eight bone-in English-style short ribs. Yes, short ribs come in a boneless option, but the bone-in variety yields a much better flavor.
Produce: A few seasoning vegetables like carrots, yellow onion, garlic, and fresh thyme add some serious depth of flavor to these short ribs and the red wine sauce. If you want to add a little color for garnish, grab some fresh parsley, too.
Pantry: Olive oil for browning, sea salt for flavor, all-purpose flour for coating the ribs, cornstarch for thickening – all basic ingredients already in your kitchen.
Liquids: A dry red wine, some low sodium beef broth, and just 1 1/2 TBSP of tomato paste blended with the sauteed veggies and browned rib bits into the most indescribable sauce!
How to Make Instant Pot Short Ribs
STEP ONE: Set the instant pot to “Saute” and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, add the carrots and onions and cook for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then remove the vegetables to a small bowl.
STEP TWO: Rinse & dry each rib with a paper towel. Season all sides of the ribs with salt, then dip in flour for a light coating.
STEP THREE: Add two tablespoons of oil to the pot and brown 4 of the ribs on each side (about 1-2 minutes per side). Transfer the seared ribs to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and ribs.
STEP FOUR: Once the short ribs are removed, pour in the wine and scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Cook that down for a few minutes, then add the beef broth and tomato paste and mix until combined.
STEP FIVE: Place all the short ribs and cooked vegetables back into the Instant Pot and place the sprigs of fresh thyme on top. Cover, lock the lid, set the vent to “sealing,” and cook on Manual for 45 minutes. Once the cooking time is up, allow a 10-minute natural release before quickly releasing the remaining pressure.
STEP SIX: Using tongs, gently move the short ribs to a plate and use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables from the liquid.
STEP SEVEN: To make gravy for the short ribs, turn the Instant Pot back to Saute. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid until the cornstarch is blended. Add this mix to the Instant Pot and whisk constantly while cooking to your desired sauce thickness for about 3 minutes.
Tips for Success
- Always buy fresh, brightly-colored red meat. There should be no brownish-gray spots. Marbling in the short ribs is good, but not excessive fat. You want them to be nice and meaty.
- If your short ribs are pretty big, be sure to brown the eds of the ribs and the sides.
- For the best flavor, soak the short ribs in ice-cold water for 2-3 minutes, then thoroughly pat dry each rib with a paper towel before seasoning. (Don’t leave them wet!)
- Don’t skip searing the ribs before adding them to the pot. This step seals in their juices before you begin the braising process.
What are Braised Short Ribs?
Braised cooking means fully cooking food (usually meat) in a bit of liquid like you would a pot roast. Short ribs are small, chunky pieces of meaty beef (from the area between the brisket and the ribs). They are too small to be either ribs or steaks, hence short ribs!
Short ribs are found everywhere, from ritzy steak restaurants to the best barbecue places, because they’re meaty and full of great flavor!
Why are my Braised Short Ribs Tough?
Mouthwateringly tender short ribs require just the right amount of cooking time for the size of the meat. Too short a cooking time, and they’ll be tough. Too long, and they’ll get mushy. Braising the short ribs after browning them slightly is the perfect technique for this dish. The trick is cooking them until they hit that “sweet spot.” This instant pot recipe recommends 45 minutes for “cooked to perfection” short ribs.
Other Incredible Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Taco Soup
- Instant Pot Turkey Tenderloin
- Instant Pot Chicken Marsala
- Instant Pot Cheesy Chicken Pasta
- Instant Pot Peach Cobbler
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 3 medium carrots peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 large yellow onion peeled and quartered
- 3 tablespoons garlic minced (about 5 cloves)
- 8 bone-in short ribs (English style)
- ½ tablespoon salt
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup red wine (like cabernet sauvignon or merlot)
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 ½ tablespons tomato paste
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (to make gravy)
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Turn on the Instant Pot to Saute and add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot. Sautee the carrots and onions for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, then transfer the veggies to a bowl.
- Dry the short ribs with a paper towel and then season them all over with salt. Spread the flour out on a plate and lightly coat the ribs in flour.
- Add another 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot. Use tongs to place 4 short ribs into the pot and brown all sides, about 1-2 minutes searing per side. Transfer to a plate once browned and repeat with the remaining oil and ribs. *If the ribs are very thick, be sure to brown the ends as well.
- Pour in the wine to deglaze and scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Allow the wine to cook down for about 2 minutes. Then add the beef broth, and tomato paste and mix to combine.
- Place the seared short ribs and cooked vegetables back into the Instant Pot and top with sprigs of thyme.
- Cover, lock the lid, set the vent to sealing, and cook on Manual for 45 minutes. Once the cooking time is up, allow a 10-minute natural release before quick releasing any remaining pressure.
- Using tongs, carefully transfer the ribs to a plate and use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables from the cooking liquid.
- If you want to make gravy for your short ribs, turn the Instant Pot back to Saute. Stir together the cornstarch and ¼ cup of the cooking liquid from the Instant Pot until combined.
- Pour the cornstarch slurry back into the Instant Pot. Whisk constantly while cooking down to your desired thickness, about 2-3 minutes (just enough to coat the back of a spoon).
- Plate two short ribs with mashed potatoes and/or vegetables, and spoon some gravy over the ribs. SPrinkle with a little parsley before serving.
Melissa Stinson says
I had never cooked beef short ribs before. My husband really wanted them so I tried this recipe and everyone loved it. The biggest praise came from my son who is a picky eater. His response: you can cook this anytime! Thank you for sharing!