My Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs are so tender they’ll melt right in your mouth. They’re ready in under 2 hours and are super easy to put together to cook in the Instant Pot.
If you want more easy ways to make delicious ribs, try my Crock Pot Country Style Ribs and my Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs Recipe. They are virtually hands free and are fall off the bone good.
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email below and we’ll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Why this Instant Pot Short Ribs Recipe is a Keeper
This dish is foolproof, rich and super easy to make. It’s the perfect pressure cooker short ribs recipe for weeknights or special occasions.
- Foolproof Pressure Timing: The cook time is dialed in for ultra-tender ribs; no guesswork.
- Deep, Rich Flavor: Searing plus pressure cooking builds that classic braised taste to the red meat
- Weeknight Win: Tastes like Sunday dinner but ready in about an hour.
- Easy Homemade Gravy: The cooking liquid transforms into a silky sauce in minutes.
Can I Pressure Cook the Beef Short Ribs From Frozen?
You can but they won’t be as tender. It’s best to use thawed meat if you’re looking for a perfectly tender texture when you pressure cook.
Pro Tip for the Instant Pot Recipe
Let the ribs rest in the cooking liquid for 10–15 minutes after pressure cooking. This keeps them juicy and helps them absorb even more flavor.
Ingredient Notes for Beef Short Ribs
This great recipe uses easy, fresh ingredients that bring a ton of flavor. It is why it is one of my favorite recipes.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Short Ribs: The recipe calls for bone-in beef ribs, but you could use boneless if you like. Boneless ribs will pressure cook on high in about 40-45 minutes.
- Veggies: You will need a yellow onion and carrots.
- Dry Red Wine: Merlot is a great, flavorful option to deglaze your pot with.
Variations for Short Ribs in an Instant Pot
There are a couple different swaps you can make to try this recipe another way.
- Add Red Wine: Replace ½ cup broth with wine for deeper flavor braised short ribs.
- Make It Keto: Skip thickening the gravy with flour; reduce liquid instead.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in mushrooms before pressure cooking.
- Flavors: Try it with balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, other cuts of meat like pork ribs, or red wine vinegar.
Special Equipment Needed for Pressure Cooker Ribs
A specific piece of equipment can sometimes make all the difference in a recipe. For this bone-in short ribs dinner, you will find a few things to be very helpful.
- Electric Pressure Cooker: A 6- or 8-quart works best. It delivers consistent pressure for tender ribs, followed by a 15 minute natural release pressure. You may need to work in batches if your ribs are too big.
- Tongs: Makes searing and removing ribs much easier.
- Fat Separator: Helps create smooth, balanced gravy.
How to Make Instant Pot Short Ribs
In just 5 steps, you can have delicious bone-in ribs. This method of cooking the recipe takes just a little effort but the results are well worth it.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Sauté Veggies: Set your Instant Pot to saute, and add about 1 tablespoon of oil. When hot, add the diced onions, carrots, garlic paste, salt and pepper. Cook until soft, for a couple minutes then remove the short ribs to a plate.
- Coat the Short Ribs and Sear Meat: Use paper towels to pat the ribs dry before seasoning with salt and pepper and adding a coating of flour. Add the last of the oil to the pot and brown the short ribs on all sides. Place the short ribs to a plate.
- Deglaze: Deglaze the bottom of the pot with the red wine, scraping up any of the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Boil for 2 minutes before stirring in the beef broth, tomato paste, salt and pepper.
- Cook the Ribs: Transfer the short ribs back in the instant pot with the veggies and sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme. Secure the lid and pressure cook for 45 minutes on high pressure, followed by a natural release vent to let the pressure release.
- Remove the Ribs and Make a Sauce: Transfer the cooked ribs to a plate and discard the herbs. To make a smooth sauce, skim some fat off and immersion blend the veggies and the broth together to top your meat.
Prep Ahead to Make Instant Pot Korean Short Ribs
I’ve made this recipe several times and like to prepare ingredients ahead of time so that I save time when I’m making dinner.
- Season the Ribs Early: Salt ribs up to 24 hours in advance for deeper flavor.
- Chop Aromatics Ahead: Dice onions and mince garlic the night before.
- Make Gravy Later: Store cooking liquid separately and thicken before serving.
- Homemade Stock: If you want to make your own beef stock or broth, do it ahead of time.
Alternate Cooking Methods for One Pot Beef Ribs
Alternatively, you can make this instant pot beef short ribs recipe using your crock pot, oven or Dutch oven.
- Slow Cooker: Cook the short ribs on low for 7–8 hours until fork-tender.
- Oven Braise: Bake covered at 325°F for 2.5–3 hours.
- Dutch Oven: Simmer low and slow on the stovetop until tender. Feel free to sear the short ribs before simmering.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers
- Storing: Keep in an airtight container with gravy for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop or microwave with extra broth.
- Using Leftovers: Shred and serve over mashed potatoes or use in sliders. Add to omelets, soups or stews.
Questions About Beef Short Ribs in the Instant Pot
If your ribs are tough, they were not cooked for long enough. It can also mean that the browning and searing process at the beginning was rushed.
If you are looking for an alcohol-free alternative to red wine, you can add additional beef broth or use vegetable or chicken stock in it’s place.
Expert Tips for Making Beef Short Ribs
- Don’t Rush Release: Natural release makes the meat tender.
- Brown First: Searing adds major flavor to the final dish.
- Check Marbling: More marbling equals more tender ribs.
- Skim Fat: Remove excess fat before thickening gravy.
- Serve With: Serve fall off the bone ribs with Creamy Whipped Potatoes, Caramelized Mushrooms and Onions or Honey Garlic Roasted Baby Carrots.
More Recipes You Might Like
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email below and we’ll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs
Equipment
- Rubber Spatula or large spoon
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email and we’ll send this recipe to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Olive oil, divided
- 1 Yellow onion, diced
- 3 Carrots, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Garlic paste, equivalent amount of minced garlic is fine
- ¼ teaspoon Salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 3 pounds Bone-in beef short ribs
- ¼ cup All-purpose flour
- ½ cup Dry red wine, I used Merlot
- 1 cup Beef broth
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato paste
- 2 sprigs Fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs Fresh rosemary
Instructions
- First set your Instant pot to the sauté setting. Once hot, add one Tablespoon of oil.
- Let the oil heat up then add diced onions, carrots, and garlic. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Remove veggies to a clean plate.
- Next, use paper towels to pat dry the ribs. Then season all sides with salt and pepper and cover with flour; shake off excess flour.
- Add the last 2 Tablespoons of oil to the pot. Place in the short ribs and sear on all sides, cook in batches, if the whole thing doesn’t fit in your instant pot. Transfer to a plate when done.
- Deglaze the bottom of the pan with wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any residue that is sticking for all of it’s flavor. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.
- Next, add beef broth, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and tomato paste. Mix until incorporated. Add ribs and veggies back to the pot and add sprigs of thyme and rosemary on top.
- Secure instant pot lid. Cook on Manual/High Pressure for 45 minutes with a natural release.
- Remove instant pot lid, and carefully transfer the short ribs to a plate and cover to keep warm. Remove herbs and discard.
- To make a smooth silky sauce, skim off some of the fat and blend with remaining liquid and veggies, using an immersion blender.
Christina’s Notes
- Regular Blender: If you do not have an immersion blender, you can put the liquid and veggies into a blender, but sure to seal the top of the blender tightly and cover with a kitchen towel to keep from getting dangerously burned. Only fill the blender to the maximum of two thirds of the way full.
- Don’t Rush: Don’t rush through the browning step for these pressure cooker short ribs as it is going to be the key to getting the meat to be pulled off by a fork. The more color you develop during this process, the more flavor you will develop for your end dish.
- Vinegar: Add a tablespoon or two of balsamic vinegar to the dish to tenderize the ribs and add flavor.
- Spices: Adding some of your favorite spices can really enrich the dish, for example add some bay leaves to the instant pot, try some paprika and finish with some fresh parsley.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.