Instant Pot Short Ribs will knock your socks off when it comes to flavor! Braised in a rich sauce, this easy recipe for Instant Pot Short Ribs delivers the most delectable, restaurant-quality, fall-off-the-bone short ribs!
Serve these wine-braised short ribs with Instant Pot mashed potatoes, stovetop mashed potatoes, or creamy grits to soak up all the delicious gravy.
The Best Beef Short Ribs
For years, I reserved short ribs as a meal to be enjoyed only when dining out, as they traditionally take hours to braise and become fall-apart tender. As a busy mom, it was just not something I had the margin of time to make often.
However, with the Instant Pot, it is now possible for me (and you!) to enjoy beef short ribs at home easily and with much less cooking time.
And I have to say, my recipe for Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs delivers the most flavorful short ribs I have ever enjoyed. The combination of wine, balsamic, and soy sauce adds the most nuanced layers of flavor, resulting in a rich decadent braising liquid that infuses the short ribs with incredible flavor.
Instant Pot Short Ribs are not only the most succulent, best-tasting short ribs, but they are also the easiest to prepare and will deliver a restaurant-quality meal effortlessly at home.
Notes on Ingredients
- Short Ribs: You can use boneless, or bone-in short ribs, but I highly recommend bone-in beef short ribs for the most flavor. The bones will add so much richness to the dish.
- Red Wine: Use a dry red wine that is suitable for drinking, such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet. While the wine adds a significant amount of flavor to the dish, feel free to use additional beef broth in place of the wine, if desired.
- Balsamic Vinegar: The richness and balance the balsamic vinegar adds to the braising liquid is insane. Do not skip this crucial ingredient.
- Soy Sauce: The soy sauce will add incredibly umami flavor to the short ribs. Be sure to use reduced-sodium soy sauce to control the sodium in the dish.
- Brown Sugar: A little bit of sugar goes a long way to balance out the acidity and saltiness in this recipe.
- Corn Starch: To thicken up the braising liquid to make a rich, irresitible gravy.
How to Make Short Ribs in the Instant Pot
- Turn the Instant Pot to saute. Adjust more is lit up and add in a bit of oil.
- While the oil is heating, generously season the short ribs with salt and pepper on every side.
- Sear the short ribs in two batches. This will let the short ribs have room to brown and caramelize on each side. Once browned on each side, remove the short ribs form the inner pot and repeat the process.
- After searing the short ribs, add in the onions, carrots, and celery. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until the onions begin to soften. Once the onions are softened, add in the garlic and saute for just 30 seconds. We don't want to burn the garlic, so be sure to watch closely.
- With the Instant Pot still on the saute function, add in ½ cup of red wine, or broth, and scrape up the browned bits of the bottom of the inner pot. Let the wine cook for just a minute or two to allow the alcohol to cook off. Turn the Instant Pot off.
- Add the beef broth, thyme, bay leaf, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce to the inner pot and give it a good stir. Add in the browned short ribs into the liquid, arranging them so that they are all evenly submerged in the liquid.
- Seal the lid on the Instant Pot and set to cook on high pressure for 45 minutes on high pressure.
- Once the cook time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes. This is key to keeping your short ribs really tender.
- Open up the inner pot and remove the short ribs to a serving platter. It is okay if the meat falls of the bones--that is exactly what we want!
- If you would like to thicken the sauce, which I highly, highly recommend, turn the Instant Pot back to saute and let come to a boil.
- Mix together a cornstarch slurry and then slowly whisk into the cooking liquid. Let that cook for 2-4 minutes, or until thickened, whisking contantly. If deisred, finish the sauce with a tablespoon or two of butter to really amp up the lusciousness of the braising liquid.
- Dish up the short ribs with a generous serving of the gravy. I highly recommend serving over mashed potatoes, grits, or polenta to soak up all the liquid.
Recipe FAQs
I typically plan on 2 short ribs per person, but they are very rich, and most often I personally only eat one short rib. However, leftovers never hurt!
I highly recommend using celery, onions, and carrots, otherwise known as a Mirepoix, as it helps to develop a really rich braising liquid and rich gravy.
Absolutely! Simply omit adding the butter to the gravy. It is completely not necessary.
Step-by-Step Video
If you learn better through visual videos, be sure to check out my YouTube video where I will walk you through how to make these Instant Pot Short Ribs in detail.
More Instant Pot Beef Recipes
If you enjoyed these Instant Pot Short Ribs, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Instant Pot Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 8 bone-in short ribs
- salt and pepper
- 2 onions chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- ½ cup dry red wine see note
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, not ground thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 1-2 tablespoons of butter optional
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to saute and be sure it is adjusted for more lit up. If it is not, hit adjust to saute to change to more. Add in ½ tablespoon of oil and let heat.
- Season the short ribs generously with salt and black pepper on each side. Add half of the seasoned short ribs into the heated oil and brown on each side, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove the seared ribs from the inner pot and place them on a plate. Repeat the process with the remaining short ribs.
- Add in the onions, carrots, and celery and saute until softened about 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for just 30 seconds.
- Pour the red wine (or additional beef broth) into the inner pot and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot. This will prevent a burn notice and add flavor to the sauce. Let the wine simmer for 1 minute to let the alcohol cook off. Turn the Instant Pot off.
- Add the beef broth, thyme, bay leaf, balsamic, brown sugar, and soy sauce into the inner pot and give that a good stir. Nestle the seared ribs into the cooking liquid, being sure each rib is evenly submerged into the liquid.
- Seal the inner pot and set the cooking time to 45 minutes on high pressure.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally on its own for at least 15 minutes--SUPER important for tender beef.
- To thicken the cooking liquid, remove the short ribs and place them on a plate and tent them with foil to keep warm. Turn the Instant Pot to saute and let the liquid come to a rapid bubble. Mix together the cornstarch and water until dissolved and then slowly whisk into the braising liquid. Cook until thickened, about 2-4 minutes, whisking constantly. Whisk in the butter if desired and turn off the Instant Pot.
- Serve the ribs with the gravy.
Hawaipinay
I had to substitute balsamic with red wine vinegar and maple syrup. My ribs was 3 inches a piece. I had four pieces, so I used 4 servings and just added a little more chicken broth instead of beef broth to just barely keeping the beef submerged. But all in all, amazing!!! I am sharing with ‘da ‘ohana’ that I bought instant pots for. Mahalo for Sharing. Gonna try it out for my ox tail soup also, almost the same just add a few more ingredients.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed so much! Thank you for sharing! And I hope you 'da "ohana" enjoys as well.
Tracy Yancy
Three words A ma zing !!!
Dirk
Did this tonight and it didn’t disappoint! Absolutely delicious.
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful! So happy to hear you enjoyed!
Allyson Lindstrom
This was delicious! The flavor was amazing.
Cynthia Evans
This was off the charts good! I didnt have short ribs so I used a Chuck roast I cut up to the size of short ribs. Also only used 1 onion. In lieu of chopping I used a food processor because it is easier for me. Everything else was to the T. There were No leftovers. YUM! Definitely a keeper.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed and what a great idea to use chuck roast. Thanks for sharing Cynthia!
Berna
My notoriously picky husband RAVED about this recipe! He said don't make short ribs any other way! They were delicious!
Kristen Chidsey
That is a huge compliment! Thank you for sharing!
Lisalia
Great flavor and perfect texture! My husband's new favorite!
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing that!
Elaine
I'm having trouble finding short ribs and was thinking of trying this with stew beef. Can you please tell me if the cooking time would change with that?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Elaine! For stew meat, I would only cook for 20-30 minutes on high pressure, as the chunks are much smaller.
Jackie Clay
Cooke tonight and omitted brown sugar and cornstarch. Loved it so much. Put it in seasoned cauliflower rice. Off the charts in flavor. Thank you!!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it so much Jackie! Thanks for sharing!
cary upshaw
Where do you all find short ribs? I cannot seem to find in any grocery store, for at least a year now.
Lorraine
Is it either wine or beef broth?
Kristen Chidsey
If you don't want to use red wine, use additional beef stock for a total of 1.5 cups of beef stock.
Kim
I am having a party and want to cook approximately 8 lbs of ribs. After I go through the steps of searing, adding the veggies, etc can I cook all the meat at once???
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kim! I would recommend you don't fill your Instant Pot more than 2/3rd of the way full, but if you can fit everything, go for it and keep the cooking time the same.
Beverly Payne
I am confused. It says how to cook on Step 6 and 7, and then 8 is the same? Do you cook the short ribs twice for 45 minutes?
Kristen Chidsey
Oh gosh, no! I didn't catch that repeated step. Fixing now
Sarah Collins
I have the mini size Instant Pot and would be fine with cooking a half recipe. Will it work to exactly halve the ingredients and cook for full time listed in your recipe?
Kristen Chidsey
Yes absolutely! You are correct that you cook for the full amount of time and half the ingredients. Enjoy!
Monica
Your photo up top shows worcestershire sauce but that is not in the recipe. Am I supposed to use that?
Kristen Chidsey
So sorry about that. It was supposed to read "balsamic vinegar" I am fixing now.