Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs
This Instant Pot beef short ribs recipe delivers fall-apart tender, restaurant-quality results in a fraction of the traditional braising time. Rich, savory, and incredibly satisfying, the pressure cooker transforms a tough cut into a melt-in-your-mouth masterpiece with a deeply flavorful sauce.
Equipment
- Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker (6-quart or larger)
- Tongs for turning meat
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula - For deglazing
- Fat separator - Optional but helpful
- Serving platter
Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef short ribs - 1.8 kg, bone-in (English-style cut preferred)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion - about 1½ cups or 200g, diced
- 3 medium carrots - about 1½ cups or 180g, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine - 240ml, Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir
- 2 cups beef broth - 480ml, preferably low-sodium
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt - plus more to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour - for coating ribs
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch - optional, for thickening sauce
- 2 tablespoons cold water - if using cornstarch
- fresh parsley - chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Pat short ribs dry with paper towels. Season all sides generously with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Lightly dust with flour, shaking off excess. Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes while prepping vegetables.
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté on High or More. Add olive oil and heat until shimmering. Working in batches, brown ribs for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply caramelized. Transfer browned ribs to a plate and set aside.
- With pot still on Sauté, add diced onion and carrots. Cook 4-5 minutes until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic and tomato paste, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened.
- Pour in red wine, scraping the bottom thoroughly with a wooden spoon to release all browned bits. Let wine come to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce by about one-third.
- Add beef broth, stirring to combine. Add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Return browned short ribs to the pot, nestling them into the liquid and turning once to coat. Liquid should come halfway up the meat.
- Turn off Sauté. Secure lid, set valve to Sealing, and select Pressure Cook or Manual on High for 45 minutes. After cooking, allow 15 minutes natural release, then carefully vent any remaining pressure.
- Remove ribs to a platter and cover with foil. Discard herb sprigs and bay leaves. Skim fat from the cooking liquid. Return pot to Sauté on Medium. For thicker sauce, whisk cornstarch slurry into simmering liquid and cook 3-5 minutes until thickened. Season to taste.
- Arrange short ribs on plates or a platter. Spoon rich sauce generously over the meat. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Don't skip the browning step – it creates the foundational flavor for the sauce and adds visual appeal to the meat.
- Work in batches when browning to avoid overcrowding, which causes steaming instead of searing.
- Scrape the pot bottom thoroughly when deglazing to prevent the burn warning and incorporate all flavor into the sauce.
- Use bone-in English-style short ribs with good marbling for the best flavor and texture.
- Allow natural pressure release for 15 minutes – quick release can make the meat tough and stringy.
- For larger, thicker ribs, increase cooking time to 50-55 minutes; smaller ribs are perfect at 40 minutes.
- This dish tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop – great for meal prep.
- Skim excess fat from the sauce for a more refined, less greasy finish. A fat separator makes this easy.
- Don't fill the Instant Pot more than two-thirds full to prevent clogging the pressure valve.
- For boneless short ribs, reduce cooking time to 35-40 minutes.