Name: Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Ingredients: 3 1/2 pounds bone-in beef short ribs (about 8); 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon coarse cracked black pepper; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large onion (chopped); 6 cloves garlic (crushed); 1 1/4 cups beef broth; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon light brown sugar (lightly packed); 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 bay leaf; 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme; 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary; 1 tablespoon cornstarch (dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water to form a cornstarch slurry)

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Beef Short Ribs made in the Instant Pot are fall-off-the-bone-tender, packed with flavor, and easy to make with only 20 minutes of hands-on prep time! Serve them with mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower to keep them low carb and keto friendly.

What does comfort food mean to you?

For me, it’s typically family-style dinners that my mom made when my sister and I were young. Meals like pot roast, meatloaf, and roast chicken with side dishes like green beans, mashed potatoes, broccoli, and squash. You know, foods that take all day to cook and make the whole house smell amazing. Meals that nourish your body and soul.

Beef short ribs are definitely in this category!

how to cook beef short ribs in the instant pot

The limiting thing about meals like this is typically how long they take to cook. Because they’re usually an all-day affair, they were reserved for Sunday supper at my house.

However, the Instant Pot completely changed this. Beef short ribs normally take about 3 hours to cook in the oven. When you make short ribs in the Instant Pot, there’s only 20 minutes of hands-on prep time. That means this is meal is even manageable on busy weeknights!

Beef Short Ribs cooked in the Instant Pot have rich, deep flavor and are so tender they fall off the bone. You can reduce their cooking liquid into an intensely flavorful pan sauce. And if you prefer, it’s easy to turn the pan sauce into gravy with a cornstarch slurry (a mixture of cornstarch and water).

In This Article

The Best Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs Recipe

You can use the Instant Pot or the oven to make fall-off-the-bone-tender beef short ribs!

Instant Pot Short Ribs Ingredients

Bone-in beef short ribs
Salt
Black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
Onion
Garlic
Beef broth
Red wine vinegar
Light brown sugar
Tomato paste
Worcestershire sauce
Bay leaf
Thyme
Rosemary
Cornstarch (optional; to thicken the pan sauce into gravy)

How to Make Short Ribs in the Instant Pot

Use the “Sauté” function on the Instant Pot to sear the short ribs in oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook for a couple minutes. Stir in the beef broth and seasonings. Press “Cancel” to stop the “Sauté” function.
Cover the Instant Pot, making sure the lid is set to “Sealing”, and cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 45 minutes. Once it’s done cooking, let it do a natural pressure release for 15 minutes. After that, carefully release the pressure and then open the pot.
Use tongs to transfer the short ribs to a plate. Tent the plate with foil to keep them warm.
If you want a silky smooth sauce or gravy, strain the cooking liquid, and then add it back to the Instant Pot. If you don’t mind lumps from the onions and herbs, there’s no need to strain the liquid.
Turn on the “Sauté” function; let the cooking liquid come to a boil, and then boil until slightly reduced, about 5 to 10 minutes. This will make a delicious, flavorful pan sauce. To turn the pan sauce into gravy, whisk the cornstarch slurry into the boiling cooking liquid and cook until it’s thickened to your liking, stirring occasionally.
Serve!

How to Cook Beef Short Ribs in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 300F.
For more intense, deep flavor, sear each side of the short ribs in a little avocado oil (or another oil with a high smoke point) over high heat in a skillet on the stovetop.
Arrange the short ribs in an oven-safe casserole dish. Top with the seasonings and beef broth (reduce the amount of broth in this recipe to 1 cup and keep all other ingredients the same). Cover the top with foil.
Bake covered for 2 ½ hours.
Uncover the short ribs and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
If desired, strain the drippings and add the liquid to a saucepan over medium heat; cook until it's reduced for a pan sauce. If you want it thick like gravy, whisk in the cornstarch slurry and continue cooking until thickened.
Serve!

beef short ribs served on top of mashed cauliflower

Variations on This Recipe

Make it keto. To do so, use keto brown sugar instead of light brown sugar. Omit the cornstarch slurry. If you want to make the pan sauce into gravy, add ½ tablespoon of beef gelatin dissolved in 3 tablespoons cold water and cook until thickened.
Bump up the veggies. I like to serve beef short ribs with a couple of vegetable side dishes cooked separately. However, if you prefer, you can add vegetables to the Instant Pot for a one-stop meal. If you want to go this route, I recommend adding vegetables that have a longer cooking time, such as cabbage (cut into quarters), winter squash (such as butternut, peeled, de-seeded, and cut into 2 to 3-inch pieces), or sweet potato (peeled and cut into 2-inch thick slices).
Make it fancy. For a flavor profile reminiscent of Boeuf Bourguignon, omit the red wine vinegar and add ½ cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Reduce the beef broth to 1 cup.
Add some Korean flair to your short ribs. Omit the tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary. Instead of red wine vinegar, use rice wine vinegar. Instead of Worcestershire sauce, use soy sauce or tamari sauce. Add ½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Garnish with fresh sliced scallion and sesame seeds.

Tips for Making Instant Pot Short Ribs

Don’t skip the sear. Browning the meat on the outside only takes a couple more minutes and it adds an extra layer of flavor.
And speaking of the sear, don’t forget to season before it. A little bit of salt and black pepper seared right into the meat are all you need.
Be patient. Once the Instant Pot is finished cooked, be sure to let it do a Natural Pressure Release for 15 minutes before venting the steam. This will help make sure the ribs are super tender!

instant pot beef short ribs recipe graphic

Beef Short Ribs FAQs

Why Did My Short Ribs Come Out Tough?

The most likely reason why your short ribs came out tough is that they weren’t cooked long enough. This is more likely to be an issue when you cook short ribs in the oven or slow cooker.

If you’re cooking beef short ribs in the Instant Pot, 45 minutes on high pressure followed by a 15 minute natural pressure release should be perfect.

Can You Overcook Short Ribs?

The short answer is no.

The long answer is yes, but it takes a while.

If you cook short ribs for too long they will transform from fall-off-the-bone-tender to shredded meat. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I prefer them at the fall-off-the-bone-tender stage.

Do You Trim the Fat Off Short Ribs Before Cooking?

No, there is usually no need to trim the fat off of beef short ribs before cooking. The butcher typically trims them nicely, and any fat running through the meat (marbling) will help keep it moist and tender.

What to Serve with Instant Pot Short Ribs

bowl of beef short ribs on mashed potatoes

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Tender Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs Recipe {video}