These Instant Pot short ribs are delectably flavorful, fall-apart tender (without the long time commitment that’s normally needed for cooking boneless beef short ribs), and SO EASY. Let me show you how to cook short ribs in the best and fastest way with this easy beef short ribs recipe. When I first got my Instant Pot, I spent a lot of time experimenting with pressure cooker recipes. And when it came time to figure out how to cook boneless short ribs, I was pleased to discover that using the Instant Pot makes this a quick short rib recipe — no hours upon hours of braising time necessary!
What Are Beef Short Ribs?
What kind of meat is short ribs? It’s not what you might think! Surprisingly, boneless beef short ribs are not actually rib meat. They are cut from the chuck, or shoulder, but can be harder to find. Bone-in short ribs come from the belly and are much fattier than boneless. Both types of short ribs are incredibly tough cuts of meat, but when cooked properly, you can cut them with a fork.
Ingredients For Instant Pot Short Ribs
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for beef short ribs in the Instant Pot, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Basic Ingredients:
Boneless Beef Short Ribs – Buy boneless beef short ribs, but if you can’t find them, many butchers will actually remove the bones from bone-in short ribs for you, which is what I did for this boneless short rib recipe. You can also make it using bone-in short ribs if you prefer — you’ll just need to add 10 minutes to the cook time.Sea Salt & Black Pepper Olive Oil – For sauteing. Avocado oil also works. Beef Broth – The Instant Pot always requires some liquid for pressure cooking, and beef broth is one of the most flavorful choices. For an even richer sauce and more nutrition, use bone broth.Coconut Aminos – This is similar to soy sauce, with a combination of salty, sweet, and umami flavors. Soy sauce is also fine to use.Garlic – Use fresh garlic cloves for best flavor or jarred garlic for convenience.
Optional Add-Ins:
Dried Bay Leaves – Helps to add classic flavor to the short ribs. Gelatin Powder – Helps make the sauce thick and glossy (similar to cornstarch) — be sure to use unflavored gelatin. You can also use a different cornstarch substitute.
How To Cook Short Ribs In The Instant Pot
This section shows how to make this Instant Pot short rib recipe, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below. This recipe uses just five ingredients to keep it as simple as possible. However, you can definitely make it even more flavorful by adding:
Onion – Saute 1/2 of a diced white or yellow onion before adding the garlic. Red Wine – Add 1/2 cup of merlot or cabernet sauvignon together with the broth. Balsamic Vinegar – Add 1/4 cup of balsamic with the broth. Fresh Herbs – Such as fresh thyme sprigs, fresh rosemary sprigs, or both. Add right before pressure cooking, then discard at the end.
Do You Have To Brown Short Ribs?
You don’t have to brown short ribs. But you should! Browning takes just a few minutes, and will help add rich flavor to the pressure cooker short ribs. It makes a huge difference! This helps the beef short ribs finish cooking and helps them come out tender.
Can You Make Slow Cooker Short Ribs?
Yes, you can make the same easy short ribs recipe in a slow cooker. It will take approximately 8 hours on Low or 4 hours on High. However, it’s more cleanup because you’ll have to sear the short ribs separately on the stove first.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep leftover beef short ribs in fridge for 3-4 days.Reheat: Reheat short ribs in the oven together with the sauce, covered in foil, for best results. You can microwave, but be careful to not overcook, or the meat will dry out.Freeze: Store short ribs in an airtight container in the freezer for 2-3 months. Let the ribs cool completely, then place in a freezer-safe glass dish. Cover with the sauce/cooking liquid and then freeze.
What To Serve With Short Ribs
Serve this braised beef short ribs recipe with mashed potatoes and carrots for traditional sides, or with a healthy vegetable side dish:
More Tender Meat Recipes
If you love the best beef short ribs recipe (I know you will!), you might also like some of these other tender meat recipes: Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too – I’d love to see it! How to make bone-in short ribs: You can make this a bone-in short rib recipe, too. The weight will be approximately 3-3.5 lb, and you will need to increase the cook time to 50 minutes.
