Instant Pot Short Ribs

These instant pot short ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender and incredibly flavorful. The kind of meal that tastes like it cooked all day, but only takes about an hour.

Short ribs are one of those cuts that really benefit from pressure cooking. The meat becomes so soft you can pull it apart with a fork, and the braising liquid turns into a rich, savory sauce.

You’ll sear the ribs first to build up a nice crust, then cook them with red wine, beef broth, and some aromatic vegetables and herbs.

At the end, a quick cornstarch slurry thickens everything into a sauce you’ll want to pour over every bite.

Serve these over mashed potatoes, polenta, or even egg noodles. It’s a comforting, hearty dinner that’s perfect for any night of the week.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Fall-Off-The-Bone Tender in Under an Hour – Traditional braised short ribs take 3 to 4 hours in the oven, but this Instant Pot version gives you that same melt-in-your-mouth, fork-tender result in just 45 minutes of pressure cooking.

Restaurant-Quality Sauce Built Right In – The combination of red wine, beef broth, and tomato paste creates a rich, glossy sauce that thickens beautifully with a simple cornstarch slurry, so you get a luxurious gravy without any extra pots or pans.

A Complete Meal in One Pot – The carrots, celery, and onion braise right alongside the short ribs, so your vegetables and protein cook together and you have a full dinner ready without juggling multiple side dishes.

Ingredients

• 3 lb Bone-In Beef Short Ribs
• 1 cup Beef Broth
• 1/2 cup Dry Red Wine
• 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 large Yellow Onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, smashed
• 2 medium Carrots, cut into chunks
• 2 stalks Celery, cut into chunks
• 2 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
• 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch
• 1 tbsp Cold Water (for slurry)

Directions

Step 1

Season the short ribs generously on all sides with salt and black pepper. Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and add the olive oil. Working in batches, sear the short ribs for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Step 2

Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Saute for 4 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the smashed garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute until the paste darkens slightly.

Step 3

Pour in the red wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Pour in the beef broth and stir to combine.

Step 4

Return the short ribs to the pot, nestling them into the liquid. Tuck the rosemary and thyme sprigs between the ribs. Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.

Step 5

When the cook time is done, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to venting. Transfer the short ribs to a serving platter and tent with foil.

Step 6

Discard the herb sprigs. Set the Instant Pot to saute mode. Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water, then stir it into the braising liquid. Let the sauce simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens.

Step 7

Spoon the thickened sauce and braised vegetables over the short ribs and serve.

Pro Tips

Get a Really Deep Sear

Don’t rush the searing step. You want a dark, almost mahogany-colored crust on each side of the ribs. If the meat looks light brown or grayish, it hasn’t been on long enough.

That deep browning creates a ton of flavor that ends up in the sauce later. Let each side sit undisturbed for the full 2-3 minutes before flipping.

Also, don’t crowd the pot. If you put all the ribs in at once, they’ll steam instead of sear. Two batches is usually the sweet spot for 3 pounds of bone-in short ribs.

Scrape the Bottom Clean Before Pressure Cooking

When you pour in the red wine, really get in there with a wooden spoon and scrape every bit of browned stuff off the bottom of the pot. Those are called fond and they’re packed with flavor.

But more importantly, if any of that stuck-on residue stays on the bottom, your Instant Pot might give you a burn notice and stop cooking. The wine makes this easy since it loosens everything right up.

Run your spoon across the entire bottom to make sure nothing is stuck before you lock the lid.

Skim the Fat Off the Sauce

After you take the short ribs out, you’ll probably notice a layer of orange-colored fat floating on top of the braising liquid. Use a spoon to skim off as much of it as you can before you thicken the sauce.

If you leave it in, the cornstarch slurry won’t thicken the sauce properly and you’ll end up with a greasy, oily texture instead of a rich, glossy one.

A regular large spoon works fine for this. Just tilt the pot slightly and scoop the fat from the surface.

Related Recipes

• Instant Pot Beef Stew
• Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
• Instant Pot Birria Tacos
• Instant Pot Mongolian Beef

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use boneless short ribs instead of bone-in?

You can, but bone-in short ribs are really the way to go here. The bones add a ton of flavor to the braising liquid and help the meat stay juicy and tender during pressure cooking.

If you only have boneless, reduce the cook time to about 35 minutes on high pressure. They’ll still taste great, but the sauce won’t be quite as rich.