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The Flavor Bender Recipes Courses Main Meals Soups & Stews How to make the Best Instant Pot Short Ribs

How to make the Best Instant Pot Short Ribs

1 hr 10 mins
Easy
Soups & Stews
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Author: Dini K.
Posted: 8/8/2018
Updated: 6/24/2020
How to make Instant Pot Short Ribs - This easy recipe makes delicious, tender and succulent short ribs with classic flavors!

Making Instant Pot Short Ribs couldn’t be easier! Try this recipe for tender, succulent, fall off the bone braised short ribs, made even more delicious with a secret ingredient! 🙂

These Instant Pot Ribs are a delicious & easy dinner recipe!

How to make Instant Pot Short Ribs - This easy recipe makes delicious, tender and succulent short ribs with classic flavors!

I first owned a pressure cooker in 2011, when I first moved into my own apartment. Instants pots weren’t around at the time, and it was simply called a “multi cooker”. Thanks to my lack of proper meal planning, I quickly learned to appreciate the pressure cooker function on my multi cooker. The fact that you can get a kick ass meal made in less than 30  minutes, starting from frozen meat was a god send to me!

I think I’ve come quite far now in terms of meal planning, but the Instant Pot is still a beast! 🙂

A serving of braised short ribs with no wine, served on a plate of creamy mashed cauliflower.

This Best Instant Pot Short Ribs recipe is one I’ve used countless times, and I’ve used this same recipe for lamb chops as well. It works beautifully for any kind of red meat, really, but it’s just perfect with beef short ribs. The flavors here are simple but robust, and complement each other well. Plus, I’ve got a secret ingredient that makes these pretty much the BEST instant pot short ribs in the world! 🙂

Rinsed and dried Beef Short ribs, seasoned with salt on a white cutting board.
Rinsed and dried short ribs, seasoned with salt

So what’s my secret ingredient?

BOURBON WHISKEY! You can use Scotch whiskey if you prefer as well, but bourbon is my choice over Scotch. The taste that it leaves behind is subtle, but it really adds to the depth of flavor in these instant pot short ribs.

Can I skip the alcohol?

If you’re worried about the alcohol content, you need not be. 

Since the alcohol in this recipe is being used to deglaze, it does evaporate a lot. However, if you prefer the alcohol to be completely gone, cook it a little longer before adding the other liquids. You can also add less burbon.

I have also had readers who substituted the bourbon with wine (which has less alcohol), and even coffee.

These pressure cooker short ribs are braised in my own homemade beef and chicken stock, but you can braise them in a good quality beef stock instead too. These instant pot short ribs are cooked to perfection in a slightly sweet and slightly spicy base. I added cayenne pepper and paprika to give these short ribs a little spicy kick. I usually add up to 2 tsp of cayenne pepper (even then, it’s only slightly spicy for us). But I’ve adjusted it to a milder level in this recipe. But feel free to adjust the level of spice to your liking.

Short Ribs that have been seared and caramelized on a white board with whole garlic cloves and thyme.
Caramelizing the short ribs prior to braising them is an important step to add flavor.

The first step to making these instant pot short ribs is preparing the short ribs. This step is all the labor required for this recipe on your part!

  • Soak the beef short ribs in COLD WATER for just a couple of minutes to wash off any excess blood and bone dust.
  • Pat dry each rib with paper towels. Wet short ribs take AGES to sear and to form that beautiful golden crust, so make sure they are dry.
  • Season GENEROUSLY. You can even cover the short ribs and leave them to marinate for about one hour if you wish. But honestly, you don’t have to. The instant pot (or pressure cooker) will take care of that!
  • SEAR each short rib in the instant pot. This step is important!

All the ingredients for the short ribs in the Instant Pot, just before being cooked in the pressure cooker.

Searing the meat will caramelize the surface of these short ribs. The caramelization adds another layer of flavor to these braised short ribs. Make sure to do this in batches, so that you don’t overcrowd your instant pot. If the bottom of the pan is too crowded, you’ll end up “boiling” the short ribs instead of searing them. Not good. So this caramelization step requires a bit of patience and time on your part, but I promise the result will be deliciously tender, succulent, fall off the bone, braised short ribs!

After this step, everything else is hands-off. So while these pressure cooker short ribs are cooking, you can prepare the rest of the meal.

These instant pot short ribs (or Pressure cooker short ribs) have been cooked and places in a serving dish.

How do I serve these braised instant pot short ribs?

I served these with garlicky, creamy, mashed cauliflower. But here are some more ideas!

  • Mashed potatoes
  • Cheesy polenta
  • Roasted root vegetables
  • Roasted sweet potatoes
  • Potato medallions
  • Toasted crusty bread

An overhead view of two plates with braised pressure cooker short ribs with creamy mashed cauliflower.

I guarantee you will LOVE these instant pot short ribs! 🙂 What I cannot guarantee however are any leftovers! But just in case, here are some great options for leftover instant pot short ribs,

  • AMAZING beef tacos
  • Southwestern omelets
  • Grilled cheese sandwiches with beef
  • Steak and eggs with toast (for breakfast)
  • Beef fried rice

If you liked this best instant pot short ribs recipe (braised short ribs), don’t forget to subscribe for new (and free) recipes by entering your email address on the side bar (and get all these recipes delivered straight to your inbox), so you don’t miss out on a thing.

A close up of the braised instant pot short ribs with creamy mashed cauliflower with gravy on a plate.

Other recipes you may like, 

Instant Pot Honey Soy Chicken Thighs

Korean BBQ Short Ribs (LA Galbi)

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

EQUIPMENT & TOOLS I USED FOR THIS RECIPE

Instant Pot

Silicone tongs

Looking for more recipes?Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram.

How to make Instant Pot Short Ribs - This easy recipe makes delicious, tender and succulent short ribs with classic flavors!
4.97 from 121 votes

Instant Pot Short ribs

Author: Dini K.
Cuisine: American
How to make Instant Pot Short Ribs - This easy recipe makes delicious, tender and succulent short ribs with classic flavors!
EASY - This is an easy recipe. However, it requires an Instant Pot or equivalent.
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions
Prep: 10 minutes
Overnight chilling (optional): 4 hours
Cook: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4 people
Print Rate

Ingredients:

  • 6 lbs short ribs about 8 short ribs
  • Salt to season generously
  • 1 medium onion sliced thickly
  • ½ cup bourbon
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper or 2 tsp if you prefer it spicier
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • Thyme 2 - 3 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 cup beef stock I used homemade chicken and beef broth
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
  • 1 tbsp water
US Customary - Metric

Instructions:

  • Fill a large bowl or pot with cold water. Immerse the short ribs, and rinse the ribs in the cold water to wash off excess blood and bone dust.
  • Drain and pat dry the short ribs with paper towels. Generously sprinkle salt on all the ribs, on both sides.
  • Switch on the Instant Pot to the saute setting on high. When the instant pot is hot, pour about 2 tbsp of oil. When the oil is hot, place about 3 - 4 short ribs in the instant pot to caramelize or to sear. It's important not to overcrowd the bottom in order to get nice caramelization on your short ribs. Sear the short ribs on all sides, about 2 - 3 minutes per side. Place the caramelized short ribs on a plate.
  • Repeat with the rest of the short ribs.
  • For the next step, you will only need about 1 tbsp of oil in the instant pot. Discard the excess oil if there's more than 1 tbsp of it in the instant pot at this point.
  • Place the thickly sliced onion in the pot, and add the boubon. De-glaze the bottom of the instant pot to make sure that all of the caramelized bits on the bottom are mixed with the bourbon (de-glazing is an important step, so don't skip it). Add the paprika, cayenne pepper, sugar and balsamic vinegar. Then switch off the saute function on your instant pot.
  • Place the short ribs back in the instant pot, and add the garlic, thyme and a pinch of salt (how much salt to add at this point depends on how well you seasoned the short ribs earlier - be careful not to over-salt, since you can always add more salt at the end if needed).
  • Pour the stock over the short ribs. Close the instant pot. Choose the manual high pressure function and set it to high. Cook the short ribs for 45 minutes, followed by a 10 - 15 minute natural release.
  • Gently remove the short ribs on to a plate, and turn the saute function back on for the liquid/broth in the instant pot.
  • Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and add it to the liquid/broth in the instant pot. Mix it in and bring it to a simmer until the liquid has thickened. Taste and season the liquid with more salt or balsamic vinegar, if needed. Transfer the short ribs back into the instant pot and switch off the saute function.
  • Optional step - once the short ribs have cooled off, place your instant pot cooker pot in the fridge (covered). Leave it overnight, or for at least 4 hours, until the fat has solidified on the surface. Then remove this layer of fat, and reheat the short ribs in the instant pot.
  • Serve with creamy cauliflower mash or mashed potatoes.

Tips & Tricks

Note on cooking time
These bone in short ribs are about 0.75 lbs each, in weight. If you're using bone in short ribs that are thicker or larger than the ones I use here, you may need to increase the cooking time. If you're unsure, cook the short ribs according to the recipe, and if the short ribs are not tender after 45 minutes, cook them for a further 5 - 10 minutes, until tender. 

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 1006kcal (50%)Carbohydrates: 17g (6%)Protein: 96g (192%)Fat: 50g (77%)Saturated Fat: 21g (131%)Cholesterol: 293mg (98%)Sodium: 447mg (19%)Potassium: 1985mg (57%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 12g (13%)Vitamin A: 1025IU (21%)Vitamin C: 2.4mg (3%)Calcium: 58mg (6%)Iron: 11.4mg (63%)

“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”

Course:Dinner
Cuisine:American
Keyword:Beef, Instant Pot, Ribs, Short Ribs
Did you make this?Tag me on Instagram!I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram at @TheFlavorBender or leave me a comment & rating below.
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  1. Jackie J says

    April 11, 2021 at 16:29

    5 stars
    Fantastic recipe that I’ve made twice already I substituted brown sugar and used honey whiskey to deglaze. I used red wine the first time and both were so so good . Thanks for sharing !

    Reply
  2. Sarah Thies says

    April 7, 2021 at 00:44

    5 stars
    My first time tasting short ribs, let alone cooking them! I’m so happy that I found this recipe. It was Amazing! Ribs were tender and fell off of the bone and flavor was fantastic. I had to use moonshine in place of bourbon, I had red wine but it’s my favorite bottle and I couldn’t bear to cook with it- moonshine not so much though! The flavors worked great, I used the sugar and cayenne as recommended and it was the perfect amount of spice and not too sweet. I had to use rice wine vinegar because I had no balsamic. I will use this recipe for the rest of the short ribs that I have in the freezer from now on. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Patty B. says

    March 28, 2021 at 22:56

    5 stars
    So good and savory. It was so tender, it fell right off the bone. My family loved it!

    Reply
  4. Connie Stafford says

    March 24, 2021 at 19:16

    5 stars
    Made these last night–they were amazing. This recipe is definitely a keeper.

    Reply
  5. Joanna says

    March 24, 2021 at 00:34

    5 stars
    It was delicious! The only thing the ribs fell apart. Will try 30 minutes with the 15 min slow release. This would be a perfect stew too. Thank you.

    Reply
  6. Shelley says

    March 21, 2021 at 23:51

    5 stars
    Fantastic! I made these ribs tonight in my Quick Cooker and they were delicious! I used grass fed beef short ribs and substituted monkfruit sweetener for the sugar and red wine as no bourbon in the house. Thanks so much for the recipe! Oh and I live in Ottawa too! I LOVE cooking and changing up recipes to make them low carb and gluten free!

    Reply
  7. Brianna says

    March 18, 2021 at 22:15

    5 stars
    Wow wow wow!
    Even with my small changes, I am so happy with these!!
    I only had merlot, so I used that in place of bourbon, turned out great! A little sweet so I might use less sugar next time if using wine again. I had to use less paprika and cayenne due to hubby being sensitive to spice, but I am thrilled with how these came out. Wish I made more!!!

    Reply
  8. Esther Leung says

    March 17, 2021 at 20:09

    5 stars
    Easy to follow steps by steps. I used Cabernet Sauvignon instead of bourbon and leave out the cayenne pepper .
    Served with mashed potato. So yummy, everyone in the family enjoy this dish so much. Thank you.

    Reply
  9. Erin says

    March 15, 2021 at 09:24

    5 stars
    I made this exactly as stated and it couldn’t have been easier. I thought that 1 tsp of cayenne pepper sounded aggressive, but I put it in anyway and it tasted great. It added that little bit of heat to balance the sweet. I’m curious if anyone has tried this with brown sugar? I might do that next time. Overall, a great dinner over cauliflower mash and a side of broccoli. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Stephanie Salyer says

      April 4, 2021 at 18:08

      I am making this right now and I used brown sugar instead of white sugar. I usually use brown sugar on my beef ribs so I thought it would also taste good here. Used beer to deglaze instead of bourbon too. I usually keep a bottle or two around for this purpose : )

      Reply
  10. Hillary Morgan says

    March 15, 2021 at 01:24

    5 stars
    I wanted to do something different than my usual Korean Style short ribs so I went looking and found this recipe.

    These were SOOOOOO good! Not even sure if I will make them the Korean style any more they were that good. I used to be a pro chef so I do a lot of experimenting with food. I invited my best friend over for dinner and he said in all the years he has known me this was probably the best thing I have ever cooked for him. I served them with extra thick Yukon Gold mashed potatoes (thick so they would stand up to the sauce well) and steamed zucchini, buttered and salted. All of it was YUMMMMM! I don’t have a single negative thing to say about this recipe which is unusual for me being a chef, it was that good.

    Reply
  11. Douglas Holgate says

    February 26, 2021 at 09:05

    5 stars
    Made it totally keto and oh my goodness it was wonderful. Served it with fried cauliflower rice and asparagus. Rave revues from my group

    Reply
  12. Anne Keene says

    February 25, 2021 at 18:17

    5 stars
    Everyone loved it! Had friends over for dinner and the ribs were a hit. What was great was getting everything ready so all I had to do was start the pot, then enjoy our guests, and thicken gravy before we ate. Yum!

    Reply
  13. Tamesha says

    February 22, 2021 at 14:57

    5 stars
    Restaurant Quality short ribs. The flavors are very balanced in this recipe with the balsamic answering the fat, the sugar balancing the heat of the cayenne.

    Reply
  14. Jane says

    February 13, 2021 at 19:31

    5 stars
    Thank you! Was very good. Made it with the cayanne pepper. We will be doing this one again!!!

    Reply
  15. J Kasten says

    February 10, 2021 at 17:25

    5 stars
    I’ve never had short ribs, and probably won’t again because of the type of meat….but your ingredients and sauce was fantastic! So delicious! I’m going to try it out with other proteins, like chicken, possibly fish. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
  16. Shanda says

    February 9, 2021 at 10:14

    5 stars
    Oh my! This was so yummy. My hubby already is planning on this for dinner again soon. So delicious! Thank you for the amazing recipe!

    Reply
  17. vicmacbou says

    February 6, 2021 at 21:26

    5 stars
    This recipe is DELICIOUS! I used boneless beef short ribs, followed the directions and look forward to making them again! Served over creamy polenta, the leftovers I’ll serve over noodles.

    Reply
  18. Patrick says

    February 1, 2021 at 13:01

    5 stars
    Fantastic. Kids ate it like Champs as well

    Reply
  19. Paula says

    January 31, 2021 at 13:07

    5 stars
    So easy and delicious–bourbon has to be the key!

    Reply
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