Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs
These fall off the bone Instant Pot Short Ribs are the definition of comfort food. With a savory apple chutney that’s cooked in the same pot, this is a restaurant-quality dish for the home chef.
Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs
While I was taught a traditional braising technique for short ribs in culinary school, the Instant Pot has actually become my favorite way to prepare them.
At its heart, an Instant Pot is simply a pressure cooker. And that pressure is what gets so much flavor into meats cooked inside it. It’s almost like the pressure is compressing the flavors so that each bite is an explosion of savoriness? I think it’s something along the lines of that.
This Instant Pot Short Ribs recipe with a sweet and savory apple chutney that you make in the same pot is truly a restaurant-quality dish that you’ll want to make again and again.
Why you’ll love these Instant Pot Short Ribs
- Fall off the bone short ribs are the definition of comfort food.
- The savory apple chutney cooked in the same pot wastes none of the flavor you develop from searing the meat.
Beef Short Ribs Instant Pot ingredients
- bone-in beef short ribs – about 4 pounds. Cut them crosswise, into pieces, so that there is one bone in each piece.
- vegetable oil – for browning the ribs before the pressure cooking begins.
- yellow onion – or white or red onion also work fine.
- thyme – 3 sprigs of fresh thyme if possible, or about a teaspoon of dried thyme.
- garlic – 2 cloves, minced up.
- apples – Gala apples are my favorite for making Instant Pot beef ribs.
- raisins – the subtle pop of sweetness works SO well with Instant Pot braised short ribs, trust me! Traditional or golden raisins are both good.
- beef broth – you need a little of liquid to braise the ribs.
- apple cider vinegar – this adds a bit of acidity to the chutney and helps balance the richness of the meat.
- light brown sugar – adds sweetness to the apple chutney.
- salt and pepper – always!
How to cook Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs
- You’ll be using the Instant Pot itself, on the Sauté setting, to brown the ribs before you begin pressure cooking them. I love this option because I don’t have to get a separate skillet dirty to brown these Instant Pot beef short ribs! I use the Sauté setting for my Instant Pot sweet and sour chicken, too!
- Brown the ribs in batches and transfer them to a plate. Add the apple chutney ingredients (more on that later), and then add the ribs back to the pot.
- Seal the Instant Pot and cook for 35 minutes on high pressure on the Meat/Stew setting. The pot will take about 5 minutes to come to pressure before the cooking time begins.
- When the cooking time ends, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes (DON’T do the quick release right away). After 10 minutes, move the Pressure Release valve to Venting to release remaining steam from the Instant Pot beef ribs.
- You’ll take the meat out of the pot while you finish thickening up the apple mixture.
- After you brown the Instant Pot short ribs but before you start the pressure cook, you’ll sauté some onion in the Instant Pot itself to get started on the chutney.
- Once the onion is a little soft, you’ll add the rest of the ingredients – thyme, garlic, apples, raisins, broth, vinegar and brown sugar – as well as put the ribs back into the pot for the pressure cook.
- Once the meat is finished pressure cooking, you’ll take them out of the pot, but leave all of the apple mixture at the bottom of the pot.
- You’ll again turn the Instant Pot setting back to Sauté and cook for about 10 minutes or until quite a bit of the cooking liquid has evaporated and the apple mixture is like a chunky sauce for serving over the Instant Pot beef ribs.
If you also want to drizzle some balsamic reduction glaze over the finished ribs, I think that would be amazing! Or, if you’d prefer my best gravy recipe instead of the apple chutney, you could do that too!
Home Chef Tips
- The searing of the ribs in Step 2 is the most important step to build flavor, so take your time and get a nice, deep golden brown on the meat.
- Don’t rush the pressure release of the Instant Pot. Allowing a natural pressure release to happen for 10 minutes after cooking prevents toughening of the meat.
What to serve with Instant Pot Short Ribs
Tell me how you can go wrong serving these on top of a pillowy cloud of blue cheese mashed potatoes. It is a match made in heaven. Mashed potatoes with heavy cream are another great option that I often serve alongside my country style ribs in the oven.
If for some reason mashed potatoes aren’t your thing, maybe mashed potato cakes or crispy roast potatoes would be more your speed to serve alongside Instant Pot beef short ribs. I also love the sweetness of roasted acorn squash slices or my honey glazed carrots recipe paired with beef.
If you’re looking for a non-starchy veggie side, my favorites are maple glazed Brussels sprouts and green beans and tomatoes.
For a fresh green salad to serve with Instant Pot beef ribs, I always recommend my lemon tahini and miso salad dressing, because they both taste great with everything!
Storing Leftovers
Leftover Instant Pot beef short ribs should be cooled to room temperature, then transferred to an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to reheat Instant Pot Short Ribs
Reheat leftover short ribs in a 300 degree oven until warmed through. You can also reheat them in the microwave. Cover with a damp paper towel to retain moisture, and heat at 50% power for 1 minute intervals until heated through.
Recipe FAQs
Short ribs can become tough if they are not cooked for long enough or at the right pressure, or if the pressure is released too quickly. Follow the recipe instructions carefully, being sure to allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes to achieve tender short ribs.
While some fat and flavor can add moisture to the short ribs during cooking, excessive fat may result in greasy meat. If you see any very large, visible pieces of fat that are easily trimmed, feel free to trim them off before cooking.
Achieving fall-off-the-bone tender short ribs requires proper cooking time and technique. If your short ribs didn’t reach desired tenderness, they may need to be cooked longer at a higher pressure. Follow the recipe below carefully for the best results.
Short Rib Recipe (Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs cut crosswise into 2 to 3-inch pieces (one bone per piece)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ large yellow onion chopped
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 Gala apples chopped
- ⅓ cup raisins
- ¼ cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Instructions
- Sprinkle short ribs with salt and pepper.
- Add oil to 6 Quart Instant Pot and select high Sauté setting. Allow oil to heat for 2 minutes. Transfer half of ribs to pot and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until browned, flipping once. Transfer ribs to plate. Repeat process with remaining ribs.
- Drain all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Add onion to pot and sauté 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in thyme, garlic, apples, raisins, broth, vinegar and brown sugar. Return ribs and any accumulated juices on plate to pot.
- Secure Instant Pot lid and set Pressure Release to Sealing. Press Cancel button to reset cooking program. Select Meat/Stew setting and set cooking time for 35 minutes at high pressure (pot will take about 5 minutes to come to pressure before cooking time begins).
- When cooking time ends, let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then move Pressure Release to Venting to release remaining steam. Open pot and transfer ribs to serving dish and cover to keep warm.
- Skim fat from liquid remaining in pot. Press Cancel button to reset cooking program. Select high Sauté setting and allow cooking liquid and apple mixture to reduce for 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Ladle cooking liquid over ribs and serve immediately.
Notes
- The searing of the ribs in Step 2 is the most important step to build flavor, so take your time and get a nice, deep golden brown on the meat.
- Don’t rush the pressure release of the Instant Pot. Allowing a natural pressure release to happen for 10 minutes after cooking prevents toughening of the meat.
