Instant Pot Short Ribs

Name: Instant Pot Short Ribs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 yellow onion, diced; 3 carrots, chopped into 1-inch pieces; 8 beef short ribs, bone-in, cut flanken or English style; kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 0.25 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging; 0.5 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet or Merlot; 1 cup low-sodium beef broth; 2 tbsp tomato paste, preferably double-concentrated; 2 sprig fresh thyme sprigs; 2 sprig fresh rosemary sprigs; all-purpose flour, for thickening gravy

Instant Pot Short Ribs — Rich, Wine-Braised Beef That Practically Falls Off the Bone

Short ribs and pressure cooking are a match made in comfort food heaven. The Instant Pot concentrates all those deep, beefy flavors while the wine and aromatics create a luxurious braising liquid that becomes an incredible gravy. What would normally take hours happens in under an hour, but tastes like it simmered all day.

AmericanDinnerComfort FoodOne PotInstant PotBraisingBeefFallWinter

Prep15 min

Cook45 min

Total1 hr

Servings4

Difficultymedium

Ingredients

3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 carrots, chopped into 1-inch pieces
8 beef short ribs, bone-in, cut flanken or English style
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cupall-purpose flour, for dredging
½ cupdry red wine, such as Cabernet or Merlot
1 cuplow-sodium beef broth
2 tbsptomato paste, preferably double-concentrated
2 sprigfresh thyme sprigs
2 sprigfresh rosemary sprigs
all-purpose flour, for thickening gravy

Instructions

Press the Sauté button on your Instant Pot and let it heat up for about a minute. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, then toss in the diced onion and carrots. Stir frequently — you want them softened and lightly golden, which builds the flavor foundation for everything that follows. Transfer the vegetables to a plate and set aside.
⏱ 3 min
While the pot stays on sauté mode, pat each short rib completely dry with paper towels — this is crucial for good browning. Season generously with salt and pepper, then dredge each piece in flour, shaking off any excess. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot, then brown the ribs in batches if needed, turning to get all sides deeply caramelized. Transfer the browned ribs to the same plate as the vegetables.
Pour the red wine into the hot pot — it should sizzle dramatically and smell amazing. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those beautiful browned bits stuck to the bottom, which are pure flavor gold. Let the wine bubble and reduce for 2 minutes to cook off some of the alcohol.
⏱ 2 min
Stir in the beef broth, tomato paste, and a good pinch more salt and pepper. The tomato paste will want to clump, so whisk it in thoroughly until the liquid is smooth. Nestle the short ribs back into the pot along with any accumulated juices, then scatter the vegetables around them. Tuck the thyme and rosemary sprigs into the liquid so they'll infuse everything as it cooks.
Lock the Instant Pot lid in place and make sure the steam valve is sealed. Select Manual or Pressure Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. When the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes before manually releasing any remaining steam. This gradual release keeps the meat incredibly tender.
⏱ 45 min
Carefully remove the lid and transfer the short ribs to a serving platter, covering them with foil to keep warm. Fish out the herb stems and discard them. To make gravy, whisk a bit of flour into the cooking liquid and use the sauté function to simmer until thickened to your liking. Taste and adjust seasoning, then spoon the rich gravy over the ribs before serving.