Delicious Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs In Under An Hour

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Melt In Your Mouth Tender And The Best Gravy Ever

These Instant Pot beef short ribs are melt-in-your-mouth tender in just one hour. What normally takes all day in the oven or slow cooker is weeknight-easy with the pressure cooker. Best of all, short ribs are more economical than you might think - there is virtually no waste— one pot can stretch into mashed potatoes for dinner tonight, then leftovers for tacos, sandwiches, or soup later in the week.

To be honest, I had never made beef short ribs in my fifty-some years of cooking. In fact, I'd never even heard of, let alone thought about, beef short ribs. Not once. My loss. They will blow your mind.

My brother (and fellow foodie) Stan recently retired from a long career in the airlines. Looking back, he wistfully recalled beef short ribs as one of his favorite crew meals as a captain. He jokingly remarked It's the only known recipe inspired by airline food! 😉

Now that he had extra time on his hands, he searched for a recipe he could make at home. Success!! Even better, he found one that uses an Instant Pot to make juicy, tender short ribs quickly and easily.

This Instant Pot recipe made it so fast that he made them for dinner the same night he bought them. I modified it just a smidge, but they are ridiculously good and require only a few common pantry ingredients! I call that a win-win-win!!

The Easy Way To Make Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs

First, a brief overview of beef short ribs. Short ribs are the beef equivalent of pork spareribs, but they're quite a bit meatier.

They are cut from the same part of the beef as brisket and, like brisket, typically require long, slow cooking times to produce a tender, flavorful product. When the rib bone is removed, the meat is much easier to work with and eat.

That's what makes using an Instant Pot so magical for making them, because as the name implies, it really speeds up the cooking process. And, you can brown and cook them right in the same pot!

For this recipe, I bought boneless ribs. This package was about 2.5 pounds. There's almost no waste in a cut like this, which makes it a great value! I cut each piece in two, making chunks about 4" long. My husband and I made two hearty meals of this meaty cut of beef. Beef shrinks by about 25% when cooked.

First, I poured some olive oil into the Instant Pot and set it to saute. I sprinkled them generously with our favorite seasoned salt and seasoned pepper, pressing it into the meat.

It's important to brown a few pieces at a time and avoid crowding. You want a good sear and a brown crust on all sides of the meat. If you put too many in at once, they will steam rather than brown.

Be a little patient here. This is a crucial step that significantly enhances both the flavor and appearance of the meat. (Not to mention it makes the gravy gorgeous!)

Once all the meat has been browned, take it out and set it aside. Sauté the garlic in the oil until it becomes fragrant. Then, add water, soy sauce, and beef bouillon paste to the pot.

Use a wooden paddle to coax every tasty browned bit off the bottom. Stir and blend it into the liquid.

How Long To Cook Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs

Place the short ribs back in the pot and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 40 to 45 minutes. Let the pressure drop naturally for 10-15 minutes before venting. Why so long? The delay and natural cooling ensure that the juices stay in the meat, keeping the beef moist and tender.

While the ribs are cooking, you have plenty of time to prepare some mashed potatoes or noodles to accompany the ribs. And the gravy? The angels sing while you eat it! Total comfort food, I'm telling you!

Here's how they look when they are done cooking. And, if you want to make gravy, here's how!

Remove the ribs, put them on a platter, and cover them to keep warm. Mix cornstarch with cold water in a small jar and shake until no lumps remain.

Set the Instant Pot back to sauté and, when it boils, gradually whisk the cornstarch mixture into the broth. Cook until it has thickened.

You may not need all the cornstarch mixture to get the right consistency. And, you will not need any additional seasoning or any browning agent. The gravy is unbelievable!

I will make beef short ribs like this again and again. I love the simplicity of the recipe as much as I love the final product.

If you don't want to serve them this way, they would shred beautifully and make great sandwiches or hash. Now that you know how quick and easy they are to make, I bet you'll come up with lots of ways to make this your own. When you do, I want to hear about it!

Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs Recipe

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD

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Yield: 8 servings

Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs

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Tender, succulent, meaty boneless beef short ribs made fast and easy in your Instant Pot. Best gravy ever!!!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2.5 to 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs
• 2 tsp seasoned salt (We like Lawry's)
• 1 tsp seasoned pepper (We like Lawry's)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic or fresh garlic, to taste 
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 Tbsp paste type beef bouillon (We like Better Than Bouillon)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce or to taste
• GRAVY
• 2 Tbsp corn starch
• 1/2 cup cold water

Instructions

1. Set the Instant Pot to Saute.
2. Put olive oil in the Instant Pot.
3. Cut the ribs into approximately 4" sections
4. Press the seasoned salt and pepper into the meat.
5. Brown ribs a few at a time until there's a nice brown sear on all sides of the meat.
6. Remove the meat from the pot and set it aside. Leave all drippings in the Instant Pot.
7. Add garlic to the oil and saute until fragrant and slightly transparent.
8. Add water, soy sauce, and beef bouillon to the Instant Pot and bring to a boil.
9. Use a wooden spoon or paddle to scrape all tasty brown bits from the pot and stir them into the liquid.
10. Place the ribs back in the Instant Pot, cover with the lid, and set to high-pressure cook for 40 minutes.
11. Allow the natural release to occur for 10-15 minutes, then perform a quick release if any pressure remains.
12. Remove ribs to a covered platter to keep warm.
13. To make gravy, put cornstarch and cold water in a jar and shake well until there are no lumps.
14. Return the Instant Pot to the saute setting and bring the broth to a boil.
15. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the broth gradually, stirring constantly until the desired thickness is achieved. You may not need it all. If the gravy is too thick, thin it with water.
16. If not thick enough. Let it boil to reduce liquid or make another batch of cornstarch and water, adding only a little at a time while whisking constantly.
17. Serve gravy with ribs over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes as desired.
18. Refrigerate leftovers. Reheat meat in gravy in the oven or on the stovetop on low heat. Can also be reheated in the microwave.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 566Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 171mgSodium: 835mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 44g

Have you ever made beef short ribs? If you have, how do you make yours? Would you try this Instant Pot version? I would love to hear your thoughts! You might also enjoy using boneless beef ribs in this amazing Beef Noodle Soup recipe, and this Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe!

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Love, GB (Betty Streff)

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