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These Instant Pot short ribs are delectably flavorful, fall-apart tender (without the long time commitment that’s normally needed for cooking boneless beef short ribs), and SO EASY. Let me show you how to cook short ribs in the best and fastest way with this easy beef short ribs recipe.
When I first got my Instant Pot, I spent a lot of time experimenting with pressure cooker recipes. And when it came time to figure out how to cook boneless short ribs, I was pleased to discover that using the Instant Pot makes this a quick short rib recipe — no hours upon hours of braising time necessary!
What Are Beef Short Ribs?
What kind of meat is short ribs? It’s not what you might think! Surprisingly, boneless beef short ribs are not actually rib meat. They are cut from the chuck, or shoulder, but can be harder to find. Bone-in short ribs come from the belly and are much fattier than boneless. Both types of short ribs are incredibly tough cuts of meat, but when cooked properly, you can cut them with a fork.
Why You’ll Love This Beef Short Ribs Recipe
- Savory, rich flavor
- Tender, fall-off-the-bone short ribs
- Made with just 5 simple ingredients
- Just 5 minutes prep time, with hands-off cook time
- Easy to make ahead
- Works with bone-in or boneless short ribs
Ingredients For Instant Pot Short Ribs
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for beef short ribs in the Instant Pot, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Basic Ingredients:
- Boneless Beef Short Ribs – Buy boneless beef short ribs, but if you can’t find them, many butchers will actually remove the bones from bone-in short ribs for you, which is what I did for this boneless short rib recipe. You can also make it using bone-in short ribs if you prefer — you’ll just need to add 10 minutes to the cook time.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
- Olive Oil – For sauteing. Avocado oil also works.
- Beef Broth – The Instant Pot always requires some liquid for pressure cooking, and beef broth is one of the most flavorful choices. For an even richer sauce and more nutrition, use bone broth.
- Coconut Aminos – This is similar to soy sauce, with a combination of salty, sweet, and umami flavors. Soy sauce is also fine to use.
- Garlic – Use fresh garlic cloves for best flavor or jarred garlic for convenience.
Optional Add-Ins:
- Dried Bay Leaves – Helps to add classic flavor to the short ribs.
- Gelatin Powder – Helps make the sauce thick and glossy (similar to cornstarch) — be sure to use unflavored gelatin. You can also use a different cornstarch substitute.
VARIATIONS: Up the flavor with other additions.
This recipe uses just five ingredients to keep it as simple as possible. However, you can definitely make it even more flavorful by adding:
- Onion – Saute 1/2 of a diced white or yellow onion before adding the garlic.
- Red Wine – Add 1/2 cup of merlot or cabernet sauvignon together with the broth.
- Balsamic Vinegar – Add 1/4 cup of balsamic with the broth.
- Fresh Herbs – Such as fresh thyme sprigs, fresh rosemary sprigs, or both. Add right before pressure cooking, then discard at the end.
How To Cook Short Ribs In The Instant Pot
This section shows how to make this Instant Pot short rib recipe, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Dry. Pat the beef dry with paper towels.
- Season. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. This step helps to build flavor throughout the cooking process. Don’t skimp, you need a generous amount!
- Sear short ribs. Brown the short ribs in the Instant Pot using the Sauté setting. Cook in batches to avoid crowding the pan, or they will steam instead of brown. Remove short ribs and set aside.
- Saute garlic. Add oil and garlic and saute for just a minute.
- Deglaze. Add beef broth and coconut aminos to the pressure cooker, and use a spoon to stir, scraping up any of the yummy browned bits off the bottom. Place the short ribs back in there, along with a bay leaf, if using, and place the lid on and seal.
- Pressure cook. For boneless Instant Pot short ribs, set the time to 40 minutes, or increase to 50 minutes for bone-in pressure cooker short ribs. When they are done, let the natural release do its thing for 10 minutes before switching to manual release.
TIP: Don’t skip the pressure cooker natural release.
This helps the beef short ribs finish cooking and helps them come out tender.
- Thicken sauce. Simmer the sauce with gelatin powder on the Saute setting (it’s easy and worth it!).
Do You Have To Brown Short Ribs?
You don’t have to brown short ribs. But you should! Browning takes just a few minutes, and will help add rich flavor to the pressure cooker short ribs. It makes a huge difference!
Can You Make Slow Cooker Short Ribs?
Yes, you can make the same easy short ribs recipe in a slow cooker. It will take approximately 8 hours on Low or 4 hours on High. However, it’s more cleanup because you’ll have to sear the short ribs separately on the stove first.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftover beef short ribs in fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat short ribs in the oven together with the sauce, covered in foil, for best results. You can microwave, but be careful to not overcook, or the meat will dry out.
- Freeze: Store short ribs in an airtight container in the freezer for 2-3 months. Let the ribs cool completely, then place in a freezer-safe glass dish. Cover with the sauce/cooking liquid and then freeze.
What To Serve With Short Ribs
Serve this braised beef short ribs recipe with mashed potatoes and carrots (or Instant Pot cauliflower) for traditional sides, or with one of these other healthy vegetable side dishes:
More Tender Meat Recipes
If you love the best beef short ribs recipe (I know you will!), you might also like some of these other tender meat recipes:
Tools To Make Boneless Beef Short Ribs
- Instant Pot 7-in-1 – This is the electric pressure cooker that I use and love. It’s a great pressure cooker but I also love that you can also use the saute function to brown meats in the same pan.
Easy Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs Recipe
Easy Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs (5 Ingredients!)
Wondering how to cook short ribs? This Instant Pot beef short ribs recipe makes it EASY with just 5 ingredients. Use bone-in or boneless beef short ribs — both will come out tender and flavorful.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Instant Pot Short Ribs:
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Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels.
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Use sea salt and black pepper to generously season the short ribs on both sides.
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Set the Instant Pot to Saute on High (or "More"). Add oil and let it heat up until hot.
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Once oil is hot, add the short ribs in a single layer. Sear for about 5 minutes per side, until browned. You will need to do this in two batches, so that they are not too crowded. Set all the short ribs aside outside the pan as you get through them.
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Add the minced garlic to the empty Instant Pot, and saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
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Add the broth and coconut aminos to the Instant Pot. Use a wooden spoon to release any browned bits of garlic from the bottom of the pan (deglaze it). Shut off the saute function.
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Place the short ribs back into the Instant Pot, crowding them together in a single layer. Push the bay leaves into the broth, if using (optional). Close the lid and set the pin to Seal. Cook on High pressure for 40 minutes. Use Natural Release for 10 minutes, then Quick Release if there is any pressure left.
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At this point, you can shred the short ribs or leave them whole.
Optional Steps For Thicker Sauce:
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Remove the short ribs, leaving the liquid behind, and cover the short ribs with foil to keep warm. Set the Instant Pot to the Saute function.
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Sprinkle gelatin (don’t dump it) over the liquid in the Instant Pot, one tablespoon at a time, whisking rapidly and immediately after each sprinkle.
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Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens. If it’s still not as thick as you like, add more gelatin and repeat.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
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Readers Who Liked This Easy Recipe Also Made:
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 lb meat + sauce
How to make bone-in short ribs: You can make this a bone-in short rib recipe, too. The weight will be approximately 3-3.5 lb, and you will need to increase the cook time to 50 minutes.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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131 Comments
WarrenT
0So easy and yummy. I added some roasted garlic pasta sauce in the end to make a tomato based gravy. Sooooo delicious. PS. Also used cornstarch to thicken and served over mashed potatoes. It was a hit with my family.
Abigail
0I LOVE this recipe. So easy. So good!
Glenda
0Love short ribs and the Instant Pot made the job so much easier. Plus, the meat was succulent and tender. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Shelby
0These short ribs came out with a great flavor but really I loved how SIMPLE the recipe was! Makes a huge difference to a busy mom.
Greta
0Such a great recipe! Thank you!
Jenn
0These were so good! They turned out perfectly and were so meaty and delish!
JD Alewine
0This is a great recipe for short ribs. I love how tasty it is!
T
0I had never made short ribs before making this recipe. I’ve made it about 5 times and every time I make it, it’s delicious! I chose those recipe because it was simple and didn’t have a bunch of ingredients. I love making it and my fiancé loves it as well!
Mary Ann Wada
0Can you start in the morning and finish the rest after work?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Amanda, I’m not sure how that would work but you need about 1 hour and 15 minutes total to make this recipe.
Shannon
0Thank you, Great recipe!
Moop Brown
0I love how the instant pot allows me to make recipes in such a quick and easy manner. I also typically like my sauce for ribs to be on the thicker side so I appreciate how you included optional steps for this as well.
Jamie
0I love simple and straightforward recipes like this that don’t require lots of ingredients. The short ribs were fantastic and I followed the directions to thicken the sauce. Amazing!
Marie
0These short ribs are amazingly delicious and so incredibly tender! They taste like meat you would be served at a Michelin-starred restaurant. My friends were impressed!
Amy Casey
0Amazing! This is the best short rib recipe. They were so tender and flavorful.
Wholesome Yum A
0The Instant Pot really made these ribs so simple and quick to make in comparison to the oven. This is perfect for a busy weeknight!
LaKita
0These instant pot beef short ribs came out so perfectly tender, juicy, and flavorful! So comforting and easy to make.
Daniela
0Thank you for the detailed instructions how to make short ribs in my Instant Pot. They came out so tender.
Erin
0That was so tasty! I’m excited to try it again. The flavor was just perfect!
Jenny
0Beef short ribs (bone in) made simple! I know one family who will enjoy this delicious recipe. Thank you!
Nancy
0I made your recipe for my meat eating family members and they really enjoyed it. Thank you for the easy to follow recipe!
Michelle
0I have made this so many times and it has always come out perfectly delicious. Kid friendly to boot! A hit for the family, thank you~
Maureen McDonough
0SO Kid Friendly!!! My kids DEVOURED these!! I didn’t have any aminos, so I used soy sauce, and I also added an onion and sauteed it with the garlic. Because we farm, the beef was from our own animals and we cook nearly everything with the bone in. I’m at about 5300′ elevation, so I upped the cook time to 63 minutes and it was PERFECT!! I also love to brown in cast iron, so I did brown the ribs on the stove, but to save time, I sauteed the garlic and onion in the IP while I was browning. This was definitely a MAKE AGAIN recipe!! Thank you SO much for the recipe!!
Lalayne Harwood
0This was a great recipe. First short ribs I have ever made. The ribs were so tender and I put most of the things she mentioned in the recipe in the instapot. The gravy/broth was absolutely amazing. The best flavor. My husband and I were so impressed and we have been married 53 years. Thank you.
Julie Berry
0If I’m cooking about a pound (or a little over) of boneless, should I be cutting both the cook time and natural release time in half? So 20 minutes cook time, 5 minutes natural release? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Julie, Yes, the time would be cut in half.
Christine McNichols
0That sounded so good, but unfortunately I do not own a Instant Pot. How can I do them without it?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Christine, You could use the oven but I have never tried short ribs that way.
Maureen McDonough
0You can also do them in a slow cooker!! I would suggest low heat, and cook for at least 5 hours in the slow cooker.
Jessica
0These short ribs may have been the best I’ve ever had! Thank you for making it easy and delicious!
April
0Delicious! They were so tender and juicy! Great flavor! Highly recommend this recipe.
Cassandra
0Hello! I’m so excited to try this recipe! I only have a pound of boneless beef short ribs how long do you think I should do the time instead?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Cassandra, You would want to cut the cooking time in half for that amount of ribs.
Aubri
0Yummmmm! Perfect Valentines Day dinner. The entire family loves it. I made this with cauliflower “rice” with peas and carrots sautéed with more aminos. Definitely worth the wait to make the gravy!
Vikki Jochim
0Delicious and came out perfectly! I wish I had the patience to thicken the juice into a gravy but still no regrets. Best short ribs I ever made. And in an Instapot, I received as a Christmas gift! 🙂
Susan
0Have you tried adding onions, carrots and celery to the garlic?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Susan, I have not tried the recipe with onions, carrots, and celery but feel free to add them.
Christina
0Can you use soy sauce in lieu of coconut aminos?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Christina, Soy sauce will work from a recipe perspective, yes. I personally don’t eat soy for these reasons.
Bonny
0This will be the third time I have made this recipe. Fantastic
Michelle
0I have 1.61 pounds of bone-in beef Chuck short ribs; how would this change the measuring ingredients and time to cook in instant pot?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Michelle, Reduce the cook time to 30 minutes and let naturally release for 10 minutes. Enjoy!
LaDonna
0I dont have a pressure cooker. can I cook in CROCKPOT
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi LaDonna, Yes, but it will take considerably more time to cook these in a crockpot. Steps 1-5 can be completed on the stovetop. Move the ingredients into your crockpot and set to low and let cook for 6-8 hours. Enjoy!
Susan
0I was hopeful about this recipe, but I also ended up with tough meat per a few other reviewers. I wonder if 5 minutes is too long of a sear for each side of the meat (browned 4 sides.)
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Susan, Sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. Pressure cooking the short ribs helps to break down the meat, making it tender and flavorful. If your short ribs are particularly fibrous, you may want to consider increasing the time under pressure by an additional 3-5 minutes. I hope this helps.
schatzi
0Looked at recipes for IP short ribs, this one had the fewest ingredients with the best reviews. Added a clove or two more garlic and subbed gluten-free tamari for coconut aminos, left out the gelatin and bay leaf. Used my homemade bone broth. Added 5 minutes to cooking (we’re at 4500 ft) and natural release for 15 minutes.
My husband thought this was one of the best things he’s tasted in a long time. I have to agree. Meltingly tender and so flavorful.
Wonderful recipe!
Nancy
0Yummy!
Anji Hall
0Tried this as a last minute dinner idea… was so good!!! Definitely making again!!!
Marion Reid
0So simple and beautiful! We’ve made this three times now, twice with boneless beef short ribs, and this last time with bonless pork short ribs, in the broth I’d saved from the previous batch of ribs. OMG, this is sooo good. The last two times, my 16yo made it and it was a home run!
Patricia
0I’ve never had a bad instant pot recipe, so was really surprised when the meat came out a little chewy and dry The only thing I can think of is I let it naturally release entirely and then kept the IP on for an hour. Maybe that dried them out? The flavors though are incredible.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Patricia, Yes, leaving it to naturally release for that long likely caused the rubbery texture. That technique can be used for some recipes, but it won’t work well for this one.
C Martinez
0OMG!!!!!!!!!! Where oh where is the dang recipe??????????? OMG I’M having a scroll induced stroke right now….
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi C Martinez, The full recipe is located in the recipe card. If you cannot locate it by scrolling, feel free to use the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of the post.
Fran E.
0This recipe is spot on! I will never pay for short ribs at a restaurant again!
Cheryl K-G
0I have made this regularly, for at least a year, and for guests as well. My husband loves it!
I would give it 10 stars if I could!
Tender and so delicious!!
Amy
0I don’t eat meat so cooking 2 dinners is such a pain. Not only was this amazingly easy but my husband loved it, thank you!
Gina
0Would Xanthan Gum work to thicken sauce? If so, same amount?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Gina, Yes, xanthan gum will thicken your sauce while it simmers. Sprinkle in 1/8th teaspoon and whisk to incorporate into the sauce.
Gweniepie
0I usually use flour to thicken. So it takes away from keto, but gave me a better tasting gravy. However, I enjoyed making it and my family loved it.
Diana
0Hello there, I do not own an insta-pot (for my own safety, I’m quite clumsy), would you be able to quickly recommend how to cook this delicious recipe in a crockpot/slow-cooker by any chance? 🙂
Thank you!!!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Diana, You can make your short ribs in a slow cooker, but they will take quite a bit more time to cook. On the low setting, they will need approximately 8 hours, on the high setting around 4. You can read more about making this recipe in a crock pot in the section of this post called, ‘Can You Make Slow Cooker Short Ribs Instead?’
Diana
0Oh my goodness thank you!!! 😀
Kerri Kirkland
0Turned out so freaking good I’m going to be making these all the time.
Terra
0Great!
Andrea
0I have an IP Duo Nova. I am cooking bone in short ribs. When you say “High” heat, is it “High-Normal” or “High-More”. I’m asking because some people said theirs was tough, and I’m wondering if the problem was not high enough pressure. Thank you
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Andrea, That’s not the model I have, so I don’t have those options. I would suspect you will want the highest pressure for the recipe, so I would try the “High-More” setting.