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Home Recipe Index Freezer Meals Freezer Instant Pot

Instant Pot Short Ribs

5 /5
Jump to Recipe Rate Recipe
By: Rachel TiemeyerPosted: 6/12/24Updated: 12/8/22

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Making Instant Pot Short Ribs may be fast and easy, but this decadent recipe results in a gourmet dinner! The silky, savory sauce is to die for. Perfect for Christmas Dinner or a special birthday dinner.

Or try our Slow Cooker Short Ribs instead.

Beef Short Ribs on a plate with mashed potatoes and green beans in front of Instant Pot this …


 
Table of Contents
  • 3 Reasons to Make Short Ribs in the Instant Pot
  • Ingredients
  • How to Make Instant Pot Short Ribs
  • Side Dishes That Pair Well With Beef Short Ribs
  • Make It a Freezer Meal
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Like
  • Instant Pot Cooking Times Chart
  • Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs
  • Another Short Ribs Recipe You’ll Love!

3 Reasons to Make Short Ribs in the Instant Pot

While short ribs aren’t cheap (look for sales!), this recipe is worth it for at least these 3 reasons…

  1. Braised beef short ribs make for one of the most meltingly tender, fall-off-the-bone pot roasts around.
  2. Like our Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon, this recipe is truly a gourmet dump-and-go recipe! The sauce comes together fast but has complex flavor in the end.
  3. Works well for Christmas dinner or a special birthday dinner. Serving over Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes with the silky sauce drizzled over the top is sure to impress!

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this sweet and savory braised short ribs recipe…

Beef short ribs ingredients measured out and labeled.

Ingredient Notes

  • Balsamic vinegar – A little acid in any sauce enhances the flavor.
  • Soy sauce – Adds savory-salty umami flavor. For gluten-free, use coconut aminos or gluten-free Tamari Soy Sauce.
  • Honey – Perfect amount of sweetness to offset the saltiness.
  • Bone-in English-style beef short ribs – Find these at the meat counter (or call ahead to order them). Ask your butcher to trim off some excess fat and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces*. Look for them to go on sale!
  • Cornstarch – To thicken the sauce at the end. This is optional but recommended.

*We have instructions below for how to cook the longer 4-inch ribs if you don’t get yours cut.

How to Make Instant Pot Short Ribs

Find the full, printable recipe is at the bottom of this article. But first, let’s walk through each step together…

Prep Marinade

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the beef broth, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.

Beef short rib marinade in a bowl.

Pressure Cook the Short Ribs

Place the 2-inch ribs in the Instant Pot. Pour the marinade over the top and stir to coat the ribs. Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 45 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes (or longer if you prefer), then quick release the remaining pressure. Use tongs to transfer the ribs to a serving platter.

Uncooked beef short ribs cut into 2-inch pieces in an Instant Pot with marinade poured over it.
Four-inch beef short ribs standing on end in an Instant Pot.

Tip: How Long to Cook 4-Inch Short Ribs

If you weren’t able to get your short ribs cut into 2-inch pieces by your butcher, never fear. We tested the longer, 4-inch short ribs in the Instant Pot.

Stack them on end, cover in sauce, and pressure cook on high for 70 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes and then quick release the rest of the pressure.

Thicken the Sauce

Optional, but recommended: Set the Instant Pot to “Saute” setting. In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Whisk this into the sauce. Cook, whisking regularly, until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Press “Cancel”.

A hand adding a small bowl of cornstarch slurry to sauce in an Instant Pot.

Serve

Drizzle some of the sauce over the ribs (and hopefully some Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or Healthy Mashed Potatoes too) and garnish with chopped parsley. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Beef short ribs with mashed potatoes and green beans on a white plate.

Serve warm with extra sauce on the side. Tip: These are delicious served over warm mashed potatoes or polenta.

Balsamic shredded beef on top of polenta on a plate.

Alternative Way to Serve Short Ribs

Shred the meat off the bones and serve with the thickened sauce over mashed potatoes or polenta.

Side Dishes That Pair Well With Beef Short Ribs

Green beans wrapped in bacon sitting on a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes with diced chives on top.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Autumn Salad tossed with apple cider vinaigrette in a white bowl on a wooden cutting board.

Autumn Chopped Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Oven roasted asparagus on parchment paper.

Oven Roasted Asparagus

Make It a Freezer Meal

Like with most of our recipes, we’ve figured out the best way to prep it ahead and freeze for later…

To Freeze For Later:

Mix up the marinade in a bowl. Place the ribs and marinade in either a 2-gallon or two, 1-gallon freezer bags. Seal tightly and freeze.

Prepare From Frozen:

Note: You will need cornstarch and parsley on hand to complete this meal. Thaw in the refrigerator completely*. Cook according to Steps 2-4 in the recipe below. 

(*We found in our tests that this recipe cooks unevenly from frozen in the Instant Pot, so we recommend thawing before cooking for best results.)

Short ribs marinating in a gallon-size bag lying flat on a sheet pan to be frozen.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this in the Crock Pot?

Yes! Check out our recipe for Crock Pot Beef Short Ribs for a full tutorial and a printable recipe.

How long do I cook short ribs in the Instant Pot?

For 2-inch pieces: Cook at high pressure for 45 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes (or longer if you prefer), then quick release the remaining pressure.
For 4-inch pieces: Stack them on end, cover in sauce, and pressure cook on high for 70 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes and then quick release the rest of the pressure.

Can you cook frozen short ribs in the Instant Pot?

While developing recipes for our second cookbook, From Freezer to Cooker, we learned a LOT about which frozen meals work and which ones don’t in the Instant Pot. We found in our tests that this recipe cooks unevenly from frozen in the Instant Pot, so we recommend thawing before cooking for best results.

More Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Like

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Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs

BBQ shredded beef sandwich on a plate with corn on the cob and grapes.

Instant Pot BBQ Shredded Beef

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Instant Pot Beef Stew

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings with chopped parsley sprinkled on top ready to be served.

20+ Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

Instant Pot cooking times chart printable laid out.
A Must Have for Instant Pot Users

Instant Pot Cooking Times Chart

After testing hundreds of Instant Pot recipes, we have honed in on the best timing and methods for cooking different types of meals in the Instant Pot.

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Beef Short Ribs on a plate with mashed potatoes and green beans in front of Instant Pot
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews

Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs

Making Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs may be fast and easy, but this decadent recipe results in a gourmet dinner! The silky savory sauce is to die for. Perfect for the holidays or a special birthday dinner.

Yield: 5 or 6 servings 1x
Prep: 15 minutesCook: 55 minutesTotal: 1 hour 10 minutes
Print Recipe Rate Pin for Later [socialpug_share networks=”email” networks_labels=”Email” show_labels=”yes” overwrite=”yes”]
Scale:

Ingredients

  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (Gluten-free: Use coconut aminos or gluten-free Tamari Soy Sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced (2 teaspoons pre-minced garlic)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (increase if you want more heat)
  • 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 5 lbs bone-in English-style beef short ribs, trimmed of excess fat and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces*
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional, but recommended)
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (as garnish)

*Ask your butcher to do this for you! You might even want to call ahead.

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions

Make It Now:

  1. Prep Marinade: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the beef broth, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
  2. Cook: Place the ribs in the Instant Pot. Pour the marinade over the top and stir to coat the ribs. Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 45 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes (or longer if you prefer), then quick release the remaining pressure. Use tongs to transfer the ribs to a serving platter.
  3. Thicken Sauce: Optional, but recommended: Set the Instant Pot to “Saute” setting. In a small bowl, stir cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Whisk this into the sauce. Cook, whisking regularly, until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Press “Cancel”.
  4. Serve: Drizzle some of the sauce over the ribs and garnish with chopped parsley. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm with extra sauce on the side. Tip: These are delicious served over warm mashed potatoes or polenta.

To Freeze For Later:

Follow Step 1. Place the ribs and marinade in either a 2-gallon or two 1-gallon freezer bags. Seal tightly and freeze.

Prepare From Frozen:

Note: You will need cornstarch and parsley on hand to complete this meal. Thaw in the refrigerator completely*. Follow Steps 2-4. 

(*We found in our tests that this recipe cooks unevenly from frozen in the Instant Pot, so we recommend thawing before cooking for best results.)


Notes/Tips

  • Crockpot Version: Make this same recipe in your slow cooker instead with our Crockpot Beef Short Ribs recipe. 
  • Try This Recipe with Chuck Roast Instead: If you love this sauce but want a cheaper cut of beef, try making our Balsamic Shredded Beef. Delicious!
  • How Long to Cook 4-Inch Short Ribs: If you weren’t able to get your short ribs cut into 2 inch pieces by your butcher, never fear. We tested the longer, 4-inch short ribs in the Instant Pot. Stack them on end, cover in sauce, and pressure cook on high for 70 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes and then quick release the rest of the pressure.
  • Alternative Way to Serve Short Ribs: Shred the meat off the bones and serve with the thickened sauce over mashed potatoes or polenta.
  • Where We Get Our Beef: We get our beef from ButcherBox. The beef is grass-fed and curated from trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, chicken, and wild salmon–and have used it for years ourselves.
© Author: Rachel Tiemeyer
Cuisine: American Method: Instant Pot

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Instant pot beef short ribs on white plates over mashed potatoes with green beans on the side.
Thriving Home's cookbook, From Freezer to Cooker, lying on a counter.

Another Short Ribs Recipe You’ll Love!

Looking for another well-tested short ribs recipe?

Our second cookbook, From Freezer to Cooker, features one of my personal favorite recipes in the book: Asian-Style Beef Short Ribs. The sauce has a complex, sweet-spicy combo of flavors that pairs perfectly with the short ribs. Serve over rice.

Every recipe in this cookbook works in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker. And…we’ll show you how to make each recipe into a freezer meal, too!

Buy Our Cookbook
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Rachel Tiemeyer

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Rachel dreams about creating recipes (literally) and uses her husband, her 3 kids, and even the neighbors as guinea pigs several nights a week. She believes that good food has the power to bring families and friends closer together and continues to wake up excited about her job each day, even after 10+ years!

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  1. Karen says

    Posted on 4/15/24 at 7:38 pm

    Are you kidding me? This was amazing. My husband couldn’t get it in his mouth fast enough, and neither could I.

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 4/16/24 at 5:44 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it Karen! Thanks so much for a fun review. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Laura Peters says

    Posted on 3/18/24 at 5:25 pm

    Absolutely delicious! So flavorful! We had these with mushroom risotto. A wonderful Sunday dinner!!

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 3/19/24 at 9:29 am

      That does sound like a wonderful Sunday dinner Laura! Thanks so much for leaving a review.

      Reply
  3. Callie says

    Posted on 2/28/23 at 11:47 am

    This worked great! Loved the flavor.

    Reply

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