Instant Pot Short Ribs are braised in red wine until tender and flavorful and they cook up in about 1 hour! They're dairy and gluten-free and are worthy of any special occasion!
1cupdry red winesuch as cabernet sauvignon; drinkable quality; sub with the same amount of beef broth if you prefer not to use alcohol
2tablespoonstomato paste
2tablespoonsbalsamic vinegarsub with soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
1cupbeef broth
1bay leaf
2sprigsfresh rosemaryor 1.5 teaspoons dried; sub with your favorite herbs
1.5tablespoonscornstarch
Instructions
Season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper to taste. Select the Sauté button on the Instant Pot and add the olive oil. Add as many short ribs to the pot as you can without overcrowding (it will take two batches) and brown each side for 2-3 minutes. Flip the short ribs when they release easily. Once browned, remove to a plate and set aside.
3 lbs. bone-in beef short ribs, 1 tablespoon olive oil
Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pot and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the red wine and deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook for 1 minute to cook off some of the alcohol, then add the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar and beef stock and stir well. Add the bay leaf and 2 sprigs rosemary, then add the short ribs back to the pot along with any accumulated juices on the plate. Secure the lid, close the venting valve and cook for 45 minutes at High Pressure. Naturally release the pressure for 10-15 minutes and quick release the pressure from there as necessary, then remove the lid when safe to do so.
Discard the bay leaf and rosemary, then transfer the short ribs to a plate. Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables from the pot and place in a bowl or along with the short ribs. Skim off any pools of fat on top of the sauce.
Place the Instant Pot on Sauté mode and combine the cornstarch with 1.5 tablespoons water. Add it to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened to the desired consistency, about 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
1.5 tablespoons cornstarch
Serve the short ribs along with the vegetables and your favorite side dish as desired, and top with the sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Pro tip: Brown the beef and aromatics before pressure cooking to add even more flavor, and don't forget to scrape the brown bits or fond from the bottom of the pan after adding the liquid. Fond equals flavor!
Slow cooker instructions: Brown the short ribs on the stove top, followed by the vegetables, then deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping up the brown bits. From there, place everything except the cornstarch in the slow cooker and cook on High for 4-5 hours or on Low for 7-8 hours or until tender. Remove the short ribs, vegetables and herbs from the pot and add the cornstarch slurry, cooking at High heat for 1-2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly.
The vegetables add a ton of flavor, but if you don't have celery and carrots on hand, they may be omitted.
The red wine may be substituted with your favorite alcohol such as sherry, brandy or madeira, or simply use more beef stock.