Short ribs served with rich gravy over mashed potatoes is a classic comfort meal on a cold winter day. An Instant Pot makes them fall-off-the-bone tender in just 45 minutes.
Want to make this recipe on the stove-top? GettheinstructionsinmyRed-Wine Braised Short Ribspost.
There are some recipes that I make that I love. That I still think about days, weeks, even months later. Red-wine braised short ribs are one of those recipes.
It's a really rich, filling recipe, one that I only make on the coldest of winter days. Even when there is no short rib meat left, the sauce and veggies are almost like a thick soup, delicious when sopped up with a piece of hearty bread.
As I linked above, I've made this recipe before, in my Dutch oven on the stovetop. Since that post published, I caved to peer pressure and bought an Instant Pot. I wasn't sure what I would think of it.
Well, since then, I've made some delicious dinners that I had previously put off due to the time involved. You can't decide at 3 p.m. on a Sunday evening that you'd like to have barbacoa tacos for dinner that evening if you don't have a pressure cooker.
And unlike a slow cooker, you can do all of your searing and sauteeing right in the Instant Pot. Geez, this is starting to sound like an ad for the Instant Pot, but honestly, I just really enjoy using the appliance.
These short ribs came out just as fall-off-the-bone tender as if they were simmered all day on the stovetop. I didn't do the degreasing step that's listed in the stovetop version, and next time I probably will, but other than that, I can't wait to make these in the Instant Pot again!
Short ribs served with rich gravy over mashed potatoes is a classic comfort meal on a cold winter day. An Instant Pot makes them fall-off-the-bone tender in just 45 minutes.
Ingredients
3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
3 lbs bone-in, individual-cut short ribs
Kosher salt and pepper
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
4 cloves, garlic minced
1 ¼ cups dry red wine
2 cups beef stock
1 ½ tablespoon tomato paste
2 stalks fresh rosemary, leaves plucked from stems and chopped
1 bay leaf
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup cold beef stock
Instructions
Turn your Instant Pot to saute mode. Once hot, add 2 tablespoon of olive oil.
Season the short ribs on both sides with salt and pepper, and saute them in the Instant Pot until they no longer stick to the bottom, then flip and brown the other side. Remove to a plate.
Add the remaining olive oil, and saute the onion, carrots and garlic until soft and the onions are slightly translucent.
Add ¼ cup of the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot with a spatula or wooden spoon to release the bits stuck to the bottom.
Add the remaining wine, beef stock, tomato paste, rosemary leaves, and bay leaf. Add the short ribs back into the Instant Pot, submerging as much as possible in the liquid.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot, turn the valve to "sealing" and set it to pressure cook for 45 minutes.
Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully move the valve to "venting" to release remaining pressure.
Use tongs to remove the short ribs to a plate. In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and beef stock.
Turn the Instant Pot to saute mode, and bring the sauce to a boil. While stirring, slowly drizzle the cornstarch mixture into the Instant Pot. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens. Boil the mixture for 1 minute to cook out the starch taste.
Place one or two short ribs on a plate, and ladle some of the gravy over top.
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Why Are My Instant Pot Ribs Tough? If your ribs are tough, they likely haven't been cooked long enough. Try adding a little extra time to help them tenderize.
These ribs are chunky, with plenty of meat surrounding the bones and dense fat marbling throughout. This flavoursome fat and connective tissue means that beef short ribs need long, slow cooking in order to become tender.
The tannins will become more concentrated in the heat and pressure and the final dish could end up tasting unpleasantly astringent. A fruitier red wine, such as a Merlot or Zinfandel, will work best. And if you are concerned that the alcohol will not “cook off” or evaporate in the Instant Pot, you are correct.
Because short ribs require long, slow cooking for tenderness and flavor, braising is the perfect technique for cooking them. Most recipes are quite easy—once you've put everything on to simmer, the slow, moist heat does the work.
Nothing that a little sauce can't fix, and it does mean you get more of the pork flavor, but they're not as nuanced. And the winner is: The slow cooker, but just by a hair (by a rib?). If you're pressed for time, pressure cooker is the way to go.
How long does it take to braise beef short ribs? The time it takes for the beef to become fall apart tender varies depending on what cooking method you use: Oven – 3 hours at 160C/325F. Stove – 2.5 hours.
You want liquid to come about a quarter and no higher than half way up the side of the meat. Because of the curvature of the dino ribs, we'll be cooking them on their sides, so they make a crescent in the pan. Then, of course, you must cook them.
You don't need any special equipment to braise ribs. First, brown or sear the ribs at a high temperature then cook them in liquid at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. This is an excellent cooking method for tougher cuts of meat that will become tender after prolonged cooking!
While you want the short ribs to be fall-apart tender, cooking them too long will result in ribs that are mushy. There's a fine line, but it is there. (On the opposite end of the spectrum, if the beef is tough, it needs to cook longer!)
Can I cook with wine in an Instant Pot? Yes, if you cut way back on the amount of wine in the recipe. I do this with all liquids, not just wine; because there is no evaporation in the pressure cooker, I want just enough liquid to bring the cooker up to pressure, and no more.
In a stove-top pressure cooker, simply add a small amount of oil, such as olive or canola oil, to the pressure cooker and heat, uncovered, over medium-high heat. Add the food in small batches and brown the food on all sides.
As a reference, here's a helpful rule of thumb: After 30 minutes of cooking, alcohol content decreases by 10 percent with each successive half-hour of cooking, up to 2 hours. That means it takes 30 minutes to boil alcohol down to 35 percent and you can lower that to 25 percent with an hour of cooking.
Lay the beef (bone side down) in a baking dish, snuggle the ribs close together and cover tightly with aluminum foil. I use 2 sheets of foil. Cook ~ 3 ½ - 4 hours or until bone starts to separate from the meat and meat is tender.
If they aren't braised long enough, they can be super tough to eat; if they are cooked too long, the meat will just fall apart. The key to preparing short ribs is to cook them until they reach a point that is just before they would fall apart.
Anything under that temperature and your ribs will be chewy, stringy, and tough. At 195 degrees F, that tissue starts to gelatinize and turn into tasty, melty deliciousness. Most ribs hit their sweet spot for doneness around 198 degrees F, but some take until 203 degrees F to be perfectly tender.
Braising is an ancient means of cooking tough cuts of meat to tenderize them, and is also quite simple. Start with meat, and brown it well. Browning gives the whole braise flavor, especially the meat itself. Those Maillard-browning byproducts are what make everything taste meaty, so don't skimp on the browning stage.
The light connective tissue in ribs begins to break down around 195 degrees F. Anything under that temperature and your ribs will be chewy, stringy, and tough. At 195 degrees F, that tissue starts to gelatinize and turn into tasty, melty deliciousness.
What is the best way to cook ribs so that they are tender and not tough or chewy? Low and slow is the key. 250 degrees to 275 for 4 to 5 hours. Baste or squirt them with apple juice every 30 minutes.
Steam method. If you want to lessen the time required in the previous method, you can try steaming. After coating your meat, transfer it to the oven or a steamer and cook it over low until extra tender. The moisture will help pack in flavors and break down tough fibers.
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Introduction: My name is Cheryll Lueilwitz, I am a sparkling, clean, super, lucky, joyous, outstanding, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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