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 pork ribs tough when cooked in the Instant Pot? This means that they're not cooked long enough. Be sure to cook the ribs for the full 30 minutes on high, and let the pressure release for 15 minutes before removing the lid.
The first five ribs of the animal are shorter (hence the term “short ribs”), and the meat around them is more muscular than that around the other ribs. Like other tough cuts of meat, when slow cooked, short ribs break down and become incredibly tender and delicious.
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.
Yes, you can use a pressure cooker to make tender and flavorful ribs, although it won't give you the same texture or flavor profile as traditional slow-cooked or grilled ribs. Pressure cooking is a faster method that can help you achieve tender and juicy ribs in a shorter amount of time.
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.
Short ribs that are cooked completely submerged in liquid will come out with a thin, watery sauce, while those cooked in just a thin layer of liquid—enough to provide a moist environment under your Dutch oven's lid—will produce a rich, flavorful sauce.
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!
It's a combination of dry and moist cooking methods where you sear the meat and then cook it in a liquid. While braising short ribs is a traditional technique that requires patience and time, thankfully, we live in the age of slow cookers and instant pots, so cooking short ribs can be much easier than it used to be.
Braising, which is actually slow simmering (after browning in a bit of oil or butter), brings irresistibly tender and boldly flavored results to this meaty cut of beef. Because short ribs require long, slow cooking for tenderness and flavor, braising is the perfect technique for cooking them.
A meat tenderizer doesn't do much for ribs, especially pork ribs. The problem is the amount of collagen. The best way, in fact the only way I know for sure, it to cook them low and slow. You can use the oven, braise them in a slow cooker, smoke them in a smoker, or even cook them indirectly on a grill.
Easy Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs calls for a dry red wine, and in general, that includes Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots, Pinot Noirs, Shiraz, and Red Zinfandels. I used a combination of Cabernet and Pinot Noir in this recipe because that is what I had on hand, and it was perfect.
Yes, super-cheap Sangiovese are best saved for lighter food, but pay a few more dollars and you'll be rewarded with serious reds that have bright cherry fruit and smoky, herbal notes — delicious with beefy short ribs. Try wines from Mastrojanni in Montalcino, Fèlsina in Chianti, or Avignonesi in Montepulciano.
The Cabernet provides a rich flavor to the braised liquid, but still maintains its sweetness from the leeks. Serve this with polenta or a side of mash potatoes for a rich, satisfying dinner.
If your ribs are dry, you likely cooked them too hot and fast. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to fix dry and chewy ribs. For next time: Want Great Ribs?
If you've ever had ribs that were tough and chewy, or that just didn't seem as flavorful as they could be, the rib membrane may be to blame. This thin layer of connective tissue can prevent seasoning and smoke from fully penetrating the meat, leaving you with lackluster results.
You can get very juicy ribs by cooking them at 135 degrees, but making them tender takes two or three days. At 160 degrees, you get tender ribs in 10 to 12 hours. At 170 to 180 degrees, the meat is noticeably dryer, but the cooking time is a more manageable 6 to 8 hours.
Introduction: My name is Twana Towne Ret, I am a famous, talented, joyous, perfect, powerful, inquisitive, lovely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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