Tender Instant Pot Short Ribs with Rich Red Wine Sauce

When you hear “short ribs,” many meat lovers immediately light up—and for good reason. Short ribs are one of the most tender, melt-in-your-mouth cuts of beef. Cooking them in the Instant Pot speeds up the process while delivering deeply developed flavor and perfectly tender meat.

This recipe combines a rich French Burgundy–style base with Asian-inspired elements, producing a sauce that is both sweet and savory. The result is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

How I made it:

Start by preparing the sauce. Combine low-sodium beef broth…

…a dry red wine like Pinot Noir…

…oyster sauce (it won’t taste like oysters, but adds savory depth)…

…light brown sugar…

…Chinese five spice…

…and minced garlic. Whisk until fully combined and set aside.

Place whole spices—star anise, whole cloves and broken cinnamon stick pieces—into a metal tea ball or spice sachet and secure it so the spices stay contained.

Quarter a large Spanish onion and set the wedges aside.

Prepare the short ribs—bone-in or boneless both work. I used boneless ribs from Costco, which are excellent value. If you use bone-in, they’ll be just as flavorful and will fall off the bone when cooked.

Season both sides lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. Rub the seasoning into the meat and then flip and season the other side. Clean your hands after handling the meat.

Set the Instant Pot to Sauté on High and let it heat for a couple of minutes. Working in batches, sear the short ribs about one minute per side—just enough to develop color on the top and bottom.

Transfer the seared ribs to a plate. You’ll notice browned bits and some seasoning stuck to the bottom of the pot—those add flavor.

Add about 1/4 cup of the prepared sauce to the pot and scrape the bottom to deglaze, loosening any browned bits so they mix into the sauce.

Arrange the four onion wedges rounded-side down in the pot to create a bed, and nest the spice-filled tea ball in the center. Layer the seared short ribs on top in a crisscross pattern.

Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the ribs. Do not stir. Secure the lid and cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes. Allow a 15-minute natural release, then finish with a quick release. This timing works regardless of how many ribs you include, within reason.

Carefully transfer the ribs to a serving dish using tongs and a spatula. They will be extremely tender and may fall apart a bit—this is expected and desirable. Remove and discard the used spices from the tea ball, but keep the tea ball for future use.

Return the Instant Pot to Sauté and bring the remaining liquid to a simmer. Add honey, then stir in a cornstarch slurry (equal parts cornstarch and water) and stir immediately. Let the sauce bubble for about a minute; it will thicken as it cools.

Pour the finished sauce over the short ribs. If desired, skim any excess fat from the surface, though some prefer to leave it for extra richness.

The result is a plate of tender, rich short ribs with a balanced sweet-and-savory sauce—perfect with crusty bread to soak up the juices and alongside creamy sides such as mashed potatoes or cauliflower puree.

Serve hot and enjoy the reactions—your guests will love this dish.

Enjoy!

Instant Pot Short Ribs