Key Takeaways:
- Short Ribs Cooking Basics: Unlike beef long ribs or pork ribs, short ribs require braising to unlock their tender, flavorful potential. Grilling alone won’t work without pre-braising.
- Braising Methods: Beef short ribs can be perfectly prepared using either a Dutch Oven or an Instant Pot, offering flexibility based on your available tools and time.
- Searing for Flavor: Searing the short ribs in batches ensures a caramelized exterior that enhances the depth of flavor in the final dish.
- Flavorful Additions: Ingredients like bacon, garlic, onions, celery, carrots, and sun-dried tomatoes (or tomato paste) contribute to a rich, aromatic braising sauce.
- Cooking Time and Techniques: Instant Pot requires 60 minutes on high pressure, while a Dutch Oven takes 4 hours at 350°F to achieve the same fall-off-the-bone tenderness.
- Serving Suggestion: Strain the sauce, season it, and serve alongside the ribs and vegetables for a restaurant-quality finish.
Overview
Beef short ribs are a flavorful, hearty cut of meat that requires the right cooking method to truly shine. Unlike baby back or beef long ribs that can be grilled directly, short ribs are best when braised low and slow in a Dutch oven or made tender quickly in an Instant Pot. This guide walks you through step-by-step how to sear, season, and braise beef short ribs with savory ingredients like bacon, garlic, carrots, and red wine for rich, fall-off-the-bone results. Whether you choose the Instant Pot for convenience or the oven for a traditional approach, you’ll learn how to achieve perfectly cooked short ribs every time. This recipe also includes tips on thickening the sauce, serving suggestions, and ingredient substitutions to create a comforting, restaurant-quality dish at home.
Beef Short Ribs: How can I ever forget the first time I cooked beef short-ribs. They were the worst ever short ribs. I grew up vegetarian. I know unusual to switch from a vegetarian to a carnivore. Anyway, the short ribs were so bad that we had to get take out. What did I do wrong? After all; ribs are ribs, are ribs, RIGHT?? WRONG!! The short rib requires a different cooking method than baby back ribs. That lesson I learned the hard way.
So what are beef short ribs? Short ribs are the ribs from the plate cut. They require a different method of cooking than the beef long ribs or pork ribs. Both beef long ribs and pork ribs can be grilled. However short ribs are best braised. They can be grilled but require a period of braising before grilling.
Dutch Oven or Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs: This recipe makes 4 lbs of short ribs. Short ribs are equally delicious made in the Instant Pot or a Dutch Oven. If using the Dutch Oven preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Start by cooking several slices of bacon in either the instant pot on Saute or the Dutch Oven on medium-high heat. After rendering the fat from the bacon, remove the bacon and add the short ribs. Cut the bacon into one-inch pieces. Sear the short ribs on all sides. You will need to sear the ribs in two batches. Searing takes 8-10 minutes per batch. Once seared, remove the short ribs and drain all but 2 tbsp. of the fat.
Add the onions and celery to the pot and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the flour and cook well. Use only 1 tbsp of flour if you are cooking the short ribs in a dutch oven. The baking time in the oven will evaporate enough liquid to thicken the sauce.
Add the carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, bacon, and short ribs. Pour the liquid (beef broth, red wine, and Worchester sauce) over the meat and vegetables. You can substitute 2 tbsp. of tomato paste for the sun dried tomatoes. I had a bumper crop of cherry tomatoes that I dried in the dehydrator. I love adding them to my recipes.
Lay the fresh Herbs on top.
Instant Pot: Lock the top in place on the Instant Pot and cook on High Pressure for 60 minutes. Slow-release for 15 minutes than fast release the pressure.
Dutch Oven: Place the cover on the Dutch Oven and place the Dutch Oven into the 350-degree oven. Bake for 4 hours.
Serving: Discard herbs, Transfer the beef short ribs and vegetables to a platter. Strain the sauce into a gravy separator or measuring cup. Remove the fat, season the sauce with salt and pepper. Serve sauce with the braised short ribs.
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FAQ:
What makes beef short ribs different from other types of ribs?
Can I grill short ribs without braising?
What’s the best equipment to use for cooking short ribs?
Can I substitute any ingredients in the recipe?
How do I prepare the sauce after cooking?
How do I know when the short ribs are done?
Braised Short Ribs -Dutch Oven or Instant Pot
Equipment
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- Instant Pot or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 4 lbs. beef short ribs
- 4 slices Bacon
- 1 medium onion cut into 8 pieces
- 2 stalks celery large diced
- 1 large Carrot cut into 2 inches by 1/2 inch sticks
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp. flour Use 1 tbsp if cooking in a Dutch Oven
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 2 tsp Worchester Sauce
- 4 sprigs thyme 1/2 tsp dried
- 3 sprigs oregano 1 tsp if dried
- 2 sprigs rosemary 1/2 tsp. if dried
Instructions
- If using a Dutch Oven preheat the oven to 350°
- In the Dutch Oven on medium-high heat or a frying pan on medium heat add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon starts to crisp. Remove Bacon.
- Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and Sear/brown on all sides. Brown the short ribs in two batches. Set the short ribs aside after they are Seared.
- Drain all but 1 Tbsp of the fat. Add the onions and celery and saute for 3 minutes, add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
- Add the flour and stir in. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring. You can add the flour here or use it to make gravy with the liquid after the spare ribs are done cooking.
- Add the ribs to the Instant Pot pot along with all the rest of the ingredients. Finish with the fresh herbs. Lay the herbs on the top of the meat.
- Dutch Oven method: Add the ribs back into the dutch oven and then all of the rest of the ingredients. Bake in the oven for 3 hours.
- Instant Pot: Add the lid and lock closed. Set on high pressure and timer for 75 minutes. Slow-release pressure for 15 minutes then a quick release.
- Remove the herbs and discard. Place the ribs and vegetables on a serving platter.
- Strain the liquid into a gravy separator and remove the fat. Season the liquid with salt and pepper and serve with the short ribs and vegetables.
