The liquid that is best for Instant Pot short ribs is a combination of dry wine like Pinot Noir, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon and some low sodium beef
The combination of dry red wine and low sodium beef broth provides the short ribs with the best balance of acidity to tenderize the meat and depth of flavor for a rich and savory sauce.
1/2 cup to 1 cup of dry red wine is used to deglaze the instant pot after searing, which adds essential deep flavor.
And 1 cup of beef broth or stock provides the necessary liquid for the pressure cooker to function, without making the flavor too wine forward.
Root beer or cola can also be used for Instant Pot short ribs for a slightly slight, unconventional, but also effective braise.
Beef broth and Worcestershire sauce adds a savory depth that is similar to red wine.
Beef broth and soy sauce like 1 cup of beef broth that is paired with a splash of low sodium soy sauce can provide the short ribs with a rich, Umami packed alternative flavor.
And beef broth/stock and Balsamic vinegar using 1 to 2 cups of beef broth mixed with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar for similar depth of flavor is also great for instant pot short ribs.
After searing the ribs, you should always use the liquid, "wine or broth" to scrape up the browned bits also known as fond from the bottom of the instant pot, which is essential for flavor and preventing the burn error.
The length of time it takes to do ribs in the Instant Pot is 25 to 30 minutes on high pressure when cooking baby back ribs and for thicker spare ribs it takes 30 to 35 minutes for the ribs to cook Instant Pot.
This is along with 15 minutes for the pressure to naturally release.
For best you should use 1 cup of liquid and stack the ribs in the Instant Pot on a trivet and then finish the ribs under a broiler with sauce for 3 minutes to 5 minutes.
Instant pot ribs can remain tough, because they are undercooked and didn't have enough time for the connective tissue in the ribs to break down.
Instant Pot ribs can also remain tough if you didn't use a proper natural lease or NPR on your Instant Pot.
For tender Instant Pot ribs, you should cook baby back ribs for 25 minutes to 30 minutes or 36 minutes to 45 minutes for beef ribs on high pressure, then followed by a 10 minute to 15 minute natural pressure release or NPR.
Ribs are a tough cut of meat that require high pressure when cooking in an Instant Pot for a sufficient amount of time to break down collagen, and if the ribs are chewy, they require longer to cook.
And quickly releasing the pressure can squeeze the moisture out of the meat and leave the ribs dry and tough.
A 10 to 15 minute natural pressure release or NPR is crucial to keep the ribs tender.
Not removing the membrane also known as the silver skin on the bone side of the ribs prevents the spices from penetrating and creates a tough and chewy texture.
And not using enough liquid in the Instant Pot can also result in tough Instant Pot ribs, as using too little liquid in the Instant Pot can cause burning of the ribs and prevent proper steaming, which result in unevenly cooked or dried out rib.
When cooking Instant Pot ribs you should use at least 1 to 2 cups of broth or water.
If the instant pot ribs are already cooked, you can place them back in the instant pot with 1 cup of water or broth, and cook them on high pressure for another 5 to 10 minutes, then followed by a 10 minute natural release.
Beef ribs also cook perfect with 26 minutes in the instant pot and then broiled in the oven for 15 minutes.
Cooking the beef ribs too long which is often over 45 minutes to 50 minutes can result in dry, falling apart meat that lacks texture.
Proper timing when cooking beef ribs in an instant pot takes around 30 to 40 minutes and a natural release to avoid overcooking the beef ribs.
When cooking beef short ribs in an instant pot, 40 to 50 minutes on high pressure is often enough although some can cook within 30 to 40 minutes and 25 to 30 minutes for cooking baby back ribs in an instant pot.
And allow for the pressure to release from the instant pot naturally for 10 to 15 minutes, which prevents the muscle fibers from seizing up, which occurs with a quick pressure release.
To get a texture to tender, but not mushy, cook the beef ribs to just underdone and then sear or broil with sauce for 5 to 10 minutes.
And if your ribs are tough after 40 or more minutes then they might be undercooked, if they are dry and fibrous then the beef ribs are overcooked.
The length of time to cook beef short ribs is between 2.5 hours to 4 hours in the oven "braising" at 275 F to 300 F, or for 7 to 8 hours on low in a slow cooker.
Beef short ribs are tough cuts of meat, which require low, slow moist heat to become fork tender, and the cooking time for the beef short ribs varies by method and size of meat cut.
A pressure cooker can also cut the time of cooking the beef short ribs down to around 1 hour.
A good way of cooking beef short ribs is to cook the beef short ribs for around 25 minutes in a pressure cooker, with 1 cup of liquid like broth or water and then cook the beef short ribs again for another 1.5 hours in the oven, covered with foil.
The best way to tenderize beef short ribs is to braise the beef short ribs, which is a cooking technique that involves low and slow cooking to break down the collagen.
Another good method for tenderizing beef short ribs is to use marinades with acidic ingredients like wine or vinegar or enzymes like fruit for pre-tenderizing the beef short ribs.
Another technique of tenderizing beef short ribs is to add baking soda to help the meat absorb and retain moisture for a velvet soft texture.
When cooking beef short ribs you should also brown or sear the short ribs before cooking to develop a savory and deep flavor through the Maillard reaction and to also provide a rich color and texture.
Browning short ribs is not strictly required for slow cooking or cooking short ribs in general, but not browning or searing the short ribs before cooking can result in a less flavorful and gray colored short rib meat.
When browning short ribs before cooking, pat the short ribs dry completely with paper towels to ensure you get a proper sear instead of steaming.
And use a heavy bottomed pot or a Dutch oven over medium high heat with a little oil and sear the short ribs for around 3 to 4 minutes per side until a dark crust forms.
And also sear the short ribs in batches and don't overcrowd the pan, to keep the pan hot and prevent the meat from steaming.
You can also brown the short ribs in a 400 F to 450 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
The preferred method for cooking short ribs is braising, which is slow cooking the short ribs in liquid to achieve a tender and fall apart texture.
Other methods of cooking short ribs are smoking at 225 F to 275 F or even grilling the short ribs over hot coals for faster cooking similar to steak.
For the braising method of short ribs, sear the short ribs in a hot skillet or Dutch oven, then cook the short ribs in the oven at 300 F to 350 F, with broth or red wine for 2 hours to 3 hours.
For the grilling and smoking method of the short ribs, cook the short ribs at 225 F to 275 F on the grill or smoker until tender or to an internal temperature of 130 F to 140 F for a chewier, steak like texture.
You can also cover the short ribs, and braise them in the oven at 350 F for around 2 1/2 hours until they are fork tender.