Deliciously Tender Keto Instant Pot Short Ribs Recipes

Instant Pot Short Ribs are a fantastic way to enjoy fall-apart tender, flavorful beef in a fraction of the time compared to traditional cooking methods. Whether you're following a keto, low-carb, or gluten-free diet, or simply looking for a comforting and delicious meal, there's an Instant Pot short rib recipe to suit your needs. The beauty of using a pressure cooker lies in its ability to tenderize the meat quickly while infusing it with rich flavors.

Why Use an Instant Pot for Short Ribs?

Short ribs typically require hours of slow cooking to achieve their signature tenderness. The Instant Pot significantly reduces this cooking time while retaining all the deep flavor and tenderness. This makes it a convenient option for busy weeknights or when you want a gourmet meal without spending all day in the kitchen.

General Tips for Cooking Instant Pot Short Ribs

Before diving into specific recipes, here are some general tips to ensure your Instant Pot short ribs turn out perfectly every time:

• Choose the right short ribs: Look for generous-sized ribs from the butcher counter that are nicely marbled with fat. The fat is crucial for both taste and texture, as it renders out during cooking and enriches the sauce. Both bone-in and boneless short ribs can be used, adjusting cooking times accordingly.
• Sear the short ribs: Browning the ribs on all sides before pressure cooking adds a depth of flavor and color to the final dish. Use the sauté function on your Instant Pot or a cast-iron skillet for this step.
• Deglaze the pot: After searing the ribs, deglaze the pot by adding beef broth, wine, or other liquids and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. This step is essential for preventing the burn notice and adding flavor to the sauce.
• Don't overcook: The time it takes to pressure cook meat depends more on the thickness of the meat rather than the weight. Overcooking can lead to dry, tough ribs.
• Natural pressure release: Allowing the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes after cooking helps the ribs retain their moisture and tenderness.
• Skim the fat: After cooking, a lot of fat will render out into the sauce. You can easily skim it off the top for a healthier dish.
• Make ahead: Many Instant Pot short rib recipes taste even better the next day, as the flavors meld and deepen overnight.

Keto Instant Pot Short Rib Recipes

For those following a ketogenic or low-carb diet, here are a couple of delicious Instant Pot short rib recipes:

Garlic Butter Instant Pot Short Ribs

These short ribs are flavored with a simple yet delicious combination of butter, garlic, and fresh thyme.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Ingredients:

• 1. 5 pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 2. 5 cups beef bone broth

Instructions:

1. Trim any excess fat off of the short ribs and pat dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Turn your Instant Pot on to sauté. Once the screen reads “HOT,” add the butter and allow to melt.
3. Next, add the short ribs and sear on all sides until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the ribs and set on a plate.
4. Add the garlic and thyme to the Instant Pot. Cook for one minute, then add a splash of the bone broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot, using a wooden or silicone spoon to scrape any bits off of the bottom.
5. Turn off the sauté function and add the ribs back to the pot. Pour in the bone broth until the ribs are just covered. You may need more or less than the recipe calls for depending on the size of your short ribs and which Instant Pot you are using.
6. Place the lid on the instant pot and make sure the valve is in the seal position. Set to pressure cook on high for 35 minutes, followed by a natural release of 15 minutes.
7. After the natural release time is up, carefully turn the valve to vent, then open the pot.
8. Optional: you can turn your Instant Pot to soup and bring the leftover liquid to a boil to reduce by half. This can take up to 30 minutes.
9. Serve these Garlic Butter Instant Pot Short Ribs over mashed cauliflower for a meal suitable for low carb, keto, and gluten-free diets.

Keto Instant Pot Short Ribs with Balsamic Onions

This recipe elevates the short ribs with a flavorful balsamic onion sauce.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 pounds beef short ribs, bone-in, cut into smaller chunks
• Salt, to taste
• Cooking fat (olive oil, avocado oil, etc.)
• Onions, sliced
• Balsamic vinegar
• Smoked paprika

Instructions:

1. It is optional to soak the onions in the balsamic vinegar overnight - if doing so put the onions in a Tupperware or plastic bag and add the vinegar. Place in the fridge until ready to cook. I try to use a shallow container so the balsamic is covering a lot of the onions- When ready to cook: Bring a pan over medium heat and add the onions and balsamic. Here you are just beginning the process of reducing the balsamic down and infusing it into the onions. Keep cooking the onions while you prep the rest of the recipe- about 20-30 min stirring occasionally.
2. While the onions cook, cut your ribs into smaller chunks between the bones. This makes sure they cook evenly. Salt them liberally.
3. Heat up the instant pot on the saute setting and add the cooking fat. Use enough to cover the bottom of the pot. Once the oil is hot, place the ribs in to brown. Brown 2-3 sides of the ribs 3-5 min each. I use large BBQ tongs to help me move the ribs around.When the ribs are browned remove them and hit cancel/keep warm to turn off the saute function.
4. Add about a third of the onion liquid to the bottom of the pot and scrub the bottom with a wood spoon. Make sure to get all the brown bits unstuck from the bottom of the pot.
5. Add the remaining liquid and onions to the pot and place the ribs on top. Sprinkle the smoked paprika on the ribs and roll them around a bit to cover them in spice.
6. Set the pot to sealing, and cook on manual pressure for 55 min. When the 55min are up- you can let the pot do a natural pressure release, or you can quick release only AFTER 15 min of rest. If you release any sooner the beef will dry right up!
7. Remove the beef from the pot and some/all of the onion. Set the pot to saute and reduce the sauce down to your desired thickness.

Other Instant Pot Short Rib Variations

Beyond keto-friendly options, here are some other delicious Instant Pot short rib recipes to explore:

Instant Pot Short Ribs with Red Wine Sauce

This classic recipe features a rich and flavorful red wine sauce that perfectly complements the tender beef.

Key Ingredients:

• Beef Short Ribs (about 2 inches thick)
• Dry Red Wine (a cheap dry red wine such as a cabaret sauvignon or merlot is best)
• Onions, Celery, and Carrots (can use vegetables that are past their best)
• Beef Broth
• Tomato Paste

Instructions:

1. Brown the ribs over a medium-high heat in a cast-iron skillet using a little olive oil if needed (or using the saute function on your pressure cooker) to get them brown on all sides, you may need to do this in batches. If you used a skillet instead of your pressure cooker you will need to deglaze that pan with some beef broth, then simply add that deglazed liquid to the pressure cooker after the vegetables are sauteed.
2. Add the beef broth, red wine, and tomato paste to pot with the vegetables and deglaze the pot to ensure that the bottom of the pot is clean.
3. Lock the lid, turn the steam vent to 'sealing' and using the 'manual' or 'pressure cook' button.

Whole30 + Keto Instant Pot Moroccan Short Ribs

These short ribs are cooked in an orange, cinnamon, and balsamic-flavored broth, making them perfect for a dinner party or date night.

Key Ingredients:

• Beef Short Ribs
• Chicken Stock (or Beef Broth)
• Orange Juice
• Orange Zest
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Tomato Paste
• Cinnamon
• Carrots, Onions, and Celery

Instructions:

1. Heat your instant pot to SAUTE. Season the short ribs generously with salt + pepper.
2. Add the olive oil to the instant pot and brown the short ribs 3 or 4 at a time on all sides until golden brown. About 5 minutes per side. Work in batches so you don't overcrowd the instant pot.
3. After all the short ribs are browned, remove all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered drippings. To it, add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic to the instant pot. Saute in the drippings.
4. Pour in 1 cup of the stock, and scrape up any brown bits at the bottom.
5. Add in the rest of the stock, tomato paste, orange juice, orange zest, balsamic vinegar, cinnamon + bay leaf. Stir to combine.
6. Add the short ribs back to the instant pot.
7. Close with the lid, and make sure the vent is at SEALING. Hit CANCEL, then cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 45 minutes. Will take about 15-20 minutes to reach pressure, then it will start counting down from 45.
8. After the 45 minutes is up, do a QUICK RELEASE, where you move the valve to VENTING to release all the steam. Once all the steam is gone and the float valve has dropped, you can safely open the instant pot.
9. Gently remove the short ribs from the instant pot. They will be very tender, and may fall off the bone.
10. Once all the short ribs are removed, strain the sauce to remove all the vegetables. Discard the cooked vegetables.

Instant Pot Short Ribs with Asian-Inspired Braising Sauce

This recipe features a flavorful braising sauce made with soy sauce, sweetener, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and ginger.

Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide

Key Ingredients:

• Beef Short Ribs
• Soy Sauce
• Sweetener
• Vinegar
• Sesame Oil
• Garlic Powder
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Ginger
• Bok Choy (optional)

Instructions:

1. Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel and season all over with the salt and pepper, using your hands to rub the seasoning all over the ribs.
2. Transfer the seasoned ribs to a 6-quart or larger Instant Pot.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, sweetener, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and ginger. Pour the sauce over short ribs in the pot and toss everything together so the sauce reaches the bottom of the pot.
4. Lock on the lid, turn the valve at the top to “sealing,” and program the Instant Pot to cook under high pressure for 35 minutes.
5. Let the pressure release naturally. If pressure hasn’t dropped after 25 minutes, release it manually by turning the top valve to the “venting” position. The ribs should be fall-off-the-bone fork-tender. If they’re not, cook for another 5 to 10 minutes under high pressure.
6. Use a slotted spoon to remove the ribs from the Instant Pot, transfer to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Discard any bones that fall away from the meat.
7. Reserve 1/2 cup of the braising liquid and transfer the rest of the braising liquid to a saucepan and place over high heat. Reduce to a steady simmer and let the sauce reduce to about half, about 8 minutes. Taste the reduced sauce for seasoning, adjust if necessary with additional salt and pepper.
8. Meanwhile, braise the bok choy. Heat a large, wide skillet over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes. Add half of the coconut oil. Add half of the bok choy, cut sides down and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and bok choy. Return all of the bok choy to the pan, seared sides down. Add reserved 1/2 cup of the braising sauce and bring to a boil.

Serving Suggestions

Instant Pot short ribs are incredibly versatile and can be served in various ways:

• Over mashed cauliflower: A classic keto-friendly option.
• With zucchini noodles (zoodles): A low-carb alternative to pasta.
• Over spaghetti squash: Another healthy and delicious option.
• With mashed potatoes: A comforting and traditional pairing.
• As a ragu: Shred the short ribs and serve them in a tomato-based sauce over pasta or polenta.

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

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