Instant Pot Whiskey and Wine Braised Short Ribs
These short ribs braised in rosé have a more delicate flavor than their red-wine-braised cousins but they’re not short on personality thanks to the added whiskey.
If you happened to read my previous post you might remember that I have been undecided on a main course for an upcoming holiday gathering. Beef was the protein I had decided on to cater to everyone’s palate but my beef repertoire is, admittedly, limited. I don’t serve beef at home very often and neither do I host very many dinner parties. I wanted an easy but special main course but I have been stumped.
My motto about certain aspects of my life lately has been to “do what you know” but before realizing I could apply this idea to my holiday dinner menu, I decided to have a trial run with an idea for a recipe.
I once had an excellent braised short ribs recipe but it was lost long ago. It could still be in that old, busting-at-the-seams blue recipe binder that inspired this blog to begin with, to catalogue all the keeper recipes I’ve come across, but I had no patience for digging it up.
Inspired to try something new, short ribs braised in, not red wine, but whiskey and rosé sounded like a nice idea so this recipe was born. And since unexpected company dropped by the day this idea came to life, I took a shortcut and pressure cooked the short ribs instead.
Braised in rosé, these short ribs have a more delicate flavor than their red-wine-braised cousin but they’re not short on personality because I threw in some whiskey, too. A small piece of short rib goes a long way for me so the lighter braising liquid is a welcome change from the richer, tomato-forward variety (don’t get me wrong–I love this, too). The sauce is unembellished and loose but you can add body and additional richness with butter if that would be to your liking. And while I enjoyed this recipe’s simplicity, it would pair well with something herby or acidic like this Italian Salsa Verde or Mixed-Herb and Preserved Lemon Gremolata. The recipe itself is a keeper but I’ll be honest: I won’t decide on my holiday main course until the eleventh hour. I just like to make things more difficult that way.
(I served these short ribs with Mashed Cauliflower–they went so well together.)
Tip on Braised Short Ribs
Make this dish a day or two ahead, 1) because braised dishes improve over time and 2) so you can skim the fat from the sauce.
Instant Pot Whiskey and Wine Braised Short Ribs
These short ribs braised in rosé have a more delicate flavor than their red-wine-braised cousins but they're not short on personality thanks to the added whiskey.
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 pounds short ribs (English cut)
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut in two-inch pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and mashed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup whiskey
- 1/4 cup rosé (or white wine)
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- salt and pepper, to taste
- olive oil
Instructions
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Season your ribs with salt and pepper. Switch your pressure cooker on to sauté mode, wait to heat up, add two tablespoons olive oil and brown the ribs on all sides. You will need to do this in batches. As they brown, take them from the pot and transfer to a plate. Add more olive oil as needed.
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In the same pot, add the onion and cook until translucent, followed by the garlic, about three minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for two to three minutes. Add the whiskey, wine and broth, simmer until reduced a little, about three to four minutes. Add the meat back with the carrots, thyme and bay leaf.
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Seal the pressure cooker, cook on high pressure for 40 minutes and allow for natural pressure release for 15 minutes. It's best if you cook this at least one day ahead so you can refrigerate overnight and skim the fat. Reheat before serving.
A very interesting recipe indeed! But I think you picked a perfect beef. I just made short ribs for fun, cause they’re just so darn amazing. In fact, I’d rather have short ribs than a steak And perfect for company cause they can be reheated.. Merry Christmas!
The recipe directions seem to be missing ingredients (garlic and beef broth). I’m also assuming the short ribs go back in before sealing and pressure cooking?
Hi Audrey,
Apologies for the omissions. The recipe has been updated. Thank you!