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Root Beer Braised Short Ribs are made with fall-apart beef short ribs braised to perfection in a rich and flavorful sauce. This pressure cooker beef recipe is the ultimate comfort food, great for family dinners and date nights!
Here are some divine sides to serve: Southern Green Beans, Parmesan Grits, Southern Baked Mac and Cheese, Dirty Rice, and Healthy Roasted Sweet Potato.
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These root beer-braised short ribs are cooked to perfection in a deeply flavorful gravy made with beef stock, Abita root beer, Worcestershire sauce, and fresh vegetables. This braised short ribs recipe can easily turn the average weeknight dinner into a Michelin star-worthy event.
If you’re looking for the best cut of beef for slow cooking, look no further than the almighty short ribs. When these babies are braised for long periods of time (or quickly in a pressure cooker), the result is fall-apart beef that melts in your mouth.
This pressure cooker beef recipe is just as delicious as a meal you would get at a steakhouse, but for a fraction of the price. All you have to do is brown your beef, sauté your vegetables, add your liquids, then cook everything to juicy, tender, and mouth-watering perfection.
Turn your kitchen into a gourmet kitchen and impress the whole family with the best root beer braised short ribs you’ve ever had!
Key Ingredients
Beef Short Ribs
Look for bone-in short ribs with decent marbling. This tougher cut of beef is excellent for braising and gets insanely tender in the pressure cooker.
Abita Root Beer
Abita makes one of the best root beers on the market. It also contains sassafras, which pairs beautifully with beef. Root beer acts as a meat tenderizer, breaking down the proteins in the beef and making it fork-tender.
Low-Sodium Beef Stock
I always recommend opting for low-sodium stock so you can control the amount of salt in your dishes.
Worcestershire Sauce
This ingredient is the key to any great braised beef dish. It adds a fantastic layer of umami to the dish and enhances the delicious beefy flavors.
All-Purpose Flour
This is essential for two reasons. It forms a beautiful crust around the short ribs and gives the sauce body to thicken it into a gravy.
How to Make Root Beer Braised Short Ribs
This beef short ribs Instant Pot recipe is truly one of a kind. It comes together in just under an hour, with the majority of that time being hands-off while the Instant Pot does its thing. To make the best root beer braised short ribs, just follow these easy steps:
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. Transfer 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix to a medium bowl.
Step 2: Season the short ribs evenly with the seasoning mix. Turn the heat to medium in a large skillet (or Instant Pot), then add oil. Once hot, dust the short ribs in flour and cook for 1 minute on each side. Remove short ribs and set them in the Instant Pot.
Step 3: Drain the oil, leaving 2 tablespoons in the skillet. Add onions, celery, and bell pepper, then cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, then cook for 1 minute. Add bay leaves, thyme, and root beer, bring to a boil, then pour over the short ribs.
Step 4: Add the beef stock and worcestershire. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 1 hour. Allow the pressure to slowly release, remove ribs from the Instant Pot, and turn on sauté mode for 15 minutes. Reduce sauce by half, then stir in butter. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Toss short ribs in the sauce, then serve with the remaining sauce over boursin mashed potatoes or smoked gouda grits.
How to Store Braised Short Ribs
If you end up with leftover short ribs, you’re in luck. This is one of those dishes that actually tastes even better the next day. Before storing the dish, let it cool down to room temperature and transfer it to an airtight container. Then, you can store it as follows:
Fridge – Store braised short ribs in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Freezer – Store braised short ribs for up to 3 months in the freezer. To thaw, transfer to the fridge for 24-48 hours before using.
Reheat – Reheat braised short ribs in a 300°F oven or over the stove until heated through.
Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
Here are some of my top recipe tips and tricks to help you make the best braised short ribs:
- Swap the root beer. For an equally rich and delicious flavor profile, try swapping out the root beer for dry red wine or stout beer instead.
- Don’t skip browning the meat. Browning beef before braising is essential to unlocking tons of incredible flavor, so don’t skip this step.
- The veggies don’t need to be perfect. While your vegetables should be somewhat consistent in size, don’t worry if they aren’t exactly the same size. It’s not a big deal with braised beef recipes like this one if your veggies aren’t perfectly uniform.
- Braised short ribs in the oven. Don’t have an Instant Pot? No problem. Cook this dish in an oven-safe pot, bring the ingredients to a boil, then cover and bake in a 300°F oven for 3 hours or until the ribs are fork-tender.
- Braised short ribs in a slow cooker. You can easily turn this into a slow cooker beef recipe by adding the ingredients to a crockpot and cooking on low mode for 5-6 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this braised short ribs recipe:
What is the best root beer for braised short ribs?
Personally, my favorite root beer for braising beef is Abita root beer. This is a high-quality root beer made with sassafras and pure Louisiana cane sugar.
When looking for a root beer to use for this dish, make sure you opt for one that’s made with pure cane sugar and not corn syrup. Root beer acts as a key component of the gravy, so use one you really like!
What can I serve with braised short ribs?
There are plenty of delicious side dishes that pair well with braised short ribs. If you’re unsure of what to make, here are some of my top picks:
Can you overcook short ribs?
Nope. Because of the high-fat content in beef short ribs, overcooking them isn’t an option. The longer you cook short ribs, the more tender they become. This makes this recipe such an excellent choice for beginners and top chefs alike!
More Delicious Beef Recipes
Looking for more delicious recipes with beef? Try these next:
- Beef Stew and Vegetables
- Texas Style Oven Beef Ribs
- Grilled Beef Ribs with Cherry Cola Glaze
- Texas Style Oven Brisket
- Steak Fajita Bowl
- Salisbury Steak
If you’re in the mood for some seriously delicious comfort food, look no further than these Root Beer Braised Short Ribs. This pressure cooker beef recipe is perfect for family dinners and date nights alike - it’s sure to please even the pickiest of eaters! And don’t forget to leave me a 5-star review if you give it a try. I love hearing from you all about what recipes you’ve enjoyed!
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📖 Recipe
Root Beer Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 6 beef short ribs with bone
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 medium onion chopped medium
- 2 celery stalks chopped medium
- 1 red bell pepper chopped medium
- 4 garlic cloves mashed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 bay leaves
- 5 sprigs of thyme
- 12 oz. Abita root beer
- 1 cup low sodium beef stock
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
- In a bowl combine salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne. Add 2 teaspoons to a medium bowl with flour.
- Season the short ribs evenly with seasoning mix. Turn the heat to medium in a large skillet (You can do this in your instant pot) add oil, once hot dust short ribs in flour and cook for 1 minute on all sides. Remove ribs and set in instant pot.
- Drain oil but leave 2 tablespoons in skillet. Add onions, celery, and bell pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour you dusted the ribs in. Cook for 1 minute. Add bay leaves, thyme, and root beer, bring to a boil, and then pour over the ribs.
- Add the beef stock and worcestershire. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 1 hour. After cooking is done, do an instant release. Remove the short ribs and turn on sauté for 15 minutes.
- Reduce the sauce by half and stir in butter. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Toss the short ribs in the sauce, serve with the remaining sauce over mashed potatoes or grits, and garnish with parsley.
Notes
- Swap the root beer. For an equally rich and delicious flavor profile, try swapping out the root beer for dry red wine or stout beer instead.
- Don’t skip browning the meat. Browning beef before braising is essential to unlocking tons of incredible flavor, so don’t skip this step.
- The veggies don’t need to be perfect. While your vegetables should be somewhat consistent in size, don’t worry if they aren’t exactly the same size. It’s not a big deal with braised beef recipes like this one if your veggies aren’t perfectly uniform.
- Braised short ribs in the oven. Don’t have an Instant Pot? No problem. Cook this dish in an oven-safe pot, bring the ingredients to a boil, then cover and bake in a 300°F oven for 3 hours or until the ribs are fork-tender.
- Braised short ribs in a slow cooker. You can easily turn this into a slow cooker beef recipe by adding the ingredients to a crockpot and cooking on low mode for 5-6 hours.
Libby says
My son told me to cook like this more often. It was amazing.
Kenneth Temple says
I hope you listen to him lol.
Tunisia Ellis says
OMG this recipe was fire 🔥 Amazing and full of flavor! The recipe was so easy to follow and the root beer took it to another level. 10/10
Cin says
Yum!! Did not have access to the root beer in this recipe, used A&W ! Used pressure cooker for 90 mins with bone in beef short ribs. Served with rustics mashed red skin potatoes and green beans. EXCELLENT meal! 2 thumbs from the husband and 4 paws from the dog!! A new favorite!