Description
Tender and flavorful beef short ribs simmered in a tangy and slightly spicy Carolina mustard BBQ sauce, made quickly and easily in an Instant Pot for a perfect weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Short Ribs
- 4-5 lbs beef short ribs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup yellow mustard
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Season and Sear the Ribs: Pat the beef short ribs dry with paper towels and season them generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Set your Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ mode and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, sear the short ribs in batches, browning them well on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, hot sauce (if using), garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper (if using), and season with salt and pepper to taste until smooth and well combined.
- Deglaze the Pot: After removing the ribs, pour a small amount of the prepared sauce into the Instant Pot to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom using a wooden spoon. This adds rich flavor and prevents burning.
- Pressure Cook the Ribs: Add the seared short ribs back into the Instant Pot and pour the remaining Carolina mustard BBQ sauce over them, making sure they are well coated. Seal the lid and set the Instant Pot to ‘Pressure Cook’ or ‘Manual’ mode on high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Natural Release: Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 10-15 minutes before carefully switching to a quick release to release any remaining pressure.
- Serve: Remove the beef short ribs from the pot and spoon some of the mustard BBQ sauce from the pot over the ribs. Serve hot with your favorite sides such as coleslaw, baked beans, or cornbread for a classic Southern-style meal.
Notes
- You can adjust the level of heat by omitting or including the hot sauce and cayenne pepper.
- For thicker sauce, remove the ribs after cooking and simmer the sauce on ‘Sauté’ mode until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and the flavors deepen overnight.
- This recipe can be adapted for stove-top cooking, but cooking times will vary.
- Use bone-in short ribs for the best flavor and tenderness.
