Instant Pot Short Ribs with Rosemary and Polenta is a decadently rich and creamy meal that normally takes all day to make, but the Instant Pot brings it all together in about an hour.
There are two sides to everything, including eating habits, and when I’m not enjoying fresh salads, heirloom tomatoes, or grilled salmon, you can usually find me in front of a plate like this. Short ribs have to be the most luxurious meal ever, and when you consider how quickly they cook up in the Instant Pot it’s almost shocking. Add in the rich gravy and cheese polenta and, well, I don’t know if I’ve ever had anything better.
Normally short ribs require a long slow cooking in the oven in order for them to get that tender fall-off-the-bone texture that everybody craves. Normally you have to play WAY ahead for a short ribs meal, and the idea that you could come home from work, pop them in the Instant Pot, and sit down to perfectly cooked ribs in less than an hour is truly game changing.
If you haven’t succumbed to the Instant Pot craze yet I’m here to tell you that it’s not a craze, it’s not a new kitchen gadget that will be here today gone tomorrow ~ this thing is a true game changer. Its brought me back to cooking meals like risotto and short ribs that I’ve all but given up on because I’m beat at the end of the day.
The cheesy polenta cooks up on the stove in just a few minutes, so you can get that organized just before the ribs are done. I like to add milk to my polenta, which keeps it from solidifying as it cools. This means you can enjoy the leftovers more easily, providing there are any, of course!
 Fresh rosemary is one of my favorite herbs, and I think it’s underutilized in recipes. I love to mince the tender leaves and use them as garnish, the piney flavor is so pungent. Here are a few other recipes that feature this gorgeous Mediterranean herb~
Rosemary and Olive No Knead Focaccia Bread
Savory Herb Shortbread
Rosemary Chicken Skewers
Instant Pot Rosemary Short Ribs Over Polenta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless short ribs, you can use bone-in short ribs, too
- 1 1/2 cups beef stock
- 1 cup red wine
- several sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 1-2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- salt and black pepper
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 3 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
polenta
- 3 1/2 cups water, divided
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp butter
Instructions
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the Instant Pot and turn on the sauté button. When the pot is hot, brown the ribs, in two batches, on all sides. Give them about 4 minutes per side to get really nice and brown. Remove to a plate.
- Press cancel and add the wine to the pan, stirring to get any brown bits up from the bottom of the pot. Add the stock, salt, and rosemary sprigs. Arrange the ribs back into the pot, pushing them down into the liquid as much as possible.
- Close and lock the lid and set the vent to seal. Press the Stew button and set for 35 minutes. When the timer goes off, press keep warm, and leave for 15 minutes. Then turn the pressure vent to release, and wait for the pressure to normalize. Remove the ribs to a plate and shred the meat with two forks, or clean hands. Strain the gravy into a saucepan and bring to a simmer on the stove. Season with Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Make a slurry with the cornstarch and a little water, stirring until smooth. Add to the gravy and stir until thickened. If you want it a little thicker you can add more cornstarch.
- Meanwhile make the polenta. Bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Mix the cornmeal with the remaining 1/2 cup water in a bowl.
- Slowly add the cornmeal mush to the boiling water, stirring constantly. Turn down the heat and continue stirring and cooking for 5 minutes, until the polenta is thick. Caution, it will sputter!
- When the polenta is thick, I like to stir in 1/2 cup milk, and then, off the heat, the cheese and butter. Stir until smooth and creamy.
- Spoon the polenta into individual serving bowls, and top with a generous portion of short ribs and gravy. Sprinkle on finely minced fresh rosemary as a garnish.
- Enjoy!
Make these Instant Pot short ribs your own ~
- Make it ahead ~ refrigerate the meat and gravy and reheat gently on the stove top. Make the quick polenta just before serving.
- Make it over noodles or mashed potatoes instead of the polenta.
Love this! Made it and it’s a keeper!!!! We host a NYE party for around 35. Usually have lasagna. Thinking about this instead. Have you experimented with doubling the recipe and if so, times to pressure cook please! And would it be okay to prepare ahead and reheat a couple of days later?
So glad you enjoyed this Cheryl. I think you can double the recipe as long as it fits in your pressure cooker, and the time should be the same. And yes, short ribs only get better the next day, and if you make the polenta with some milk it reheats nicely as well.
Can you tell me how the time will change if I have 4 lbs of short ribs?
I don’t think the time will change at all, Shauna.
I want to try this recipe so bad, but I have a slow cooker and not an instant pot. Any recommendations on how to cook this with a slow cooker and not an instant pot? thanks!!!
This will work well in a slow cooker, Kayleigh. You will want to brown the ribs as the recipe says, and then load everything into the slow cooker. They’ll take about 6-8 hours on low, then you can proceed with the gravy and polenta.
I’m so happy to see that you’ve added pressure cooker recipes to your site. I sent you a message about a year ago and you responded thing me that you were still relatively new to pressure cookers. I can’t wait to try your recipes!! The short ribs and polenta are on my list for next week!!! I would love to see your take on pot roast!!
Thanks Tiffany, I super excited about cooking this fall and winter with the IP, I have it sitting out on the counter to remind me. You don’t have to worry about my getting around to pot roast, it’s one of my favorites 🙂
Absolutely perfect comfort food right here! Can’t wait for cooler weather here to dig into this 🙂
I definitely recommend trying to find the boneless ribs! Bone in are just too greasy if you don’t scrupulously trim them. Loved the flavor and texture of the meat. Will have to try adding rosemary to my stew next!
Agree, boneless ribs are divine!
I saw this yesterday but didn’t have time to comment. I’ve been dreaming about it ever since! Fabulous!!!
short ribs can have that effect on people 😉
My husband and I would totally enjoy this dish Sue! So comforting for the fall season ahead!
I love beef short ribs too and hardly ever make them. Your recipe sounds wonderful and it looks so tender, juicy and rich. I’m ready for a bowl of this perfect comfort food!
This looks incredibly delicious! Not sure I should so much carbs and fat together, but I would risk it if I could have some!!! A great recipe, Sue.