Asian-Inspired Pressure Cooker Short Ribs
Serves 4-6
Small short ribs make a delicious first course. Large short ribs make a hearty and satisfying meal. You can halve the number of short ribs used in the recipe, but don't halve the quantity of liquid.
1-2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
3 lbs (about 6 to 8) bone-in short ribs, trimmed
1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion
2 large garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
¼ cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup less-sodium beef broth
¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2 whole star anise
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 green onions, trimmed, white and green parts, thinly sliced
Turn the saute function of your instant pot to medium-high heat. Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels. Add the vegetable oil and add the short ribs, bone side up, to the pot. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side until brown. If necessary, cook the short ribs in batches to avoid overcrowding. Remove the browned short ribs from the pot and set aside.
Stir in the yellow onion and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for another 3 minutes. Return the browned short ribs to the pot, meat side up.
Whisk together the hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, light brown sugar, beef broth, and orange juice. Pour the mixture over the short ribs and toss in the star anise. Turn the heat to high and secure the pressure cooker lid. Be sure that the knob is turned to sealed. If possible to adjust settings, set the pressure cooker to the higher setting and bring to the correct pressure. Cook for 35 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally (this will take about 15 minutes) then open the pressure cooker and test for tenderness. If correctly cooked, the shorts ribs will pull apart with the tines of a fork. If still tough, cook under high pressure for another 10 minutes.
Remove the short ribs from the pot and set aside. Remove the pot from the heat and use a spoon to remove the fat from atop the sauce. Discard all but one tablespoon of the fat.
In a small bowl, whisk together the reserved tablespoon of fat with the two tablespoons of flour until a paste is formed. Return the pot with the sauce to medium heat and whisk in the paste. Bring to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes until the mixture thickens and no longer tastes like starch. Return the short ribs to the sauce to coat. Serve the short ribs atop steamed rice with sliced green onions.