Whisk the ketchup, dark brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar in a large bowl until well combined. Add the red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, paprika, salt, Worcestershire sauce, ground black pepper, tomato paste, cayenne pepper, and Dijon mustard. Whisk until you get a smooth mixture. Set it aside.
Sprinkle the short ribs with salt and pepper on all sides. Place them in the Instant Pot. Pour in the sauce. Stir them around with a wooden spoon or your hands until they're completely coated in the sauce.
Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and select "Pressure Cook." Set it to HIGH for 40 minutes. Then, allow the pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the lid.
Use kitchen tongs to carefully remove the ribs from the Instant Pot and place them on a plate. Pour the sauce into a separate large container.
Sprinkle the short ribs with 1/2 tablespoon of dark brown sugar and place them back in the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and set it to "BROIL" for 4 to 5 minutes.
Carefully remove the lid from the Instant Pot and remove the short ribs.
Top with fresh parsley and serve the short ribs with the sauce.
Short Ribs: The key to preparing short ribs is to cook them until they reach a point of just before falling apart tender. Please note that this recipe uses bone-in beef short ribs.
BBQ Sauce: I love my homemade bbq sauce that I've shared with you in this recipe, but if you'd like to use your own, that's okay too. If you'd like to cut down on the sugar, I suggest using No Sugar Added Ketchup. You can also use light brown sugar or leave out the brown sugar entirely, though this will impact the overall flavor of the final product. To reduce some fat, remove the layer of fat that has formed on top of the cooked sauce.
Save the leftover sauce. If you have any leftover sauce, you can use it to make pulled pork or any other BBQ-based dishes.
Don’t overcook the ribs. Although they should be cooked low and slow, don’t leave them in the instant pot longer than you have to. Overcooking short ribs actually makes them tough and rubbery.
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Lunch/Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef ribs in instant pot, best short ribs recipe, instant pot beef ribs, instant pot short ribs