These fall-apart tender short ribs make a quick dinner thanks to the magic of the pressure cooker. On any given day, I look at dozens of recipes on-line and this one from Chowhound really stood out. I must admit when I read “cola braised” my attention was drawn in. I’ve loved Coca-Cola since I was a teenager. I know sweet sodas are frowned upon these days, but I do enjoy a Coca-Cola once in a while. It’s the real thing after all! Anyway, you might think the recipe makes sticky, sweet ribs but the combination of ingredients produces a perfectly divine, savory sauce that just begs for a bed of creamy polenta beneath it.
The original recipe calls for bone-in short ribs. I tried this the first time around, but found that the bones just got in the way and the membrane surrounding the bones was unpleasant. I found beautiful boneless short ribs at Costco. This is definitely the way to go.
Two mini cans of Coca-Cola are perfect for this recipe.
You can see how tender the short ribs become after just 40 minutes in the pressure cooker.
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (and up to 1 teaspoon for more heat)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 pounds boneless short ribs, cut into 2½-inch length pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 medium garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- ½ medium onion, small dice
- 2 mini cans Coca Cola 7.5 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- Combine the salt, paprika, black pepper, cayenne, and cumin in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture evenly on all sides of the short ribs. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a 6 - 8-quart stove-top pressure cooker over medium heat until shimmering. Working in batches, add enough short ribs to cover the bottom of the cooker without crowding them. Sear short ribs on both sides until nicely browned, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer short ribs to a large plate and repeat with the remaining short ribs.
- Add the garlic and onion to the cooker and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the Coca- Cola, soy sauce, and Worcestershire and using a wooden spoon, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pressure cooker.
- Return the ribs to the pressure cooker, turn to coat them in the sauce, and lock the lid in place. Increase the heat and bring the cooker to high pressure. Adjust the heat to maintain high pressure per the instructions of your pressure cooker and cook for 40 minutes.
- Remove the pressure cooker from the heat and allow pressure to come down naturally for about 15 minutes. Carefully quick-release any pressure left in the cooker, then remove the lid.
- Transfer the ribs to a large plate and set aside. Pour the liquid through a strainer disposing of any solids. Return strained liquid to the pressure cooker over medium-high heat and bring the sauce to a boil. Mix the cornstarch and water together. Add half of the cornstarch mixture to the sauce, whisking constantly until the sauce is glossy and thickened (about 30 seconds). Add a bit more cornstarch mixture if you want a thicker sauce. Remove from the heat and add the reserved short ribs to the sauce, coating well before serving.