Instant Pot Pineapple Short Ribs
Short ribs are cooked in a flavorful pineapple and ginger soy sauce until they are falling apart. They are served over a creamy coconut rice and topped with a bright and fresh pineapple salsa.
Matt and I thought it would be fun to take the boys tubing down a river. It sounded like a great idea (in theory). We were equipped with Lysol wipes, swimsuits, life jackets, sunscreen, juice boxes and beer. The kids were SO excited about floating down the river (as were we)!
Then, we showed up. There was line of at least 500 people waiting for their tube. Needless to say, we did not wait in that line.
The kids were (understandably) bummed. Since we had already driven about an hour to get there, we decided to find our own part of the river to explore. It ended up being such a fun day.
The kids bobbed along the river in their lifejackets. We had snacks and drinks on the shore, threw rocks in the river and just had an awesome time being outside together. Just the four of us. Not the four of us plus 500 random strangers!
This pandemic has really forced us to rethink a lot of things. Without sounding dramatic, life as we knew it has ceased to exist for the foreseeable future. It was hard at first – adjusting to the new normal was difficult. But, now that we are here, it’s not all that bad.
Sure, the four of us have spent A LOT of time together over the last 6 months (sometimes a little tooooo much time) but it’s been time we wouldn’t have otherwise had. The past 6 months have made us all take stock in our resilience (or lack there of)! It has made us realize how important it is to just “go with the flow” (a saying we repeat to the boys – and ourselves – on the regular). We can’t change this pandemic, but we can change how we respond to it.
And since a lot of us aren’t going out to eat right now, I created this recipe to mimic “restaurant-quality food” at home! These pineapple short ribs are great because they can be made in the Instant Pot.
Pineapple Short Rib Marinade Ingredients
- boneless short ribs
- sesame oil
- pineapple juice
- soy sauce
- rice vinegar
- ground ginger
- sriracha
When you make short ribs, it’s important to sear the meat first to lock in the flavor and moisture. The great thing about making these in the Instant Pot is that you can sear the ribs right in the Instant Pot (another reason why I adore this appliance)! After you sear them, put the lid on and start pressure cooking.
This recipe is perfect for a nice summer dinner. The flavors of pineapple from the ribs and the pineapple salsa is perfectly complimented by the coconut rice. My boys absolutely loved this meal – I hope you enjoy it, too!
Coconut Rice Ingredients
- light coconut milk
- jasmine rice
- salt
Rice is such a versatile ingredient. You can change the cooking liquid to alter the flavor of the rice. I typically like to cook my rice in chicken broth (or chicken stock). This imparts a lot of flavor in the rice and makes it super delicious. With this recipe, the use of the coconut milk helps to make the rice more creamy and just a bit sweet. The addition of the salt helps to balance out the sweetness.
Pineapple Salsa Ingredients
- pineapple
- cilantro
- red onion
- lime
- salt
This pineapple salsa is incredibly easy to make and so good; I could literally eat it with a spoon!
Tips for Involving Kids
- Have them help you measure out all of the ingredients for the Pineapple Short Ribs.
- Let them chop up the ingredients for the Pineapple Salsa with you.
- Set everything out on the table and let your kids serve themselves. I find that when my kids are allowed to serve themselves, they are more willing to try new things!
- There is always going to be a mess when you cook with your kids but, like my little guy Will says, “It’s okay Mom, chefs make messes and then they clean it up.” Have fun cooking with your kids!!
Instant Pot Pineapple Short Ribs
Ingredients
Pineapple Short Ribs
- 2 lbs boneless short ribs
- ½ Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 – 20 oz cans pineapple tidbits in 100% juice pineapple and juice separated
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ Tbsp sriracha
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Coconut Rice
- 13½ oz can light coconut milk
- 1 cup jasmine rice
Pineapple Salsa
- Pineapple tidbits from the 2 – 20 oz cans
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup red onion diced
- ½ lime juiced
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel.2 lbs boneless short ribs
- Season with salt and pepper.1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper
- Turn Instant Pot to “Saute” for 10 minutes and add sesame oil.½ Tbsp sesame oil
- Sear the short ribs for 2 minutes on each side.
- Remove the short ribs and set them aside.
- Add the pineapple juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ground ginger and sriracha to the Instant Pot.2 – 20 oz cans pineapple tidbits in 100% juice, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 3 Tbsp rice vinegar, ½ tsp ground ginger, ½ Tbsp sriracha
- Add the short ribs back in, along with ½ cup of the pineapple tidbits.
- Set the Instant Pot to “High Pressure” for 45 minutes.
- While the ribs are cooking, combine all of the ingredients for the pineapple salsa.Pineapple tidbits from the 2 – 20 oz cans, ½ cup cilantro, ¼ cup red onion, ½ lime, ½ tsp salt
- Cook the rice according to the package directions (substituting coconut milk for water).1 cup jasmine rice, 13½ oz can light coconut milk
- After the ribs have cooked for 45 minutes, let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes and then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Once cooked, remove the short ribs from the Instant Pot and serve warm with the pineapple salsa and coconut rice.
Such a super flavorful easy meal!
I’m so glad you like it!