Want more short rib recipes? Try my Red Wine Braised Short Ribs!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

• Fall-off-the-bone short ribs: That slow-braised texture without needing hours on the stove.
• Sticky, glossy glaze: Orange, garlic, ginger, and soy simmer down into the dreamiest sauce.
• Low effort, high reward: The pressure cooker does the heavy lifting in less than an hour.
• Perfect with rice: Soaks up every drop of sauce (aka the best part).
• Even better tomorrow: These reheat beautifully and taste unreal as leftovers.

Prep for Sticky Soy + Citrus Short Ribs:

• Pat the short ribs dry and season well with salt (and black pepper if you’d like).
• Dice up the onion into small pieces.
• Peel and smash the garlic cloves.
• Slice a 3-inch knob of ginger into 5-6 coin shaped pieces (no need to peel it).
• Peel the orange zest off in wide strips using a vegetable peeler, avoiding the thick white pith (it can be bitter).
• After removing the zest, juice the orange into a small bowl so it’s ready to go.
• Chop up some green onions for garnish.

How to make Sticky Soy + Citrus Short Ribs:

Step One:

Season the short ribs generously with salt. Heat a pressure cooker on sauté with a drizzle of neutral oil and sear the ribs deeply on all sides until well browned—take your time here, because this is where you start building all of the flavour. Remove the seared short ribs and set aside.

Step Two:

Add the onion to the pot and cook until softened, scraping up all the browned bits from the short ribs. Add the garlic and ginger and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Step Three:

Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, the orange juice and strips of orange peel, rice vinegar, and the beef broth. Bring everything to a bubble with the pressure cooker still set to sauté.

Step Four:

Nestle the short ribs back into the liquid so they’re mostly submerged. Seal the lid and pressure cook high for 45 minutes.

Step Five:

Allow a natural release of the steam for about 15 minutes, then carefully use the quick release button to release any remaining pressure.

Step Six:

Transfer the short ribs to a plate and loosely tent with foil to keep warm. Strain the sauce into a small saucepan and simmer for 5-10 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened. If you want it thicker/extra glossy, whisk together 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water, then whisk the slurry into the simmering sauce until smooth and thickened.

Step Seven:

I like serving the short ribs over rice with a big pour of the glaze over top, then finishing with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions!

Cooking Notes for Sticky Soy + Citrus Short Ribs:

Don’t have a pressure cooker? Not to worry!

Dutch Oven Instructions:

• Sear the short ribs over medium-high heat with a drizzle of neutral oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, then set aside.
• Add the onion to the pot and cook until softened, scraping up all the browned bits from the short ribs. Add the garlic and ginger and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Next, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, the orange juice and strips of orange peel, rice vinegar, and the beef broth.
• Stir to combine, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and transfer to a 325°F oven and cook for about 3 hours—or keep it on the stovetop over low heat—until the beef is fall-apart tender.
• Strain the sauce and reduce in a saucepan, the same way as I did in the pressure cooker recipe.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of neutral oil. Sear the short ribs deeply on all sides until well browned, then transfer to the slow cooker.
• In the same skillet, sauté the diced onion for 2-3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add the smashed garlic + sliced ginger and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the soy sauce + beef broth, then add the brown sugar, orange juice, strips of orange zest, and rice vinegar. Stir, then pour everything into the slow cooker over the ribs.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the short ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender.
• Strain the sauce and reduce in a saucepan, the same way as I did in the pressure cooker recipe.

These methods aren’t as quick, but they’re just as delicious. Feel free to reference my Red Wine Braised Short Ribs recipe for more tips!

Substitutions for Sticky Soy + Citrus Short Ribs:

Short ribs: Bone-in short ribs give the best flavour and texture, but boneless short ribs will work too (they may cook a little faster). You can also use beef chuck roast cut into large chunks—super cozy and shreddable.

Soy sauce: You can use original or low-sodium soy sauce. Tamari or coconut aminos will also work here as 1:1 swaps for a soy-free or gluten-free option.

Beef broth: Chicken broth works totally fine if that’s what you have in the pantry.

Rice vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is the closest swap. White wine vinegar or champagne vinegar are the next best options.

How to Store Sticky Soy + Citrus Short Ribs:

Fridge: Let the short ribs cool slightly, then transfer the ribs and sauce to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. For best results, you can actually store the short ribs and sauce together so the meat stays juicy (and honestly tastes even better the next day).

• To reheat: Warm everything gently in a covered skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat until hot. Add a splash of beef broth or water if the sauce has thickened too much in the fridge.

Freezer: Short ribs freeze really well. Cool completely, then freeze the ribs with the sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

• To thaw: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat slowly on the stove until warmed through.

You’ll be thinking about this sauce for days. If you try making the short ribs, please tag me on social (@britacooks)—I’d love to see your recreations!