Braised short ribs are beef simmered in a luscious, spiced broth and then braised in the oven until they’re fall-off-the-bone tender. Succulent, saucy, and savory, braised beef short ribs are a delicious comfort food that will warm you up on a cold day.
Craving juicy ribs? Then you have to try these Red Wine Short Ribs, Thai-Style Baby Back Ribs, and Oven-Baked BBQ Ribs next.
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Braised beef short ribs are such a treat! I don’t make it often because of the time it takes but when I have a craving (and especially during the fall and winter months), I whip out my large dutch oven.
As the short ribs and broth cook down, it transforms into a rich sauce that’s as good as liquid gold and the meat becomes so tender, it melts in your mouth. Crispy fried shallots are the perfect finishing touch. It’s worth the wait, every time.
What brings this dish home is the cilantro-mint and shallot salad paired with a sweet and umami-rich dressing. A big bite of flavorful short ribs, rice, and salad will give you a mouthful of flavors that will keep you scooping for more.
Why This Braised Beef Short Ribs Recipe Works
- Winter Comfort Food – Cooked low and slow, this hearty beef ribs recipe will warm you up from the inside out. It’s savory, aromatic, and the perfect entree for the fall and winter months. Serve it on a special occasion like Christmas dinner.
- Easy Prep – Aside from a quick sear and simmer, most of this recipe is hands-off. Let the oven do the bulk of the hard work.
- Customizable – There are so many ways to season your beef short ribs. Most braised short rib recipes use mirepoix, tomato paste, and dry red wine as a flavor base but for this recipe, I lean spices and flavors reminiscent of Chinese braised dishes to make a sweet and savory depth to the flavor profile.
What does braised short rib mean?
Braising is a cooking technique that involves browning short ribs at high heat and then simmering them gently in liquid. The beef is then cooked low and slow. This method is great for cooking down tough cuts of meat.
Tools You’ll Need
Ingredients You Will Need for Braised Short Ribs
Most of the ingredients listed can be found at your local market and/or Asian market. As mentioned, this shorts ribs recipe calls for ingredients similar to Chinese dishes like Shanghai braised pork belly, but with tweaks, making it uniquely different.
Five-Spice Braised Beef Short Ribs
- Short ribs – Use a meaty cut of grass-fed beef short ribs.
- Kosher salt – I always use Diamond Crystal.
- Avocado oil – To brown the beef.
- Brown sugar and honey – The sweetness balances the deep savory flavors.
- Aromatics – Fresh ginger, garlic, and shallot are a delicious foundation of flavor.
- Shaoxing wine – I swap the typical cabernet sauvignon for this rice wine instead. It has nutty notes that complements the other ingredients.
- Chicken stock – Why chicken broth in a beef recipe? It adds depth without overpowering the natural flavors of the beef, creating a balanced and well-rounded taste. Use low sodium so you can add salt to taste.
- Organic orange peel – This adds a distinctive and subtle citrusy flavor and aroma. I use fresh orange rind, but in traditional Chinese recipes that call for this ingredients, dried mandarin orange peels are used.
- Spices – I use a flavorful medley of freshly grated nutmeg, star anise, and five spice powder.
- Soy sauce – Use both dark soy sauce and light soy sauce for a mouthwatering umami flavor.
Cilantro-Mint Salad
Fresh herbs are a refreshing way to lighten up this dish.
- Mint
- Cilantro
- Shallot
- Three Crabs fish sauce
- Lime juice
- Quality olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Ginger
- Sugar
- Serrano pepper
Crispy Shallots
Fried crispy shallots are the perfect garnish.
- Shallots
- Neutral frying oil
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
How To Make Braised Short Ribs
The first few steps of this braised short ribs recipe build the foundation of flavor. Sear, sauté, simmer, and finally braise in the oven.
- Remove short ribs from refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking.
- Generously season short ribs on all sides. Heat dutch oven medium-high heat. Add 1½ tablespoons of avocado oil. Add short ribs and brown on all sides, should take about 20 minutes. Transfer ribs to a plate and cover.
3. Preheat oven to 300°F.
4. Remove all but 3 tablespoons of oil. Add ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add garlic and shallot and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add five spice and anise, cook for 1 minute to wake up the spices. Add shaoxing wine and bring to a boil then drop to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes.
6. Add chicken stock, both soy sauces, honey, brown sugar, nutmeg, and freshly grated orange peel. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer again then return the browned short ribs to the dutch oven. Bring the mixture to a boil then transfer to the oven.
7. Slow braise in the oven for 2¾ – 3¼ hours or until short ribs are fork tender, checking at the 2½ hour mark. Serve over rice with sauce, crispy shallots, and Cilantro-Mint Salad.
8. Reduce the Sauce (optional) – If you want to reduce the sauce a bit, strain all liquid in the pot. return the strain sauce to the dutch oven and simmer until reduced. Adjust with water to this out the sauce, if necessary.
Cilantro-Mint Salad
Prepare an ice bath for the herbs and shallot. Toss cilantro, mint, and shallot in the ice bath for a few minutes, then transfer to a kitchen towel and dry well. Add remaining ingredients to a bowl, mix, and set aside. Just before serving, toss the herbs and shallot with desired amount of dressing.
Crispy Shallots
Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once oil temp registers 325°F add shallots. Fry until lightly golden brown then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and lightly season with salt. Finally, enjoy braised short ribs.
Tips and Tricks
- Do not cook ribs straight from the fridge. Take them out 45 minutes before you plan to cook so they are at room temperature when you sear them. This allows the meat to cook evenly.
- Remember to sear the ribs. It adds a caramelized crust–otherwise known as milliard reaction–aiding in flavor, and also locks in moisture.
- Once the braised short ribs have completely cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Variations
- Instant Pot – Brown the ribs then remove them and saute the veggies. Once all the ingredients are added to the instant pot, cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes then allow the pressure to release for 15 minutes. Then remove the lid.
- Broth – You can use beef stock or beef broth instead of chicken.
What to Serve with Braised Short Ribs
Want to serve the ribs with something other than rice and salad? Here are some tasty ideas:
- Creamy mashed potatoes
- Polenta
- Pasta
- Roasted vegetables like carrots
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you braise short ribs too long?
Although this recipe is super forgiving, there is a point where the meat can become mushy. Overcooking can lead to a mushy or stringy consistency in the short ribs. After about 2 hours, start checking on the meat in order to prevent this. I’ve found that at the 3 hour to 3½ hour mark tends to be when the short ribs have the perfect texture.
Should I braise short ribs covered or uncovered?
Braised short ribs should be covered. This ensures even cooking and helps to retain moisture and the sauce, which can later be poured over rice.
What is the best temperature to cook short ribs?
The key to tender braised short ribs is cooking slowly at a low temperature. The best range is between 275°F to 325°F.
Looking for More Beef Recipes
- Steak Salad with Thai Dressing
- Easy Filipino Beef Adobo
- Beef and Daikon Radish Soup
- Chimichurri Steak
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Five Spice Braised Short Ribs
Equipment
- 4 quart dutch oven
Ingredients
Five-Spice Braised Short Ribs
- 2¼ pounds short ribs, grass-fed
- kosher salt, Diamond Crystal
- 1½ tablespoons avocado oil
- 2½ tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger. peeled and cut into coins
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- ¾ cup shallot, thinly sliced
- ⅔ cup shaoxing wine
- ¾ cup chicken stock, low sodium
- ½ teaspoon organic orange peel, grated
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, prefereably freshly grated
- 2 pieces star anise
- 1 tablespoon five spice powder
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
Cilantro-Mint Salad
- 3 cups mint, stems removed, roughly torn
- 3 cups cilantro, roughly torn
- ½ cup shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons Three Crabs fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons quality olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- ¾ teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- ½ – 1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced
Crispy Shallots
- ½ cup shallots, thinly slice
- 1 cup neutral frying oil
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Instructions
- Remove short ribs from refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking.
- Generously season short ribs on all sides. Heat dutch oven medium-high heat. Add 1½ tablespoons of avocado oil. Add short ribs and brown on all sides, should take about 20 minutes. Transfer ribs to a plate and cover.
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Remove all but 3 tablespoons of oil. Add ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add garlic and shallot and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add five spice and anise, cook for 1 minute to wake up the spices. Add shaoxing wine and bring to a boil then drop to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add chicken stock, both soy sauces, honey, brown sugar, nutmeg, and freshly grated orange peel. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer again then return short ribs to the dutch oven. Bring the mixture to a boil then transfer to the oven.
- Slow braise in the oven for 2¾ – 3¼ hours or until short ribs are fork tender, checking at the 2½ hour mark. Serve over rice with sauce, crispy shallots, and Cilantro-Mint Salad.
- Reduce the Sauce (optional) – If you want to reduce the sauce a bit, strain all liquid in the pot. return the strain sauce to the dutch oven and simmer until reduced. Adjust with water to this out the sauce, if necessary.
Cilantro-Mint Salad
- Prepare an ice bath for the herbs and shallot. Toss cilantro, mint and shallot in in the ice bath for a few minutes, then transfer to a kitchen towel and dry well. Add remaining ingredients to a bowl, mix and set aside. Just before serving, toss the herbs and shallot with desired amount of dressing.
Crispy Shallots
- Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once oil temp registers 325°F add shallots. Fry until lightly golden brown then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and lightly season with salt.
