Garlic Ginger Braised Beef Short Ribs – 🧄🫚🥩 Learn how to make the most TENDER short ribs where the meat just falls off the bone! Braising the meat for hours in a flavorful soy sauce-infused broth along with a head of garlic and a ginger creates layers of Asian-inspired flavors! You can easily control the heat level to make these easy short ribs as mild or spicy as you’d like.
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Easy Braised Beef Short Ribs Recipe
- Braising is a technique or cooking method where food, typically meat, is first browned and seared. Then simmers slowly in a flavorful liquid in a covered pot until the meat is tender.
- In the case of this recipe for Asian-flavored braised beef short ribs, the liquid is comprised of chicken broth, dark soy sauce for rich unami flavor, Shaoxing wine to tenderize the meat, and rice vinegar to round out the flavor profile.
- There’s also a head of garlic and a large piece of ginger that simmers right along with the meat for even more rich depth of flavor.
- The result is ultra flavorful short ribs with meat that’s just so tender if falls off the bone!
- This is a great meal for a Sunday family dinner, to serve to company when entertaining, or anytime you’re craving a comfort food meal that’s high in protein.
- Also check out my Oven Baked BBQ Beef Short Ribs for another twist!
Ingredients in Braised Short Ribs with Garlic and Ginger
- Ginger root – Look for a palm-sized piece of ginger. Ground ginger is not really a viable substitute in this recipe because you won’t achieve the same flavor depth and intensity.
- Head garlic – Leaving the garlic head whole lets it infuse the dish with mellow, roasted garlic flavor without overwhelming. Squeeze out the soft cloves for an extra garlicky punch when serving.
- Olive oil – Or your favorite cooking oil.
- Bone-in beef short ribs – Use bone-in short ribs for more depth of flavor although boneless short ribs may be subbed.
- Shallot – You can use 1/3 cup finely diced red onion if you don’t have a shallot on hand.
- Gochujang paste, optional – This is Korean red chile pepper paste which adds heat and a notably Asian-inspired flavor. If you don’t have gochujang, sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce are great substitutes, or you can skip it altogether for a milder flavor. For those sensitive to spice, use less gochujang or leave it out entirely. I would serve with hot sauce on the side for customizable heat.
- Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chicken stock – The each play a role in these Asian short ribs. The shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine) helps to tenderize the meat; dry sherry would be the closest commonly found substitution. Dark soy sauce also gives richness and depth. Lighter soy sauce is fine if that’s what you have, but the flavor won’t be quite as rich. I use regular as opposed to low sodium stock but it’s up to you.
- Garnishing and finishing: Salt, pepper, possible sugar to balance the acidity, sliced green onions, sesame seeds, limes, fresh herbs, etc.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How To Make Braised Short Ribs
- Preheat your oven and slice the top of the head of garlic to expose the cloves and halve a washed and cleaned piece of ginger lengthwise.
- To a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, add the oil, short ribs that you pat dry and then season with salt, and brown for 2-3 minutes per side over medium high heat. Remove them from the pot.
- Add the ginger and fry for a couple minutes per side, and remove it, before adding the shallot, optional gochujang, and toast for 1 minute.
- Deglaze the pot with the wine, scrape up any browned bits, add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, place the short ribs and ginger back in.
- Pour the chicken stock in, nestle the garlic, cover, and cook for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Turn short ribs once, about halfway through the cooking time.
- Strain the cooking liquid to remove solids and then drizzle or spoon this sauce over the short ribs when serving, if desired, along with the various garnishes and serve.
what to serve with short ribs
Pair the rich ribs with fresh, tangy sides like kimchi or lightly dressed greens to balance the dish’s richness and add a contrasting texture.
Storage
In the Refrigerator: This recipe will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
In the Freezer: This recipe will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: I use my microwave for quickness and ease and reheat my leftovers for about 30 seconds on high, or as needed.
Tips For The Best Beef Short Ribs
- Choosing Short Ribs: Opt for bone-in short ribs, as the bones add depth and richness to the braising liquid during cooking.
- Proper Equipment: Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to maintain even heat during browning and braising. A lightweight pan may lead to uneven cooking.
- Hard Sear for Maximum Flavor: Searing each of the six sides of the short ribs develops deep caramelized flavors that enrich the dish. Take your time with this step for the best results. Work in batches if that’s easier for but likely isn’t necessary.
- Deglazing for Depth: Scrape up all the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan after deglazing the pot. These bits are packed with savory flavor and will elevate the sauce.
- Use Stock, Not Broth: Stock has a richer, more gelatinous texture, ideal for braises. If you don’t have stock, dissolve a little powdered gelatin into broth to mimic that velvety consistency. You can also use beef stock or beef broth. It’s heavier, tends to be saltier, and richer. Red wine is also an option and I’d use about half wine, half stock. It’s personal preference.
- Liquid Level Matters: When adding the liquid, ensure it only comes about halfway up the meat in the pot. This allows the sauce to thicken naturally as it cooks and prevents the meat from overcooking. Adding too much liquid can result in a runny sauce and less concentrated flavor.
- Turning the Meat: Turning the short ribs halfway through cooking ensures even braising, so the meat cooks to tender perfection without drying out.
- Cook Time: My cooking time of 3 to 3 1/2 hrs is an estimate but it varies. If the meat is falling off the bone, they’re probably done. If not, they need more time.
- Taste and Adjust the Sauce: After cooking, taste the reserved sauce and adjust as needed with salt for seasoning or sugar to balance acidity and spice.
Recipe FAQs
can i make short ribs in a slow cooker or instant pot?
Yes you can however if that’s your preference, I would do an internet search and consult other recipes since I did not test this recipe in either a Crockpot or pressure cooker so can’t guide you on the finer points and details.
what if I don’t have an ingredient?
For the ingredients like gochujang paste or shaoxing wine which are the two that you may not have on hand, I listed substitution ideas in the ingredients section above.
can i add vegetables?
You can, however, I would add them with maybe about 1 hour of simmer time remaining. Use hearty root veggies like carrots, potatoes, chunky diced yellow onions, and so forth.
Garlic Ginger Braised Beef Short Ribs
🧄🫚🥩 Learn how to make the most TENDER short ribs where the meat just falls off the bone! Braising the meat for hours in a flavorful soy sauce-infused broth along with a head of garlic and a ginger creates layers of Asian-inspired flavors! You can easily control the heat level to make these easy short ribs as mild or spicy as you’d like.
Equipment
- Large Dutch Oven or heavy bottomed pot with a lid
Ingredients
- 1 large ginger root, palm-sized, washed, patted dry, and halved vertically
- 1 head garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or another favorite oil
- 2 ½ to 3 pounds bone-in short ribs, (I recommend bone-in for best flavor but boneless may be substituted)
- 1 shallot, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon gochujang paste, optional and to taste (sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce may be substituted, reduce or omit if heat-sensitive)
- ½ cup Shaoxing wine, (Chinese cooking wine that tenderizes meat; dry sherry is the closest common substitute)
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, (lighter colored or lite soy sauce may be substituted but the flavor of the finished dish will be less intense)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, (sometimes labeled rice wine vinegar, same thing)
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock, (stock rather than broth recommended for a more velvety texture)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, optional to taste
- Pinch granulated sugar, optional and to taste
- Sliced green onions or scallions, optional for garnishing
- Sesame seeds, optional for garnishing
- Lime slices or wedges, optional for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F. Halve the ginger lengthwise and slice off the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves; set aside.
- Searing: Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, add the oil and swirl to coat. Pat the short ribs dry, season generously with salt, and brown for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.Tip – Searing each of the six sides of the short ribs develops deep caramelized flavors that enrich the dish. Take your time with this step for the best results.
- Add the ginger to the pot and fry for about 2 minutes per side until lightly browned. Remove and set aside with the short ribs.
- Add the sliced shallot to the pot and sauté for 2 minutes until softened; stir nearly continuously. Stir in the gochujang paste (if using) and toast for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Deglazing: Deglaze the pot with Shaoxing wine, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the dark soy sauce and rice vinegar.
- Braising: Return the short rib sand ginger to the pot, pour in the chicken stock. Nestle the whole garlic head in the liquid. Cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook for 3 to 3 ½ hours, turning the short ribs once halfway through.Short ribs are done when the meat is pulling away from or falling off the bone and extremely fork tender. Tip – With this recipe it's better to go with how the meat looks when evaluating doneness (if it's not falling off, they're not done) rather than taking the internal temperature.
- Straining: Transfer the short ribs to a serving dish. Strain the cooking liquid to remove solids and reserve the sauce for serving. While not technically totally necessary, I like to strain the liquid but if you don't care you can omit this step.Flavor Tip – Make sure to taste the sauce and if you need to make any necessary flavor adjustments, do so. Salt and pepper are the more obvious choices but if the sauce is a little bitter or acidic, a pinch of sugar does wonders. If you want it spicier, stir in a bit more gochujang paste or other hot sauce product.
- Serving: Drizzle the short ribs with the sauce, and optionally garnish with scallions and/or sesame seeds, limes, and serve.
Notes
Storage: Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or as desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 470cal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 42g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 125mg, Sodium: 473mg, Potassium: 852mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 3IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 23mg, Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Tasty tasty tasty! There’s something so satisfying about meat falling off the bone isn’t there? Lol
Another great recipe Averie!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Joan, and I’m glad your meat was falling off the bone and tastyyyy! Thank you for trying this recipe!