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A close-up overhead shot of a soy-braised short rib topped with thickened braising liquid in a dark green bowl atop a bed of white rice and steamed bok choy.

Succulent Soy Braised Short Ribs

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 hours
  • Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4-6 1x
  • Category: Main Dishes
  • Method: Stovetop, Braise
  • Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Description

My mom and I worked together to create this Succulent Soy Braised Beef Short Ribs recipe with a goal of bridging the gap between two of our all-time favorite comfort foods: meaty, fall apart-tender braised short ribs and the Hawaii-Style Kalbi that reminds us both of home.

These hearty bone-in beef short ribs slowly simmer with garlic, ginger, green onions, and a savory-sweet soy braising sauce. After a long, slow braise, the tender meat falls off the bone and melts in your mouth.

They’re perfect for a cozy meal, a fun addition to a dim sum spread, or a super-luxe Lunar New Year Celebration. ♡ Happy cooking!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds English-cut beef short ribs (approx. 6 short ribs, see Recipe Notes)
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • one 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 4 green onions, sliced into 1 ½ inch pieces
  • 1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar (can substitute light brown sugar)
  • ¾ cup shoyu (can substitute low-sodium soy sauce or tamari)
  • ¾ cup beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry (can substitute rice wine such as mirin or Chinese shaoxing wine)
  • to thicken: 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • for serving, as desired: steamed rice, sautéed cabbage or bok choy, thinly sliced green onions, etc.

Instructions

  1. Prep: About 30 minutes – 1 hour before you’d like to begin cooking, pull the beef short ribs from the refrigerator and allow them to come up to room temperature. Just before cooking, use a paper towel to pat the ribs as dry as possible. Season liberally with kosher salt and ground black pepper; a good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon kosher salt per pound of short ribs.An overhead shot of six English-cut beef short ribs, generously seasoned with salt and pepper, alongside small bowls of salt and pepper on a sheet pan atop an off-white surface.
  2. Brown the short ribs: Add the vegetable oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid over medium-high heat (I use a 5-qt Dutch oven). Once the oil is hot and shimmering, carefully add in the seasoned short ribs – work in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until browned well. Transfer the browned short ribs to a plate and set aside. Repeat with any remaining short ribs as needed. Once all of the short ribs are browned, carefully drain off the drippings from the pot and discard or reserve for later use.An overhead shot of six browned short ribs in a white pot atop an off-white surface. A silver two-pronged fork sits in the pot.
  3. Braise the beef short ribs: Nestle the browned short ribs in the Dutch oven, topping with the sliced ginger, garlic, and green onions. Prepare the braising liquid by by whisking together the dark brown sugar, shoyu, beef broth, and dry sherry until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the short ribs. Return the pot to medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and braise for 3 – 3 ½ hours, until the short ribs are fall off the bone tender. (See Recipe Notes for alternate cooking methods.)An overhead shot of soy-braised short ribs in a large white pot atop an off-white surface. A large wood-handled spoon rests in the pot.
  4. Strain the soy braising liquid and prepare a cornstarch slurry: Transfer the tender short ribs to a plate or cutting board and set aside. Carefully strain the soy braising liquid – I set a fine mesh strainer over a large liquid measuring cup then pour the braising liquid through; the mesh strainer catches the spent aromatics and the measuring cup captures the fortified stock. Discard the spent aromatics. A good amount of fat will rise to the top of the remaining soy braising liquid; use a spoon to carefully strain as much as you can. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the fat to a small bowl and discard the rest. Whisk the cornstarch into the reserved fat until the mixture is smooth.An overhead shot of a woman's hands mixing a cornstarch slurry in a beige stoneware bowl atop a textured beige surface. A strainer with strained aromatics and the pot of braising liquid sit alongside the bowl.
  5. Finish the soy braised short ribs: If needed, wipe out the inside of the Dutch oven, then return to the stove over medium-high heat. Pour the strained soy braising liquid into the Dutch oven. While whisking constantly, slowly pour in the prepared cornstarch slurry. Continue whisking until the sauce is thickened and glossy. Once the sauce comes to a boil, reduce to low heat and return the cooked short ribs to the Dutch oven. Allow everything to simmer together for 2-3 minutes, just until warmed through.An overhead shot of soy-braised short ribs in a thickened braising liquid in a white pot atop a beige surface. A plate of sliced green onions and a bowl of sesame seeds sit alongside the pot.
  6. Serve immediately: We always enjoy these soy braised short ribs over rice (topped with a good spoonful of the glossy soy braising sauce) alongside sautéed cabbage or bok choy. You could also shred the short ribs and stuff it into a bao roll – delicious! Enjoy!A close-up overhead shot of a soy-braised short rib topped with thickened braising liquid in a dark green bowl atop a bed of white rice and steamed bok choy.

Equipment

Notes

Beef short ribs: There are 2 common cuts of beef short ribs: flanken beef short ribs (long strips cut across the bone, which you may recognize from Korean-style kalbi) and English-cut beef short ribs (hearty pieces cut along the bone). For a slowly simmered dish, like this soy braised short ribs recipe, opt for English-cut. These days, you can find English-cut beef short ribs at most conventional grocery stores with a nice butcher section. For best results, choose meaty ribs with nice marbling. Using bone-in short ribs creates more depth of flavor, though boneless short ribs work just as well in this recipe. If you have trouble finding beef short ribs, feel free to use beef chuck roast instead.

Storage and Freezing:

  • Storage and Reheating: Transfer any leftover soy braised short ribs and sauce to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.
  • Freezer Instructions: These soy braised short ribs are also incredibly freezer-friendly. To freeze, transfer the short ribs and any leftover sauce to a freezer container (or divide it up between multiple freezer containers for smaller portions – Souper Cubes are my fave!). Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or submerge the freezer container in room temperature water for a quicker thaw. Reheat on the stovetop until warmed through and adjust as needed – if the sauce is a little watery at first, simply allow any residual water simmer out; if it is too thick, simply add in a splash of water or stock until your desired consistency is reached. 

Alternate Cooking Methods:

  • Oven-Braised Soy Short Ribs: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-3, above. Rather than braising on the stovetop, transfer the covered pot to a 325 degree F oven. Braise in the oven for 3 – 3 ½ hours, until the beef short ribs are fall-apart tender, then finish the soy braised beef short ribs as described in Steps 4-6.
  • Crockpot / Slow Cooker Soy Braised Short Ribs: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-2, above. Transfer the browned short ribs to the slow cooker, along with the aromatics and soy braising liquid as directed in Step 3. Slow cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours, stirring occasionally. Finish as described in Steps 4-6. (*Note: If your slow cooker has a searing/browning feature, you can use it to cook the entire recipe (Steps 1-5) in the slow cooker.)
  • Instant Pot Soy Braised Short Ribs: Use your Instant Pot’s “Sauté” setting to cook the recipe according to Steps 1-3, above. Cover and seal the pressure cooker and cook on manual high pressure for 50 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before carefully flicking the valve to its “venting” position to vent out any residual pressure. Finish as described in Steps 4-6.

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/soy-braised-short-ribs/