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beef short rib recipe slow cooker
- Total Time: 390 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Description
This recipe delivers fall-off-the-bone tender beef short ribs infused with a sticky date and tamarind glaze, perfect for busy parents and comfort food lovers looking for an easy, flavorful dinner. The slow cooking process ensures an incredibly rich aroma and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) boneless beef short ribs
- 30 mL (2 tablespoons) vegetable oil
- 1 large (200g) yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 25 g (1 inch piece) fresh ginger, grated
- 10 g (2 teaspoons) fine sea salt
- 2.5 g (0.5 teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) Chinese five-spice powder
- 700 mL (3 cups) vegetable or beef broth
- 60 mL (4 tablespoons) gluten-free tamari
- 30 mL (2 tablespoons) apple cider vinegar
- 100 g (6–8 large) pitted Medjool dates
- 45 g (3 tablespoons) tamarind paste
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) cornstarch
- 30 mL (2 tablespoons) cold water
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- 15 g (0.25 cup) fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep and Sear Ribs: Pat the beef short ribs dry and season generously with salt, black pepper, and five-spice powder. Heat vegetable oil in a large oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Sear ribs in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove ribs and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion to the same pot and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Assemble Slow Cooker: Return seared short ribs to the pot. Add broth, gluten-free tamari, apple cider vinegar, and pitted Medjool dates, ensuring ribs are mostly submerged.
- Slow Cook: Transfer the pot to a slow cooker insert or cover tightly. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until ribs are incredibly tender and fall apart easily.
- Prepare Glaze: Carefully remove cooked short ribs to a plate and tent with foil. Skim excess fat from the braising liquid. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing on solids to extract maximum flavor; discard solids. Bring strained liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat, reducing by about one-third. Whisk cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Stir tamarind paste into simmering liquid until dissolved. Slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry and simmer, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens to a glossy, syrupy consistency, about 2-3 minutes.
- Coat and Serve: Return short ribs to the glossy glaze, gently turning to coat thoroughly and warm through for a few minutes. Arrange glazed short ribs on a plate, drizzling with remaining glaze. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped fresh cilantro.
Notes
If ribs are tough, they simply need more time to cook. If the sauce is too thin, simmer the braising liquid longer or whisk in a bit more cornstarch slurry. Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 360 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 180g meat with sauce)
- Calories: 450 calories
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg