These sweet and sticky slow-cooked short ribs use my fail-proof method for fall-apart meat, packed full of flavour!
First we cook them slowly in a flavoured stock in the oven, then lightly fry them to crisp the edges, then coat them in a delicious Asian-inspired sticky sauce.
Slow-cooked until the meat is falling off the bone, then pan fried to crisp up the edges and given a sticky coating right at the last minute. That’s my kind of meal!
It’s a technique I first used for my Chinese pork belly (which is one of our most popular recipes on the blog) and I’ve been using it ever since. It works best for meats that are fatty and/or a little on the tough side, and it turns a cheap piece of meat into something amazing!
The slow cooking process makes the meat melt-in-the-mouth, and most of the fat renders away. Any fat that’s left, is soon crisped up during the second stage.
📋 What do we need for the slow-cooking stage?
Those lovely short ribs are going to be cooked gently in a flavoured stock until fall-apart tender.
Once they’re out of the oven, they’re fried for a few minutes to get those edges lovely and golden.
After that we add a flavourful sticky glaze to the pan with the ribs.
📋 What do we need for the sticky glaze?
- The sticky glaze is made with
- Ginger
- Honey
- Light brown sugar
- Soy sauce
- Lemongrass paste
- A chopped up chilli pepper
- Plus a little salt and pepper.
📺 Watch how to make it
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.
🍽️ What to serve them with
What will you serve yours with?
🍲 More fantastic slow-cooked recipes
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Sweet and Sticky Slow-Cooked Short Ribs
Ingredients
Slow cooked stage:
- 4 short ribs
- 1 ¼ litres (5 1/4 cups) beef stock
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1 thumb sized piece of ginger peeled and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped in half
- 1 tbsp rice wine
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
For frying the beef short ribs:
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
For the crispy/sticky coating:
- pinch salt and pepper
- 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger peeled and minced
- 1 red chilli pepper I use Fresno chillies, de-seeded and chopped finely)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp lemon grass paste
Instructions
- Start with the slow-cooked stage – Preheat the oven to 170C/350F (fan). Place all of the ingredients from the slow-cooked stage into a large oven-proof casserole pan.4 short ribs, 1 1/4 litres (5 1/4 cups) beef stock, 2 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp white pepper, 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp rice wine, 1 tbsp caster sugar
- Heat over a high heat until boiling, then place a lid on and place in the oven for 3 hours. Check a couple of times during the last hour of cooking and top up with water if it’s starting to go dry.
- Take out of the oven and carefully remove the ribs from the pan (the meat will want to fall off the bone, so I find a good set of tongs helps to get them out). Drain any excess liquid off the ribs. Discard the cooking liquor – or use it in soup or Ramen.
- Heat the oil on a high heat in a large frying pan (skillet). Add the ribs and cook, turning once or twice until the edges are golden and crisp. It takes about 6-7 minutes. Be careful as the oil will spit due to the fat on the meat.2 tbsp sunflower oil
- Mix together the sticky coating ingredients in a small bowl and add to the frying pan. Bubble together, tuning the ribs to coat, until the sauce thickens to a sticky glaze.pinch salt and pepper, 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, 1 red chilli pepper, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp light brown sugar, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp lemon grass paste
- Turn off the heat and serve the ribs with rice and stir-fried vegetables or salad.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was first published February 2017. Updated July 2021 with new photos, video and some housekeeping.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
Easy for a home cook and delicious. They are fire!
This is one of the best things I’ve ever made…and I am a prolific cook. Not great. Not a chef, but I enjoy feeding my family well.
I stood over the stove, dipping them in the extra sauce… I don’t post comments, but felt compelled to encourage others to try this. I did this over the course of a couple days, even putting them in the fridge for a day (or two?) until I had time to fry and make the sauce… I can’t even describe. I need to go eat another. I should not have shared them with my SO.
Made this a few times. It’s awesome!
Just wonderful flavours and falls off the bone.
I can not find rice wine near me. What can I substitute?
Made these last night. These were so good. I’ll definitely be making these again!
Awesome flavours, perfect instructions
1 correction. Step 5 spell check you meant “bowl” and not “boil”
1 suggestion. maybe separate out the oil from the second ingredient list, as I made the mistake of combining it with the other ingredients, and then realised that was just for crisping up the beef, dumb mistake for me, I’ll know better next time! And, there will definitely be a next time! I used a bit more beef broth, when finished kept the remainder, let it cool, took off the fat, and now have a tub of extra tasty add-on for my noodle dishes.
Thanks for the feedback Steve – i’ve updated the recipe. So glad you liked it 🙂
Your recipe is so delicious I couldn’t stop eating totally a picture!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Hi Nicky
Is the oven temperature 170 degrees for fan oven?
Thanks
Nick
This was the most delicious preparation for short ribs. My family ate them up! I need to make a double batch next time.