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 ¼ 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 the crispy/sticky coating:
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- pinch of 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. Place all of the ingredients from the slow cooked stage into a large oven-proof casserole pan.
- 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 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 crisped. It takes about 6-7 minutes. Be careful as the oil will spit due to the fat on the meat.
- Mix together the remaining sticky coating ingredients in a small boil and add to the frying pan. Bubble together, tuning the ribs to coat, until the sauce thickens to a sticky glaze.
- Turn off the heat and serve the ribs with rice and stir-fried vegetables or salad.
Video
✎ Notes
Nutrition
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.
Kathy Khairuddin says
Your recipe is so delicious I couldn't stop eating totally a picture!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Nick Heathcock says
Hi Nicky
Is the oven temperature 170 degrees for fan oven?
Thanks
Nick
Diane Makowski says
This was the most delicious preparation for short ribs. My family ate them up! I need to make a double batch next time.
Bridgette says
Amazing ribs! Made this for Valentine's dinner last night (2/14/22.) The sticky glaze is was makes this dish. Used less sodium soy sauce instead of regular and couldn't find lemongrass paste so I used lemon zest. I made little creamy potatoes to go with it. Mashed them slightly in a pan to crisp them with butter, garlic and rosemary. This recipe is a keeper!
Jessica says
Can you clarify - do you mean rice wine vinegar, or actual rice wine?
Nicky Corbishley says
Hi Jessica, it's rice wine (not rice wine vinegar).
Amanda says
WOW! Licked the plate clean. It’s going on the menu again next week … and the week after that. Thankyou ❤️
Jen Lynock says
Hi, I’ve made these twice now & they’re gorgeous, my only Q is “what do I do with stock from the slow roasting please”? I need some ideas, I’ve made soup in the past but it’s the usual ones, vegetable, leek & potato etc. I’ve never made a Ramen, Cheers
Helen Bennett says
Delicious!!!
Terry Gorka says
This short rib recipe was outstanding! I pretty much just followed the Instructions. After the long over bake the magic really happened with the glaze. Oh my gosh! We had friends for dinner along with our picky daughter ... it was a HUGE hit with everyone. Thank you! A final note: My personal search for a recipe to bring out the most in short ribs has been a long journey. This really was the end of the rainbow for me! Looking forward to more good recipes in the future.
Shirley says
What is 11/4 litres as er your Sweet and Sticky Slow-Cooked Short Ribs recipe??
Chris Corbishley says
Hi Shirley,
Are you referring to the one and a quarter litres of beef stock? This is five and a quarter cups if you are in the US.
Thanks
Chris
Terry Gorka says
This was a fantastic recipe ... I've been looking for a tasty short rib recipe for a long time. The barbecue recipes have been unappealing to me ... over emphasizing the use of processed ketchup and other sweeteners. This sweet and tangy recipe had complexity and great flavor. I was concerned the amount of ginger would be overwhelming but that wasn't the case. Thank you!
Chris Corbishley says
We are so glad that you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Thanks
Chris & Nicky
Adrian Amos says
Fantastic recipe. Have cooked a couple of times about to cook again. An extra step that I added was to make the slow roast stock, cooled it, then marinated the ribs in the fridge for 24 hours. The flavour was amazing. The stock left over from cooking was packed with so much flavour. I could’ve almost drank it be itself as a soup. I used some of it in the sticky sauce and froze the rest for later.
MM says
My son sent me the link to this recipe, with a note saying 'yes please next weekend'. Hope the butcher has some beef short ribs! Looks so yummy.