Garlic Ginger Braised Beef Short Ribs

I'm so excited to share this garlic ginger braised beef short ribs recipe with you! This is the kind of meal that makes you feel like a kitchen rockstar, but honestly, it's way easier than it looks. The meat gets so tender after a few hours in the oven that it literally falls off the bone when you touch it with a fork.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love These Braised Short Ribs
• What You'll Need For Garlic Ginger Braised Beef Short Ribs
• How To Make The Best Garlic Ginger Braised Beef Short Ribs
• How To Store And Reheat Braised Short Ribs
• Tips And Variations For Perfect Short Ribs Every Time
• Garlic Ginger Braised Beef Short Ribs FAQs
• Recipes You May Like
• Final Thoughts On These Amazing Short Ribs
• Garlic Ginger Braised Beef Short Ribs

I first tried making short ribs about two years ago when Donald mentioned he'd had them at a restaurant in Midtown and couldn't stop talking about how good they were. I thought, "How hard can it be?" Turns out, not hard at all – just takes some patience. The secret is the long, slow braising in a soy sauce broth packed with fresh ginger and a whole head of garlic. The smell that fills your apartment while these cook is absolutely incredible.

What I love most about this recipe is that it feels fancy enough for company, but it's actually just a few simple steps. You sear the meat, throw everything in a Dutch oven, and let the oven do all the work. Alex has asked me to make these at least four times since I first tried them, which is saying something because he's usually all about chicken nuggets.

If you're looking for another hands-off dinner that tastes amazing, you should try my tender slow cooker beef stew – it's got that same comforting, melt-in-your-mouth quality that makes everyone happy.

Why You'll Love These Braised Short Ribs

• The meat is so tender it falls apart when you look at it – no knife needed
• Only takes about 20 minutes of hands-on work – the oven does everything else
• Asian-inspired flavors from ginger, garlic, and soy sauce make it taste restaurant-quality
• You can control the spice level by adjusting or omitting the gochujang paste
• Makes your whole house smell amazing while it cooks
• Great for meal prep because the flavors get even better the next day

What You'll Need For Garlic Ginger Braised Beef Short Ribs

Here's what you need to make these fall-off-the-bone garlic ginger braised beef short ribs. I always keep ginger and garlic on hand now because we use them all the time, and the rest of these ingredients are pretty standard.

• 1 large ginger root (palm-sized), washed, patted dry, and halved vertically
• 1 head garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (or any oil you have)
• 2 ½ to 3 pounds bone-in short ribs (bone-in tastes better, but boneless works too)
• 1 shallot, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon gochujang paste (optional – use sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce instead, or skip it if you don't like heat)
• ½ cup Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine – dry sherry works if you can't find it)
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (regular soy sauce is fine, just won't be as rich)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock (I use stock instead of broth for better texture)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Pinch of sugar if needed
• Sliced green onions for garnish
• Sesame seeds for garnish
• Lime slices for serving

The gochujang paste is what gives these short ribs a little kick, but here's the thing – you can totally leave it out if your family doesn't like spicy food. I usually add just half a tablespoon because Sarah isn't a huge fan of heat, and it still tastes incredible.

How To Make The Best Garlic Ginger Braised Beef Short Ribs

Making these braised beef short ribs is actually really straightforward. I'm going to walk you through each step so you can see how simple it really is.

Getting Everything Ready

First thing you need to do is preheat your oven to 325 degrees. While that's heating up, cut your ginger root in half lengthwise – just slice it down the middle. Then take your garlic head and slice off the very top to expose all those cloves. Don't peel anything, just cut the top off. Set both aside.

Searing The Short Ribs

This part is important because it creates so much flavor. Heat up your Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. Pat your short ribs completely dry with paper towels (this helps them brown better), then season them really well with salt.

Now here's where you need a little patience. Brown those short ribs on all sides – that means turning them to get each of the six sides nice and caramelized. This takes about 2 to 3 minutes per side. I know it seems like a long time, but trust me on this. Those browned bits are what make the sauce taste so good later.

Once they're all browned, take them out and set them aside on a plate.

Cooking The Aromatics

Add your ginger halves to the same pot (don't clean it out – all those brown bits are flavor!). Fry them for about 2 minutes on each side until they get a little color. Take them out and put them with the short ribs.

Toss in your sliced shallot and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring pretty much the whole time so it doesn't burn. If you're using the gochujang paste, stir it in now and let it toast for about a minute. Your kitchen is going to smell amazing at this point.

Building The Braising Liquid

Pour in the Shaoxing wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those delicious brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. This is called deglazing, and it's one of my favorite cooking steps because you can actually see all that flavor getting incorporated into the sauce.

Add the dark soy sauce and rice vinegar, give it a stir, then put your short ribs and ginger back in the pot. Pour in the chicken stock and nestle that whole garlic head right into the liquid.

The Long Braise

Cover your Dutch oven with the lid and stick it in the oven. Now comes the hardest part – waiting! These need to cook for 3 to 3 ½ hours. I usually set a timer for 90 minutes, then flip the short ribs over, and let them keep cooking.

You'll know they're done when the meat is pulling away from the bone and looks like it's about to fall off. Sometimes I test it with a fork – if it goes in super easily and the meat just shreds apart, they're ready. Don't worry too much about internal temperature with this recipe. It's more about how the meat looks and feels.

Finishing Touches

When your garlic ginger braised beef short ribs are done, carefully transfer them to a serving dish. At this point they're so tender they might actually fall apart, so be gentle.

I like to strain the cooking liquid to get rid of all the solid bits, but honestly, if you don't care about having a super smooth sauce, you can skip this step. Just pour the sauce right over the meat.

Here's a tip I learned the hard way – always taste your sauce before serving. If it needs salt and pepper, add them now. If it tastes a little sharp or bitter, a tiny pinch of sugar fixes it right up. And if you want it spicier, stir in a bit more gochujang.

Drizzle that gorgeous sauce over the short ribs, sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds if you want, and serve with some lime wedges on the side.

How To Store And Reheat Braised Short Ribs

The great news is these garlic ginger braised beef short ribs are actually better the next day! The flavors have time to soak into the meat even more, and they reheat beautifully.

Let the short ribs cool down completely, then put them in an airtight container with all that sauce. They'll keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you want to freeze them, they'll be good for 3 to 4 months.

To reheat, I usually just microwave individual portions for about 30 seconds, but you can also warm them up in a covered pot on the stove over low heat. Just add a splash of water or stock if the sauce seems too thick.

Tips And Variations For Perfect Short Ribs Every Time

After making these a bunch of times, I've picked up a few things that make them turn out even better.

Take your time with the searing. I know I mentioned this already, but it's really important. When I first made these, I rushed through browning the meat and the final dish just didn't have as much depth of flavor. Those caramelized bits are everything.

Don't skip the ginger and garlic. I tried making a batch once without the whole head of garlic because I thought it might be too much. Wrong! The garlic gets all sweet and mellow as it cooks, and it's one of the best parts of the dish.

Make it your own with the heat level. If you're like Donald and love spicy food, add the full tablespoon of gochujang or even a bit more. If you've got kids who don't like heat, just leave it out completely. The ginger and garlic still give it tons of flavor.

Serve it with something to soak up the sauce. We usually have these over rice or mashed potatoes because that sauce is too good to waste. Sometimes I'll make some quick egg noodles or even just have crusty bread on the side.

Try different wines if you can't find Shaoxing. Dry sherry is the closest substitute, but I've also used a dry white wine in a pinch and it turned out fine.

What have you found works best when you make braised dishes? Do you have a favorite way to serve short ribs?

Garlic Ginger Braised Beef Short Ribs FAQs

What Is The Best Cut Of Beef For Garlic Ginger Braised Short Ribs?

Bone-in beef short ribs are definitely the way to go for this recipe. The bones add so much flavor to the braising liquid, and there's something about meat cooked on the bone that just tastes better. I usually look for English-cut short ribs, which are cut across the bone in thick pieces.

If you can only find boneless short ribs, they'll still work fine – just know that the sauce won't be quite as rich and the meat might cook a tiny bit faster. I'd start checking them around the 2 ½ hour mark instead of 3 hours.

Can I Make Garlic Ginger Braised Beef Short Ribs Without Gochujang?

Absolutely! I make them without gochujang all the time when Sarah's eating with us because she's not big on spicy food. The braised short ribs still taste incredible thanks to all that ginger and garlic.

If you want a little heat but don't have gochujang, you can use sambal oelek or any chili garlic sauce you have on hand. Or just skip it completely – the dish is still packed with flavor from the aromatics and the soy sauce.

How Do I Know When Braised Short Ribs Are Done And Tender?

This is a great question because these aren't like a steak where you check the temperature and you're done. With braised beef short ribs, you're looking for the meat to be falling-off-the-bone tender.

The best way to tell is to look at the meat. When it's pulling away from the bone and looks like it might fall apart if you touched it, it's ready. I usually test it by poking it gently with a fork – if the fork slides in super easily and the meat starts to shred, you're good to go.

Don't worry if it takes the full 3 ½ hours or even a bit longer. Every oven is different, and some cuts of meat are just thicker than others. It's hard to overcook these, so when in doubt, give them more time.

Can Garlic Ginger Braised Beef Short Ribs Be Made Ahead Of Time Or Frozen?

Yes! These are actually perfect for making ahead. I love cooking them the day before we want to eat them because the flavors get even better overnight in the fridge. Just reheat them gently on the stove or in the oven before serving.

You can also freeze them for up to 3 to 4 months. I portion them out into individual servings with the sauce, then freeze them in freezer-safe containers. When you want to eat them, thaw them in the fridge overnight and reheat.

The sauce might separate a little when you reheat frozen short ribs, but just give it a good stir and it'll come back together. Sometimes I add a tiny splash of stock when reheating if it seems too thick.

Recipes You May Like

• Tender Slow Cooker Beef Stew For Comforting Nights – Another hands-off beef recipe that's perfect for busy weeknights when you want something hearty and delicious
• Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken For Tender Comfort – If you love the ginger and garlic flavors in these short ribs, this chicken dish has a similar Asian-inspired profile
• Tender Balsamic Slow Cooker Pot Roast – Another fall-apart tender beef recipe that's great for Sunday dinners with the family

Final Thoughts On These Amazing Short Ribs

I hope you give these garlic ginger braised beef short ribs a try! They're honestly one of my favorite things to make when I want something special but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen doing actual work. The oven does most of it for you.

The combination of ginger, garlic, and soy sauce creates this rich, savory sauce that I could honestly drink with a spoon (don't tell anyone I said that). And there's nothing quite like watching everyone's faces when they take that first bite and the meat just melts in their mouth.

Make sure to save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it again when you're ready to make them. And let me know how they turn out for you – I always love hearing about your cooking adventures!

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