Are back ribs different than short ribs?

Back ribs are 6 to 8-inches long and come from the rib primal. Short ribs are much thicker and meatier. They also have a layer of fat on the exterior. Short ribs only include three to five ribs, and back ribs can contain up to seven ribs.

Can I use boneless short ribs for this recipe?

Yes you can! They will fall apart more than bone-on short ribs, and there is no need to cut them before cooking. Instead, once they are tender, you can break the meat apart into chunks to serve.

What does "braising meat" mean?

Braising just refers to the process of cooking in liquid at low heat for a long time and in a covered container (like our slow cooker!) It is a method of cooking that is commonly reserved for more tough cuts of meat like beef chuck or pork butt , lamb shanks or beef ribs. However vegetables, poultry and quicker cooking cut of meats can also be braised for a relatively shorter amount of time. My friend Molly wrote an award-winning book All About Braising . I highly recommend it if you are interested in diving into learning more about braising.

What happens if you cook ribs too fast?

If you cook ribs too quickly they'll come out tough and dry. Cooking ribs is all about patience and enjoying the delicious smell wafting through the house as they cook.

Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Short Ribs

Name: Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Short Ribs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 ¾ – 2 pounds beef short ribs, cut between the bone into 4 portions* (preferably grass-fed); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon avocado oil or organic canola oil, divided; 2 8-ounce containers sliced white mushrooms; 3 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar; 2 tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or soy sauce; 2 teaspoons finely grated ginger root; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil; Generous pinch red chili flake; Chopped scallions and sesame seeds for garnish

Description

Don’t be intimidated by the name, these slow cooker short ribs take only 15 minutes to get into the crockpot. Then they become meltingly tender and so spicy and sweet! I love the flavor and the umami sauce with mushroom and soy.

Ingredients

Scale

1 ¾ – 2 pounds beef short ribs, cut between the bone into 4 portions* (preferably grass-fed)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon avocado oil or organic canola oil, divided
2 8-ounce containers sliced white mushrooms
3 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
2 tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
2 teaspoons finely grated ginger root
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Generous pinch red chili flake
Chopped scallions and sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

Pat ribs dry and sprinkle with salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add ribs, and sear until browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Turn over and continue cooking until browned on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer the ribs, bone-side down, to the insert of a large slow cooker.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often until starting to release their juices. Remove from heat and stir in coconut sugar, Bragg’s Aminos or soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil and red chili flake. Pour the mushrooms over the ribs (do not stir.) Cover and set timer on low for 6 hours.
Gently remove ribs to four plates with tongs. Spoon fat off sauce. Serve ribs with sauce on top and scallions and sesame seeds added for garnish.

Notes

*With the bone, 1 ¾ pounds of bone-in short ribs will give you 4 portions of cooked meat. Depending on how you purchase them you will have either 8 small or 4 standard ribs

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Category: Main Course
Method: Slow Cooker
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 small ribs
Calories: 253
Sugar: 13 g
Fat: 37 g
Carbohydrates: 15 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 16 g

Keywords: slow cooker short ribs, easy short rib recipe,asian short ribs,soy ginger short ribs