I had my first taste of BBQ Short Ribs at an iconic Evanston/Chicagoland restaurant called Joy-Yees when I was in my teens. The problem was they weren’t cheap so we would get them sparingly. However, I didn’t find out much later into my adulthood how easy and cheaper it was to make short ribs on your own at home!
Thinly cut short ribs are one of my favorite cuts because you get so much flavor from the fat and the bones when you cook them. They are great to share because the bones naturally segment the ribs into portions which you can cut and distribute, usually about three bones/pieces per rib. Not to mention everything but the bone is both edible and delectable. Chewing the tendons around the rib is my favorite part! It makes me feel like I’m enjoying every last bit.
All About That Marinade
Another thing that makes short ribs delicious is they are usually prepared in a marinade so they soak up a lot of flavor before they’re cooked. I especially love when marinades include some sugar so you get the caramelization & char on the outside when you grill them. Below are three of my go-to marinades depending on what I have in stock or am feeling that day. You can use these portions for 2-3 lb batches. Just make sure to fully immerse your ribs to get the most out of the marinades.
Marinade (Korean Style) – The soy, sesame oil, and brown sugar give the ribs a distinct flavor. The addition of gochujang gives it a spice that is distinctly Korean.
- 1 Cup Soy Sauce
- 1/4 Rice Vinegar
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds (optional)
- 1 Green Onion Chopped
- 5 Minced Garlic Cloves
- 3 tbs Gochujang – Korean red pepper paste (Optional for spice)
Marinade (Filipino Style) – Filipino marinades almost always include a distinct vinegar flavor, accented with sugar, black pepper and garlic.
- 1 Cup Soy Sauce
- 1/2 Cup Lime Soda (Sprite, Sierra Mist, etc…)
- 1/2 Cup White Vinegar
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 5 Minced Garlic Cloves
- 1 Green Onion Chopped
Marinade (Filipino Style B) – If you’re craving the Filipino flavor but want to take a more streamlined route, Mama Sita’s BBQ Marinade is an amazing alternative. I like to add a few accents to my Mama Sita’s with lime, garlic and green onions.
- 2 Cups Mama Sita’s BBQ Marinade
- 1/4 Cup Lime Juice
- 5 Minced Garlic Cloves
- 1 Green Onion Chopped
Any one of these marinade recipes will be sure to elevate the delicious beef flavor already found in the short ribs. They’re most certainly not required and you can go with a good salt and pepper seasoning, but my favorite way to enjoy them is with the right marinade.
Three Ways to Cook Short Ribs
There are a variety of ways to cook beef short ribs but each way is going to give your short ribs a distinct flavor and texture.
Grilling
Fire up your gas or charcoal grill and get it up to a medium heat. Cook your short ribs about 3-5 minutes each side. Make sure to adjust you grill time to account for possible flare ups. You will want to manage this so your ribs don’t burn or dry out, so keep an eye on them. Short ribs are thin so they will cook through relatively quickly. What I love about grilling short ribs is getting a nice caramelization with the sugar in your marinade and also getting that bit of char from the direct heat, so you can use a flare up to your advantage!
Stove Top
If you don’t have a grill, or cooperating weather, you can always cook beef short ribs on a large pan. We have a large cast iron grill top / griddle that we like to use for indoor grilling which works great too. Beef short ribs should have a decent amount of fat already in the meat so there will be little need for additional oil. Simply set your flame to medium and get your pan hot but not searing hot. You do not want to immediately burn any sugar in the marinade otherwise you’ll end up with a lot of black sticky gunk at the bottom of your pan. Cook through and allow the sugars to caramelize. You won’t be disappointed.
My New Method: Oven Braise and Air Fry
Now that we have an air fryer in our cooking arsenal, I decided to make today’s ribs (the feature picture of this post) using a two step method. First, I marinated the ribs in my custom Mama Sita’s mix for a couple of hours. Then I placed them in a glass baking dish filled with the same marinade and made sure they were immersed. I covered the baking dish with foil and placed a clean cookie sheet on top to seal in the heat. Then I braised them in the oven at 250 F for about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
By braising them in the oven I am able to ensure they are cooked straight through and can further absorb the flavor of the marinade before the second step which is finishing them in the air fryer.
To finish them simply place them flat in an air fryer basket and fry at 400F for about 5 minutes or until you get the texture to your liking. I go for a browned outside with some crisp on the edges but I am careful not to dry out the meat.
I Really Love This New Method
What I love about this last cooking method is that you can reduce the fat content a bit by braising first and then air frying the short ribs. Although, you are left with a good amount of flavorful beef drippings after braising. It is tempting not to use, but it is a perfect finishing or dipping sauce for serving your ribs. At least you can control how much you put back, right?! 🙂
PRO TIP: A couple spoonfuls of leftover sauce make a GREAT base for fried rice, so fire up the wok! I’m really not selling the healthy angle well. idc.
Other reasons I like this method is when I do have to cook indoors I prefer to reduce the smoke which can be a nuisance when grilling on a stove top. I can still get some texture from air frying, I just have to wait a little longer.
Secondly, ribs are fatty. You are guaranteed to get oil splatter when you cook. Doing them in the oven spares you from the extra cleanup.
Lastly, we almost always make too much since our kids don’t really eat what we make (they’re 4 and 2). Braising the beef allows me to have it fully cooked and storable before I finish it, so all I have to do if I want leftovers the next day is put a few in the air fryer for 5 minutes and they’re brand new.
Enjoy!
