Prune and Almond Braised Short Ribs Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best cut of meat for braised short ribs? ›

Choosing the right cut of short rib:

Look for well-marbled, bone-in short ribs with a good amount of meat versus fat. This marbling adds flavor and keeps the meat moist during the cooking process. Opt for bone-in ribs as they contribute to the richness of the dish and provide additional depth to the braising liquid.

Short ribs are a flavorful cut of meat from the beef chuck, brisket, plate, or rib area. Like other tough cuts of meat, when slow cooked, short ribs break down and become incredibly tender and delicious.

It really doesn't matter either way since the meat is going to fall off the bone after it is cooked, and the meat becomes so tender that it's easy to separate into individual servings.

If they aren't braised long enough, they can be super tough to eat; if they are cooked too long, the meat will just fall apart. The key to preparing short ribs is to cook them until they reach a point that is just before they would fall apart.

Braising allows the ribs to tenderize while bathing in a flavorful liquid, absorbing the flavors as they also melt their connective tissue and release their own meaty essences into the mix. You end up with a meat and a sauce that are ideally suited to each other and are both incredibly tasty.

When the rib bone is cut into a 3-to-6-inch (7.6 to 15.2 cm) length, left as a section of meat (a "plate") containing three or four ribs or cut into individual ribs with meat attached, the short rib is known as an "English cut". They may also be known as barbecue ribs, braising ribs, or fancy cut ribs.

Can you overcook beef short ribs. No, you cannot overcooked braised beef short ribs. In fact, the longer the short ribs braise in the liquid the more tender and delicious they become. However, for this recipe, I would not recommend cooking until the meat becomes so tender that it begins to shred.

Short ribs that are cooked completely submerged in liquid will come out with a thin, watery sauce, while those cooked in just a thin layer of liquid—enough to provide a moist environment under your Dutch oven's lid—will produce a rich, flavorful sauce.

Technically, yes. Anything can become overcooked in the slow cooker if it goes for too long. Fortunately, since there's plenty of liquid in a stew, there's very little risk of that happening in this recipe. Still, I don't recommend cooking longer than the 8 hours listed!

At this point, if you want any additional thickening, you can add a small amount of cornstarch slurry to get you the rest of the way there, just enough to ensure your sauce coats the back of a spoon but not so much that it's obvious cornstarch has been used.

Do you braise meat with lid on or off? ›

Cover and keep it at a low simmer on the stovetop or in the oven at 350 degrees F. Cooking low and slow breaks down the tough meat so it's tender and delicious. Check on it occasionally. The liquid level needs to remain the same, so add more if necessary.

For best results, do not allow the braising liquid to boil; adjust your burner to the lowest setting (the liquid should be at a bare simmer), or braise in a slow oven set between 275°F (135°C) and 300°F (150°C).

You will need to brown the short ribs before braising. Using a dutch oven or a sauté pan, add the short ribs on one layer and use medium-high heat to brown them. Sear them on each side and let them get a deep brown. Browning is an art form that can take years of practice.

Slow-Cooker Short Ribs Tips

Braise short ribs for six to eight hours in a slow cooker set on low. Don't try to speed up the cooking process. Short ribs can become tough and chewy if they're cooked too quickly.

Checking for doneness of smoked beef short ribs

Beef short ribs should get to an internal temperature of around 96C/205F - at this point the connective tissue and intramuscular fat should have broken down to create beautifully tender and soft meat, packed with juice and flavour.

Chuck Roast

This cut of meat is a great budget-friendly option for braising. In addition, chuck roast is beautifully marbled, so it's already a step ahead when it comes to juiciness.

Flavorful, easy-to-prep boneless short ribs aren't actually cut from the rib section of the cow, as their name implies. They are cut from the chuck, or shoulder, of the animal. For that reason, chuck roast is the best substitute when boneless short ribs are unavailable.

Beef ribs tend to be fattier and more flavorful than pork ribs, although pork spareribs, cut from the sternum, are also fattier and pretty darn tasty. One thing that differentiates the two is where the meat comes from. Beef back ribs are leftover from where the ribeye is cut away, which makes them less meaty.