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Spice-Crusted Slow-Roasted Medium-Rare Beef Short Ribs

By Mark Huxsoll

Published on June 21, 2022

Time

1¾ hours, plus 2 hours salting time

Yield

Serves 4

Spice-Crusted Slow-Roasted Medium-Rare Beef Short Ribs

Ingredients

Short Ribs

1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon pepper 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon ground allspice 2 pounds boneless beef short ribs 1½ to 2 inches thick, 2 inches wide, and 4 to 5 inches long, trimmed1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Browned Butter Steak Sauce

8 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons minced shallot 1 garlic clove, minced¼ cup Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 teaspoons pepper

Before You Begin

Plan ahead: The salted short ribs need to sit for at least 2 hours before cooking. You should have about 1½ pounds of meat after trimming.

Instructions

    for the short ribs

  1.  Combine salt, pepper, sugar, smoked paprika, coriander, and allspice in small bowl. Pat short ribs dry and sprinkle all over with salt mixture. Transfer to large plate, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
  2.  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Evenly space short ribs on prepared rack. Roast until meat registers between 135 and 140 degrees, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
  3. for the browned butter steak sauce

  4.  Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking frequently, until milk solids in butter are color of milk chocolate and have nutty aroma, 3 to 5 minutes. Add shallot and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in Worcestershire, vinegar, Dijon, sugar, soy sauce, and pepper; set aside.
  5.  Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear short ribs until well browned on top and bottom, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.
  6.  Reheat sauce over medium heat, whisking frequently, until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Slice short ribs against grain as thin as possible. Serve, passing sauce separately.
Spice-Crusted Slow-Roasted Medium-Rare Beef Short Ribs
Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Elle Simone.

Spice-Crusted Slow-Roasted Medium-Rare Beef Short Ribs

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Time

1¾ hours, plus 2 hours salting time

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

Short Ribs

1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground allspice
2 pounds boneless beef short ribs 1½ to 2 inches thick, 2 inches wide, and 4 to 5 inches long, trimmed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Browned Butter Steak Sauce

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

Short Ribs

1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground allspice
2 pounds boneless beef short ribs 1½ to 2 inches thick, 2 inches wide, and 4 to 5 inches long, trimmed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Browned Butter Steak Sauce

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

Short Ribs

1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground allspice
2 pounds boneless beef short ribs 1½ to 2 inches thick, 2 inches wide, and 4 to 5 inches long, trimmed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Browned Butter Steak Sauce

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

For a different take on a tougher cut of beef, we applied a tried-and-true technique for cooking steaks: reverse searing. We first cooked the ribs until they were medium-rare—about an hour in a 275-degree oven. Next, we quickly browned them over high heat on the stovetop to create a flavorful crust. Salting and seasoning the short ribs with brown sugar, smoked paprika, ground coriander, and ground allspice before cooking seasoned them all the way through and aided in tenderizing the meat and retaining juices. The slow cook also helped break down the muscle fibers to ensure tenderness. For a luxurious sauce, we dressed up browned butter with shallot, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard.

Before You Begin

Plan ahead: The salted short ribs need to sit for at least 2 hours before cooking. You should have about 1½ pounds of meat after trimming.

Instructions

    for the short ribs

  1.  Combine salt, pepper, sugar, smoked paprika, coriander, and allspice in small bowl. Pat short ribs dry and sprinkle all over with salt mixture. Transfer to large plate, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
  2.  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Evenly space short ribs on prepared rack. Roast until meat registers between 135 and 140 degrees, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
  3. for the browned butter steak sauce

  4.  Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking frequently, until milk solids in butter are color of milk chocolate and have nutty aroma, 3 to 5 minutes. Add shallot and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in Worcestershire, vinegar, Dijon, sugar, soy sauce, and pepper; set aside.
  5.  Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear short ribs until well browned on top and bottom, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.
  6.  Reheat sauce over medium heat, whisking frequently, until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Slice short ribs against grain as thin as possible. Serve, passing sauce separately.

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