Beef ribs slow braised in a silky, shiny homemade barbecue sauce until the meat is fall apart and ridiculously juicy inside, and the outside is bronzed and sticky. Also known as beef short ribs, this is one of the best cuts of beef for slow cooking, far superior to beef chuck.
100% perfect for make ahead and freezing!
Slow cooked BBQ Beef Ribs
Beef ribs are the king of all beef cuts for slow cooking (pretty sure I said that in my Beef Short Ribs in Red Wine Sauce too). They are juicier than brisket and chuck (there’s always a few lean-ish patches, that’s just the way that cut is). Beef Cheeks come close, but ribs have one big thing going for them that cheeks do not:
THE BONE.
I don’t know what it is about fall apart meat on a bone, but it gets me every time. Hence my ever increasing collection of lamb shank recipes. And pork ribs. And now it seems I’ve moved onto beef ribs!
If you’re new to beef ribs, this is an excellent way to introduce them into your life, and I’ll wager that they’ll become a regular fixture. The sweet-savoury flavour of the BBQ Sauce is a perfect match with the beefy flavour of ribs.
And it’s virtually a foolproof recipe – you just need to ensure it’s cooked long enough so the beef becomes like THIS:
BBQ Beef Ribs Rub
Here’s what you need for the Rub. There’s quite a few substitutions possible so don’t fret if you don’t have every item:
Beef Ribs
Beef ribs do come in a variety of cuts, but I’m using the most common cut (here in Australia) which is also called beef short ribs. It’s a chunky rectangle block, cut with individual bones and are very meaty.
They shrink about 30% so try to get big meaty ones. But if you can only get small ones ~250g/8oz, that’s still ok!
Beef rib RACK: sometimes you see beef ribs in rack form. They typically have less meat on them. They will work great in this recipe too – see recipe card for directions. However, make sure you do NOT use the rib racks that come vac packed – these have been brined and will be too salty (read ingredients, if it has anything in it other than beef, then it’s brined ie salt injected).
Beef alternative cuts: beef cheeks and chuck (cut into baseball size chunks) will both work really great here. For brisket, use the Barbecue Beef Brisket recipe.
Other meats: For pork ribs, use this recipe and for chicken, use this recipe.
Rub substitutions:
Brown sugar – sub white
Garlic powder – 1 tsp minced garlic (using press) per 1 tsp powder
Onion powder – garlic powder
Mustard powder – dijon or standard mustard
If subbing fresh garlic or mustard spread, then rub those wet ingredients on first before pressing into dry rub.
Beef Ribs braising liquid / homemade BBQ sauce
And here’s what you need for the homemade BBQ Sauce which doubles as the braising liquid for the beef ribs (so it absorbs flavour as it slow cooks which is why we don’t need to marinate these ribs):
Ketchup is the primary flavour base for homemade barbecue sauce. You’ll find it in all my barbecue sauce flavoured recipes, including this (easy!) midweek Baked BBQ Chicken, BBQ Pork Ribs, Pulled Pork with BBQ Sauce and slow cooked brisket with BBQ Sauce. Sub with Aussie Tomato Sauce – it’s almost as good;
Cider vinegar – the tang in homemade barbecue sauce. Sub with white wine vinegar, sherry or Champagne vinegar OR 1/3 cup normal white vinegar;
Brown sugar – barbecue sauce is sweet. If you don’t like sweet, you can cut it back.
Garlic – I really like using fresh but powder is fine too;
Onion powder – sub garlic powder;
Mustard powder – sub with dijon or normal yellow mustard (not hot English mustard! Unless you WANT the heat!)
Worcestershire Sauce – savoury element. Soy sauce (all purpose or light) is an acceptable sub (it won’t make it Asiany);
Cayenne – for a hum of warmth. This is not overly spicy. If you’re concerned, start with less and you can adjust right at the end. If you like it hot, start with the recipe amount then add hot sauce at the end.
How to make BBQ Beef Ribs
Dead easy – everything goes into the pan, then you slow cook it in a moderate oven until the meat is fall apart tender. It’s fabulously foolproof because there’s a big window before the meat will start to dry out from overcooking – I’ve left it in 1 1/2 hours too long and it was STILL juicy!
Pro tip: make in advance
If you’re a first timer or worried about cook timing for a scheduled meal (re: whether it will take longer for the beef to become fall-apart tender), make it earlier in the day or even the day before…or the day before! As with all slow cooked things (like stews, shanks), the flavour gets better with time and it’s really straightforward to reheat.
That makes this a sensational dinner party option! It plates up really elegantly, posh restaurant style – and I have options below for fine-dining type sides instead of the hearty finger-licking type sides pictured (Coleslaw and steamed corn, classic BBQ sides)
Here’s a close up look at the homemade Barbecue Sauce you end up with in the pan. The beauty of this method of cooking is that the juices from the ribs mix in with the sauce, so you’re essentially making it with the ultimate money-can’t-buy beef stock!
ANOTHER PRO TIP: For a posh restaurant experience, strain the sauce to make it silky smooth. I do this for VIPs only.😂
Grilling option!
In the recipe video, I make this entirely in the oven, including the caramelisation at the end. But if it were warmer weather, I would have finished it on the BBQ! I’ve included directions for grilling in the recipe.
What to serve with BBQ Beef Ribs
As promised, I’m going to offer up a couple of different options for how to serve beef ribs – rustic, finger lickin’ barbecue style OR elegant fine dining style (and yep, beef ribs certainly appear on the menu of fine dining restaurants, prized for the juicy qualities and because it CAN be plated up elegantly):
Rustic Finger Lickin’ Good Barbecue Sides
I don’t know what it is about sides with mayo based dressings, but they just go so well with anything glazed with barbecue sauce!
My picks: Steamed corn, our best No Mayo Coleslaw, Green Bean Salad with Cherry Tomato Feta, cornbread (for mopping).
Elegant sides, fine dining style
My picks for a posh plate: Potato Gratin Stacks, Garlic Sautéed Spinach, Garlic Mushrooms.
Whichever way you go, it will be a hit. I know it, you know it! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Slow cooked Beef Ribs with barbecue sauce (beef short ribs)
Ingredients
- 6 x 300 – 350g / 10 – 12 oz beef ribs (aka beef short ribs) (Note 1), patted dry
RUB:
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (sub white)
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder (sub 1 tsp fresh garlic)
- 1 tsp onion powder (sub garlic powder)
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 3/4 tsp mustard powder (Note 2)
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (reduce by 25% for table salt, increase 50% for salt flakes)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Barbecue SAUCE:
- 2 garlic cloves , minced (sub 2 tsp powder)
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (Note 2 subs)
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup , or Aussie tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar , loosely packed (ie don't pack it tight)(sub white)
- 2 tsp EACH black pepper, onion powder, mustard powder (Note 2)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste re: spiciness)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (sub soy sauce)
- 2 cups water
Optional garnish:
- Parsley or chives , chopped
Instructions
SUMMARY DIRECTIONS:
- Coat ribs in rub, mix sauce except water in pan, then add water. Bake ribs in sauce covered 3.5 hrs at 160°C/320°F, turn, then 30 min uncovered. Serve!
FULL DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F (both fan & standard).
- Rub – Mix Rub in a small bowl large, enough to fit one rib. Press beef ribs into the rub, coating all sides. Shake off excess.
- BBQ Sauce – Mix Barbecue Sauce ingredients, except water, in a baking pan. Then mix in water.
- Coat – Place ribs in sauce, turning to coat. Arrange meat side down in the sauce, bone side exposed (sauce won't cover completely, that's ok).
- Bake 3.5 hours – Cover tightly with foil or lid, bake 3 1/2 hours. Remove from oven, remove foil. Turn ribs (some may have fall over, that's ok, just turn them). Spoon over sauce.
- Bake 30 min – Bake 30 minutes uncovered, spooning over sauce again halfway through, until surface is caramelised and sticky. Check to ensure ribs are tender – pry a bit apart using two forks. (If not, cover and return to oven, but after 4 hrs they certainly should be!)
- Serve – Remove ribs onto serving plate (use a spoon as meat will barely be attached to bone, if at all). Mix sauce to bring together (Note 3 on adjustments). Serve with ribs! (See below for serving suggestions)
Recipe Notes:
- Share platter (rustic!): Serve ribs on a platter for people to help themselves with some sauce on it, and some sauce on the side for people to help themselves.
- Individual posh restaurant style: place rib on plate, spoon over sauce (see note about straining option). Garnish.
- See in post for side options (both rustic and posh!).
1. Beef Ribs – comes in a variety of cuts. For this recipe, you want the chunky rectangle block cut, often called Beef Short Ribs. See photo in post. They come cut in individual bones and are very meaty. They shrink about 30% so try to get big meaty ones. But if you can only get small ones ~250g/8oz, that’s still ok! Beef ribs racks (less meaty, bones not separated) – use anywhere between 1.5 – 2.5kg / 3- 5lb (this recipe requires a minimum amount of braising liquid and it makes tons of sauce, more than needed for the beef ribs). Oven time will vary depending on meatiness, but for average racks, I’d say 2.5 hrs covered, 30 min uncovered (but check at 1.5 hrs). You may need to scale up the Rub slightly (more surface area) ALTERNATIVE MEATS: Beef cheeks (easily 2kg/4lb, beef chuck cut into baseball size chunks (2kg/4lb). For both these, check at 2 hrs, total oven time ~3 hrs. For brisket, use the Barbecue Beef Brisket recipe. For pork ribs, use this recipe and for chicken, use this recipe. DO NOT buy beef ribs that come in a vac pack where the ingredients label has salt or any other ingredient other than beef (these are brined so they’re salty, so this will come out too salty). If you’re desperateand brined beef is all you can get, leave a comment below and I’ll tell you how to adjust the recipe. 2. Ingredient subs:
- Mustard powder – dijon or yellow mustard
- Cider vinegar – white wine vinegar, sherry or Champagne vinegar OR 1/3 cup normal white vinegar.
- Stove – 2.5 hours on low simmer, lid on (handle with care when removing)
- Slow cooker – 8 hrs on low, 5 hrs on high, then transfer to oven to caramelise 30 min uncovered, per recipe.
- Pressure cooker – 1 hr on high, follow slow cooker directions above. Depressurise naturally for 10 min, then release valve.
- Instant Pot – Follow slow cooker directions above but do the searing in your Instant Pot. Cook using slow cooker or pressure cooker function using above times.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Calendar boy!
This calendar was a gift. And I was secretly extra thrilled because I thought it might be borderline too crazy-dog-lady to make one myself.
So I keep my fingers crossed every year on my birthday and Christmas that someone will give me a Dozer calendar. Eight years in, and I’ve never had to!! Someone always comes through! 😂
Hi Nagi
I am wanting to make the BBQ Beef short ribs but have only been able to buy the ribs in cyvac packs.
How do I adjust the recipe to take this into account please.
Love your recipes….so good
Kind Regards
Kaye
How long would the sauce last in the fridge? Or is it better to freeze the leftover sauce?
Hey Nagi, long time user of MANY of your recipes and HUGE fan… as are my family!! I love beef ribs and had them many moons ago slow cooked overnight with a peppercorn sauce and shoe string fries…. Is there any way you could pretty please share a similar recipe, I would be forever in your debt!!! TIA Maria
Hmmmm we did this in the pressure cooker following the instructions above and found that the fat hadn’t rendered down and they were quite fatty still… any advice on what to try next time?
Made this for last night’s dinner and loved it even though it was a bit too sweet for us. Nagi if I have the sugar content will it still create the same glaze?
If I put in frozen beef ribs, can I increase the cooking time? Thanks
Tonight, we tried this recipe in our new slow cooker with the last 30 mins in the oven for caramelisation. It was GOOD!! My son told me to add this to our family’s favourite recipes so that I can cook again.
Thank you for giving tips on alternative ingredients that we can use. They are very handy.
I tried to look for the ribs in Coles but couldn’t find them. So, I went to a butcher outside Coles and told them I wanted to use a slow cooker. They got me the short ribs and the ribs were great!
This site makes me hungry; What is your top tip for grilling? Thanks
I can only get tge beef short ribs with ingredients 13g salt.. Help
Hi Joanne – I would reduce salt in Rub down to 1/2 tsp, and reduce the Worcestershire to 2 tsp! Enjoy!! N x
Can I do this in the pressure cooker to speed up the process (before putting it in the oven to finish)? Would I need to alter the recipe?
can short ribs bee grilled in a traeger smoker grill ? if so what temp. and time?
I haven’t done testing on a Traeger so I couldn’t tell you that – sorry Kyle! N x
I cooked this short ribs recipe and my hubby loved it,
Woo hoo!! I’m glad he liked it Ella!! N x
You are my go to for all my recipes now ,I’ve even got my granddaughter on to it ❤️. Today I’m making beef short ribs
Woo hoo Judy! That’s great!! N x
Outstanding!!! Second time I made them: everyone wants the recipe! I will be making the short ribs again in a couple of weeks. Thank you Nagi!
Woo hoo Deb!!! Enjoy! N x
Second time around. An absolute winner.
Thank you Nagi
I’ve done these 4 times now, what a winner
Woo hoo Stephen!! I am so glad that you enjoyed them!! N x
This has become a family favourite! You mentioned in Note 7 that you can refer to the post to see how to use the leftover sauce… where will I find this? Thanks Nagi! Love this, and many more of your recipes x
Such a great recipe, thank-you. I’ve been pretty low energy this week fighting Covid, but had purchased the ribs before I got sick and needed to do something with them. The only changes I made were using prepared mustard and fresh garlic. I liberally slathered the ribs in the garlic and mustard first, then coated them in the rub. While I wondered about the amount of water in the bbq sauce, I went for it, so glad I did. I was able to just put the covered pan in the oven and forget about it (which is super good as my energy was pretty low by then)
My non-cook of a boyfriend was able to easily finish them off with simple instructions.
So nice and tender and delicious with just the right amount of heat from the cayenne. I only wish I’d had more of an appetite.
This one is definitely being added to my recipe collection, I’m sure I can find many other uses for the BBQ sauce (pulled chicken, meatballs)
Oh Nancy you poor thing!!n I hope that you are feeling better soon!!! N x
Hi Nagi, I am really dying to make this recipe but cannot find short ribs. Instead I bought something called “Beef Finger Meat” which is basically the meat that exists between the bones of beef ribs. Can I subsitute with this?
Hi Sarah – you need the ones with the bones in for this recipe! Sorry…N x
I can only get the ribs in vac pac can you please send me the alterations needed.
Thanks
Hi Pam – you can’t use the vac packed brined ribs for this – they are just too salty. Sorry! N x
I can only get the ribs in vac pac can you please send me the alterations needed.
Thanks
Wow-we did the recipe with a little cayenne for extra kick-OHHHHHHH MYYYYYY! Wish I could attach photo-the ribs were incredible!