Black & Sweet Shortribs
These beauties are both short and sweet.
The presentation on these beef short ribs is striking with their blackened colour, but don’t let that scare you away. I promise you they are far from burnt. Their flavour is sweet and tangy, and completely irresistible. Best of all? After a quick searing, these bad boys go right into the slow cooker so you can forget about them for hours.
Pair this incredible dish with buttery mashed potatoes and roasted beets, or try my super easy Savoury Onion Pie for something even tastier.
Ingredients:
(Note: This recipe serves 2-3 and can easily be doubled for a larger serving.)
6 beef short ribs pieces, 4” long
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup dark soya sauce
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white vinegar
4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh parsley to garnish (optional)
Directions:
Add 1/2 tbsp of olive oil to a large frying pan or cast iron skillet and bring to high heat. Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture and sprinkle salt and pepper on each side of your short ribs. Sear the ribs for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and set aside.
In your slow cooker add 1/2 cup of dark soya sauce, 1/2 cup of water, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup white vinegar, and 4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved. Mix ingredients together and then transfer short ribs into the cooker.
Set slow cooker to ‘high’ and cook for 5-6 hours (this will depend on how many ribs you have in the cooker and how thick they are.) Check the ribs at the 3 hour mark and rotate them to ensure they are fully covered by the liquid. If they require more liquid add 1/4 cup of water.
Once cooked the ribs with easily tear and be fork tender. Switch slow cooker heat to ‘warm’. Transfer ~1 cup of the cooking liquid to a small saucepan and add 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of brown sugar.
Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil down the liquid until it thickens slightly. If mixture is too salty add 1 tbsp of additional brown sugar and/or 1bsp of water and continue whisking/boiling down until you reach your desired flavour. (You can also thicken with cornstarch if you prefer.)
Plate the short ribs and drizzle a few spoonfuls of syrup over the top.
Garnish with fresh parsley (optional).
Serve and enjoy!
Notes: I like to serve this dish with my Savoury Onion Pie and a house salad, but with a few garnish and side changes this meal easily transforms. For an Asian take on this recipe, drizzle a bit of sesame oil over the finished ribs and top with roasted sesame seeds and scallions. Serve with rice and steamed broccoli.
