Korean Oven Braised Short Ribs [+Video]
We cannot wait to share this Korean Oven Braised Short Ribs recipe with you! It’s a saucy, tender, flavorful twist on our Oven Braised Short Ribs!
Remember how I said it was my favorite recipe of all time? Well it still is, but this Korean inspired version is just as delicious. The short ribs melt in your mouth and the flavors make you want to party like it’s 1999. Wait, that was already 20 years ago. 20! Mind blown!
Ok, back to these short ribs! Where do we even start?! This recipe for Korean Oven Braised Short Ribs is even more wildly delicious than it looks! They look like you’ve slaved away in the kitchen for hours and days, but they are so easy! They practically cook themselves!
The key ingredient in this, besides the short ribs themselves, is gochujang. It is a backbone of Korean cooking and has the most incredible flavor! It makes the ribs a little sweet and a little spicy and whole lot delicious!
What is Gochujang?
Gochujang is a red chili paste that also contains glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, salt, and occasionally sweeteners. It’s thick and sticky and can be quite spicy and very concentrated and pungent in flavor.
- Is Gochujang spicy? I am a big wimp when it comes to spiciness, so I usually get a pretty mild variety. The heat can vary depending on what brand you buy, so check the label for the heat indicator. We like this one.
- Where do you buy gochujang? You can find gochujang at any grocery store. It will be in the Asian food section near the soy sauce and teriyaki sauce. You can also get it on Amazon.
- Substitute for gochujang – While nothing will get you quite the same flavor as gochujang, there are few things that can be used as a substitute:
- Red pepper paste like Sambal Oelek
- Sriracha chili sauce or Thai chili paste
- Tomato paste (only if you are totally desperate!)
All the Flavors
While the gochujang makes this dish quintessentially Korean, we use several other ingredients that are common to Korean cuisine:
- sesame oil
- soy sauce
- fresh ginger
- garlic
- salt
We also love the addition of lime zest and juice in this! It gives it a fresh pop of flavor that is subtle but fabulous! Then of course you have all the garnishes that make it Asian inspired like sesame seeds, red chili pepper, and green onions.
What is Braising?
Braising…it sounds so complicated and professional, but really, there’s nothing to it! It is a combination-cooking method that uses both wet and dry heat. Generally, the food is first sautéed or seared at a high temperature, and then finished in a covered pot at a lower temperature while sitting in liquid.
For these short ribs, we dredge them flour, salt and pepper, and then brown them all sides in a dutch oven. After sauteing some garlic and ginger, the liquids are added to the dutch oven and it all goes into oven to braise.
What are Short Ribs?
Short ribs are a cut of beef similar to the spare rib in pork. Short ribs are meatier and thicker than spare ribs. The name “short rib” comes from the fact that the cut of meat contains only a portion of each long beef rib. You can purchase short ribs bone-in or boneless, but we prefer bone-in for this dish. Leaving that bone in adds so much flavor, and when the meat falls off the bones, you know you are in for a real treat! Now I’m drooling!
Can Short Ribs be Cooked in the Instant Pot?
The short answer is yes. The long answer is you might not want to. Head to our post on our Oven Braised Short Ribs for all the details for using the Instant Pot.
Side Dishes
These Korean Oven Braised Short Ribs are so hearty that you almost don’t need anything else, but a side dish or two is always nice. We like to keep it simple and just saute up some snap peas or steam some broccoli.
Dressed to Impress
If you have company over, you will blow their mind with these short ribs! The gravy created by the braising process is so decadent! I could drink the stuff really, but that would be a little weird. We love the short ribs and gravy over jasmine rice.
Back dinner up with these caramel brownies from scratch and everyone will be licking their plates clean! Then you can party like it’s 2019, because 2019 is even more awesome than 1999!
More Asian Recipes:
- Easy Asian Orange Chicken
- Quick and Easy 15-Minute Chicken Stir Fry
- One Pan Simple Asian Shrimp Noodles
- Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
- Thai Peanut Steak Salad
- Asian Chicken Skewers with Honey Garlic Sauce
- Pork Dumplings
- Quick and Easy Cashew Chicken
- Teriyaki Chicken Noodles
- Sweet and Spicy Orange Salmon
- Grilled Sweet and Sour Chicken
- …All of Our Asian Recipes!
More Decadent MAIN DISHES You Must Try:
- Best Prime Rib
- Oven Braised Short Ribs
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Carolina Pulled Pork
- Oven Braised Beef Roast
- Creamy Herb Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
- Smoked Tri Tip
- Easy Garlic Butter Steak
- Authentic Italian Bolognese Sauce
- All our MAIN DISH recipes!
Korean Oven Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 8 Beef Short Ribs
- 3/4 Cup Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
- 3 Green Onions finely chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic crushed
- 1 Teaspoon Fresh Ginger finely grated with a microplane
- 1/4 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
- Zest of 2 Limes
- 1/4 Cup Lime Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Gochujang found on the Asian foods aisle of any grocery store by the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce etc
- 1/4 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce or Tamari
- 1/4 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Roast Beef
- 1 1/2 Cups Water
- 1 Chili Pepper sliced for serving *optional
- Additional Green Onions for serving
- 1 Tablespoon Chopped Cilantro for garnish
- Sesame Seeds for Garnish
- Rice for Serving
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375.
- Place the flour, salt and pepper in a pie dish or pan.
- Coat each rib on all sides with the flour and set aside.
- Heat a dutch oven (this is our absolute favorite) or oven safe pot over medium high heat with a few drizzles of olive oil. Add 3-4 ribs at a time, browning on each side and remove to a plate.
- Wipe out any black flour if there is any, leaving any browned bits in the pan.
- Prepare the measurements of the ingredients in a glass measuring cup except the garlic and ginger.
- Add a drizzle of oil if the pan is dry, tilting to coat the pan.
- Sauté the garlic and ginger over medium heat, stirring often.
- Quickly add the liquids into the pot, scraping the browned bits up off of the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon.
- Return the ribs to the pot and reheat to a boil.
- Place the lid on the dutch oven and carry it to the oven, arranging it on the very center rack.
- Cook the ribs with the lid on for 2 1/2 hours, checking the meat to be sure it is tender and there is enough liquid at this point. If the meat is not tender, return to the oven for another 20-40 minutes. We've never had to do this, but if you do, just keep an eye on it.
- Carefully take the pot out of the oven and spoon liquids over the ribs. Top with garnishes and serve over Jasmine Rice.
Notes
Asian Inspired RECIPES
Looking for more Asian inspired recipes?
- Healthy Thai Peanut Steak Salad
- Asian Ginger Marinade for Grilled Chicken
- Asian Sticky Salmon
- Easy Orange Chicken
- Thai Peanut Sauce Noodles and Chicken
- Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Sticky Asian Grilled Chicken Breasts
- Asian Sticky Slow Cooker Ribs
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