Emilie Meyer
Short ribs are a flavorful but tough cut of beef that usually requires long, slow cooking to break down the muscle fibers and connective tissues. While this traditional method yields tender and soft meat, it does not produce the toothsome chewiness of a good steak or roast. To achieve a meatier texture, you can pan-fry thinly sliced short ribs. This technique involves searing the meat in a hot skillet to create a rich, savory flavor through the browning process. By combining caramelization and Maillard reactions, pan-frying yields a unique result that differs from the traditional slow-cooked approach.
Pan-fried beef short ribs
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cooking method | Pan-frying |
| Cut of beef | Flavorful but tough |
| Preparation | Marinades, commercial meat tenderizers, or pounding with a meat mallet |
| Cooking time | 3-4 minutes per side |
| Browning | Creates rich, savoury flavours |
| Glazing | Add sauce to the pan and shake until ribs are coated |
| Serving suggestions | Broccoli, carrots, scallions, tomatillos, tortillas, hot sauce, lime wedges, ramen, polenta, mashed potatoes |
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What You'll Learn
Braising beef ribs in beer or red wine
Yes, you can pan-fry beef short ribs. You can also braise them in beer or red wine. Braising is a slow cooking method that breaks down the tough connective tissues in the meat, making it tender and juicy.
To braise beef ribs in beer, start by seasoning the ribs and dredging them in flour. Then, brown the ribs in olive oil and butter, and set them aside. Cook some onion and garlic in the same pot, then return the ribs to the pot. Pour in the beer and stock, and braise the ribs until they are tender. This should take around two to three hours. You can also add baby potatoes to the pot during this time.
If you prefer a stronger beer taste, use a stout beer instead of a light beer. You can also finish the ribs on the stove top or in the oven. If you want to reduce the beer-stock mixture and intensify its flavor, cook it down after removing the ribs from the pot and before serving.
To braise beef ribs in red wine, start by browning the ribs to get a ton of flavor in the meat and the sauce. Then, slowly sauté garlic, onion, carrot, and celery. The longer you take here, the better the flavor base. Then, add tomato paste to thicken the sauce and cook it for a bit. Next, add the beef broth, red wine, thyme, and bay leaves. Finally, add the ribs back into the pot, fully submerging them in the liquid. Braise the ribs in the oven at a low temperature for several hours until they are fork-tender.
You can also add a reduced port wine syrup to the sauce to deepen its wine flavor and add sweetness. If you want a stronger wine character, aim for a concentrated sauce, but be aware that this can lead to a sauce with sharp edges from the wine's acids and tannins. To round out the flavor, stir in a half-cup of reduced port wine, which will thicken the sauce and make the wine flavor even more intense.
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Pan-frying leftover slow-cooked ribs
Slow-cooked beef short ribs are a delicious and tender meal. But what can you do with the leftovers? Well, you can always reheat them in the microwave or oven. Or, for a new flavour sensation, you can pan-fry them!
To pan-fry leftover slow-cooked beef ribs, start by wiping the ribs clean of any leftover sauce. Then, heat up a skillet on the hob until it's nice and hot. Place the ribs in the skillet and sear them until they're well browned on each side. This browning process, a combination of caramelisation and the Maillard reaction, creates rich, savoury flavours in the beef.
You can then glaze the ribs by adding a small amount of sauce to the pan and shaking it until the ribs are coated. Alternatively, you can thinly slice the ribs and stir-fry them with vegetables, serving them with rice or noodles.
If you want to freeze your leftover beef ribs, make sure to put them in an airtight container and they should last for up to three months. Then, when you're ready to eat them, simply thaw them overnight in the fridge and reheat them in the microwave or oven.
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Seared short ribs with charred scallion salsa
Short ribs are a flavorful but tough cut of beef that usually requires long, slow cooking to break down the muscle fibers and dissolve the connective tissues. However, pan-frying is a great way to achieve a similar result with a bit of preparation.
To make seared short ribs with charred scallion salsa, start by letting the meat sit at room temperature for about an hour. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat and coat the short ribs with oil. Season the ribs liberally with salt and black pepper. Place the ribs in the skillet and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning them every 3 minutes, until they are deeply golden brown on both sides. Transfer the ribs to a cutting board and let them rest for about 10 minutes.
Without wiping out the skillet, add the remaining whole scallions and tomatillos. Season them with salt and pepper and cook until tender and lightly charred, which should take about 4 to 6 minutes. Add cumin and toss to coat the vegetables lightly. Remove from heat and transfer the vegetables to a cutting board. Coarsely chop the scallions and tomatillos and place them in a small bowl. Add olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Thinly slice the short ribs crosswise and place them on a large serving platter. Spoon the charred scallion sauce over the meat. Serve with the remaining fresh scallion mixture, cilantro, tortillas, hot sauce, and lime wedges.
You can also serve the seared short ribs with poached broccoli and carrots as a side dish.
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Marinades and meat tenderizers
Beef short ribs are a tough cut of meat, and long, slow cooking is usually required to break down the muscle fibres and connective tissues. However, if you want to pan-fry your ribs, you can still tenderise them using a marinade or commercial meat tenderiser, or by pounding them with a meat mallet.
Marinades not only add flavour to your beef ribs but also help to keep the meat tender as it cooks. Acidic ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, and rice vinegar are particularly good at tenderising meat. Fruit enzymes from kiwi or papaya can also be used to break down connective tissue and protein, but be careful not to marinate for too long or the meat will turn to mush. Other ingredients you can add to your marinade include olive oil, honey, garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, ginger, pear or apple, and beer or wine.
To marinate your ribs, place them in a large plastic bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over them, ensuring all pieces are well-coated. If possible, turn the ribs once or twice during marination to ensure even flavour absorption. For the best results, leave them overnight, but even a few hours will enhance flavour and tenderness.
You can also use the marinade as a baste during cooking for an extra flavour boost, but make sure to boil it first to kill any bacteria.
If you're using a commercial meat tenderiser, follow the instructions on the packet. These usually involve rubbing the powder onto the meat and leaving it for a certain amount of time before cooking.
Finally, pounding the ribs with a meat mallet can also help to tenderise them.
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Pan-seared short ribs basted with butter, garlic and rosemary
While short ribs are typically braised or slow-cooked, they can also be pan-fried or pan-seared. Pan-searing short ribs gives them a toothsome chewiness, similar to a steak or roast.
To make pan-seared short ribs basted with butter, garlic, and rosemary, start by seasoning the ribs generously with salt and pepper all over. Transfer the ribs to a wire rack set in a baking sheet and place them in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to overnight.
Next, heat a cast-iron skillet on high heat. Place the short ribs in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip the ribs over and add butter, garlic, and rosemary to the skillet. Once the butter has melted, tilt the skillet and baste the ribs continuously with the garlic butter for about 2 minutes.
Finally, let the ribs cook until your desired temperature is reached. This will depend on the thickness of the ribs and your desired doneness. For a rare steak, cook to an internal temperature of 125°F, and for medium-rare, cook to 135°F.
Serve your pan-seared short ribs with sides of your choice. Some suggested sides include poached broccoli and carrots, or twice-baked potatoes.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can.
Cut the meat from the bones and slice it thinly against the grain.
Preheat your wok or skillet to medium-high heat. Start by frying aromatic vegetables such as scallions, ginger and garlic to flavour the oil. Then, add the beef in small quantities, whisking it through the hot oil until it's well browned.
You can serve the beef with stir-fried vegetables and rice or noodles.
Short ribs are a tough cut of beef, so they require long, slow cooking to break down the muscle fibres and dissolve the connective tissues. You can also use a marinade or commercial meat tenderiser, or pound the ribs with a meat mallet.
