How to Cook Beef Chuck Short Ribs

Cut from the shoulder area of a cow, beef chuck short ribs have a small amount of rib bone, which influences their name. Surrounding the bone is meat that’s not overly exercised but still can be somewhat chewy if not cooked properly. 

The primary reason beef chuck short ribs are so popular is their flavor: bold and rich. They leave no room for imagination in terms of taste, offering an intense beef flavor that many steak fans love, no matter how you cook them.

If it’s your first time cooking this delicious cut at home, you’ve come to the right place. We share a few beef chuck short ribs recipe options, from grilling to oven-cooking, so that you can achieve restaurant-quality short ribs in your kitchen.

Methods of Cooking Beef Chuck Short Ribs

Below, we cover the most popular methods of cooking beef chuck short ribs at home, from roasting them in the oven to slow cooking them in your Crock Pot. Each one requires a different amount of prep work and time to cook, so be sure to read through the beef chuck short ribs recipes first to decide which one to follow.

To Make Beef Chuck Short Ribs in the Oven:

Oven-baked beef chuck short ribs are tender when cooked properly and ideal for making when you don’t feel like standing over the grill to cook them. Plus, they require little preparation. 

Ingredients:

• Bone-in beef chuck short ribs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Barbecue sauce (enough to cover the ribs)

Instructions:

1. Remove the short ribs from the fridge and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
3. Lay the ribs in a baking dish with the bone side down. Blend the salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder together, and rub the mixture on the rib meat. 
4. Wrap the ribs tightly in foil inside the pan. Move the pan to the oven and cook the ribs for about 3 hours or until they reach about 180 degrees.
5. Remove the foil and drain any liquid from the pan. Use a sauce brush to brush barbecue sauce on the ribs.  
6. Turn on your broiler. Broil the ribs for 2-3 minutes until the barbecue sauce is caramelized.
7. Rest for 5 minutes before enjoying.

Notes:

If your ribs have a lot of fat on them, trim off the fat before cooking. Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

To Make Beef Chuck Short Ribs on the Grill:

Grilling beef chuck short ribs offers a semi-quick cooking method with the hard-to-resist flavors of the grill.

Ingredients:

• Bone-in beef chuck short ribs
• Dry rub 
• Olive oil

Instructions:

1. Leave the ribs at room temperature for 30 minutes. Toward the end of this resting period, preheat your grill to medium-high heat. 
2. Use a sauce brush to brush olive oil onto the short ribs. Then, spread the dry rub on the short rib meat using your fingertips to gently press the rub into the meat. 
3. Place the ribs on the grill, cooking for 3-4 minutes on each side until a sear forms.
4. Carefully cover your ribs tightly with foil. Turn down the heat to low, cover the grill, and cook for another 30 minutes to one hour. When the ribs are done, they should be fork-tender and have an internal temperature of 180-190 degrees. 
5. Rest for 10 minutes before serving. 

Notes:

Keep your ribs wrapped in foil while resting. This will help them continue cooking slightly, and they’ll be super juicy and tender when you’re ready to eat them.

To Make Beef Chuck Short Ribs in the Slow Cooker:

Slow-cooked beef chuck short ribs are the best option when you have the time to cook them over several hours and want a simple, fuss-free meal on the table for dinner. 

Ingredients:

• Beef chuck short ribs (make sure they’ll fit comfortably in your slow cooker)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 5 tbsp water

Instructions:

1. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the short ribs.  
2. Preheat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs for 2-3 minutes on each side.
3. Add the onion, beef broth, dried thyme, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce to the slow cooker, stirring everything together.
4. Place the short ribs in the slow cooker. Cook for up to 8 hours on low heat. 
5. Remove the short ribs and allow to rest for 5 minutes at room temperature. 
6. Mix together the cornstarch and water. Add the cooking liquid to a saucepan and mix in the cornstarch blend. Bring to a boil for 1 minute, then reduce the heat to low, simmering for another 5 minutes until thickened. Use this as a gravy to top your short ribs.

To Make Beef Chuck Short Ribs in the Instant Pot:

Instant Pot beef chuck short ribs are full of flavor, easy to make, deliciously tender, and usually ready in about an hour.

Ingredients:

• Beef chuck short ribs (make sure they’ll fit comfortably in your Instant Pot)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup beef stock
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 5 tbsp water

Instructions:

1. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper on all sides.
2. Pour the beef stock and red wine vinegar in the Instant Pot. Mix in dried thyme.
3. Add the short ribs to the Instant Pot, and set it to its manual pressure cook setting for 45 minutes. After the 45 minutes is up, allow the pressure cooker to release the pressure naturally (in other words, don’t use the quick-release setting). 
4. Remove the short ribs and let rest for 5 minutes. Mix together the cornstarch and water and add it to the pressure cooker. Use the simmer setting to let the mixture simmer for 5-10 minutes until thickened. 
5. Drizzle the gravy over the short ribs to serve.

How to Make Gravy with Drippings

One of the most popular ways to enjoy beef chuck short ribs is drizzled with gravy using drippings from cooking. Gravy with drippings soaks up a lot of the taste that comes from cooking short ribs, adding complementary flavors to the final dish. Also known as pan gravy because you make it in a pan on the stove, gravy with drippings is a quick and simple addition that pulls your dish together.

You likely won’t have cooking liquid to use to make pan gravy if you’ve grilled your short ribs, and oven cooking doesn’t usually produce enough liquid. Therefore, pan gravy is best left for Instant Pot or slow-cooked short ribs.

To make it, ladle out most of the cooking liquid into a preheated saucepan. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil. Then, add small amounts of water to 3 tablespoons of cornstarch until it forms a somewhat runny paste. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the pan with cooking liquid, whisking quickly until everything is well blended.

Allow the mixture to thicken for 1-2 minutes. Then, stir and reduce the temperature to low, letting it simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Best Beef Chuck Short Ribs Sauces

As we mentioned in the previous section, pan gravy is among the most popular additions to beef chuck short ribs. However, some people also prefer more of a sauce to dress up their short ribs. Here are a few options to consider, which can make your short ribs meal different every time:

• Homemade barbecue sauce: Mix together ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup apple cider vinegar, and 1 ½ cups ketchup. Then, add a couple of splashes of Worcestershire sauce and water. Mix in black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste. Spread the mixture on top of plated short ribs or use as a dipping sauce.
• Red wine garlic sauce: After braising short ribs in the oven, transfer the leftover cooking bits to a pan. Turn the heat to medium and saute two minced garlic cloves until fragrant. Add 1 cup of red wine, mixing together the garlic and cooking bits. Add one tablespoon of tomato paste, one cup of beef broth, and one teaspoon of chopped thyme. Stir and lower the heat to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Pour the sauce over plated beef chuck short ribs.
• Dijon mustard sauce: Heat a saucepan to medium. Saute two cloves of minced garlic for 30 seconds to one minute until fragrant. Add one cup of cream and two tablespoons of Dijon mustard to the pan, stirring them together. Allow to gently boil for about 15 seconds. Then, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes before drizzling over short ribs. Or, use it as a dipping sauce.

Conclusion: Beef Chuck Short Ribs Recipes

Once you’ve found the cooking method you like best for your beef chuck short ribs, you can keep experimenting with that cooking method to introduce new flavors from spices, sauces, or gravies. 

If you want to enjoy premium ribs without cooking them yourself, consider buying ribs online from Chicago Steak Company. Our Baby Back Ribs by Coach Ditka are fully cooked and ready to enjoy for dinner — you just need to heat and serve them.