Slow-Baked BBQ Short Ribs
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BBQ short ribs make an easy dinner that pleases kids and adults alike.
For easy, family-pleasing comfort food, you can’t beat meltingly tender short ribs in a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. Inspired by Sunny Anderson’s BBQ short ribs, this simple recipe requires just 15 minutes of hands-on prep, and then the oven does the rest. Unlike many roast or stew recipes, it’s not necessary to sear the meat first. Instead, you season the meat with salt and pepper and slather them with a quick homemade BBQ sauce – a mixture of ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and seasoning. Then you put the dish in the oven to bake for 3 hours, go about your day, and let deliciousness ensue. Serve with mashed potatoes or cornbread and a roasted vegetable.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Slow-Baked BBQ Short Ribs
Count on about one pound of boneless short ribs per person. I know it seems like a lot but they shrink significantly while cooking, and people tend to eat generous portions. If you can only find bone-in short ribs, they will work but may take a bit longer to cook.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by cutting the short ribs in half and seasoning them with salt and pepper. Place them in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Next, make the homemade BBQ sauce by combining the ketchup, dark brown sugar, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and spices in a small bowl.
Whisk to combine.
Slather about 2/3 of the sauce all over the meat, and reserve the rest for the finished dish.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake at 300°F for about 2-1/2 hours.
Remove the foil, pour off some of the cooking liquid and cook for 30 minutes more, or until the meat is tender and browned.
Transfer the meat to a platter, leaving the cooking liquid behind, and slather with the reserved BBQ sauce.
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Video Tutorial
Slow-Baked BBQ Short Ribs
BBQ short ribs make an easy dinner that pleases kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
For the Ribs
- 4 pounds boneless beef short ribs, cut into 4-inch long pieces
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1½ tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1½ teaspoons chili powder
- ¾ teaspoons garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Season the ribs all over with salt and pepper, then arrange in a 9x13-inch baking dish (it will be a tight squeeze).
- Combine all of the ingredients for the BBQ sauce in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
- Pour ⅓ of the sauce (about ½ cup) over the ribs. Using tongs, flip the ribs over and spoon another ⅓ of the sauce over top. Reserve the remaining BBQ sauce to spoon over the cooked ribs. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and roast for 2½ hours. Remove the foil and, if the cooking liquid is covering the meat, use a large spoon or ladle to remove some of the liquid so that the tops are exposed. (Note: the meat will look unappetizing at this stage; don't worry, it will look much better once it's done!) Cook for 30 minutes more, uncovered, until the meat is tender and browned. Cut off any excess fat that remains around the short ribs. Transfer the short ribs to a serving platter. Discard the cooking liquid, as it will be very greasy. Slather the reserved BBQ sauce over the short ribs and serve.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The ribs can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat them tightly covered with foil in a 300°F oven until heated through.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 1,320
- Fat: 87g
- Saturated fat: 37g
- Carbohydrates: 59g
- Sugar: 54g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 80g
- Sodium: 2327mg
- Cholesterol: 331mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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Wow- this recipe is delicious and so easy!!
Can this be made a day ahead and reheated?
Hi Carolyn, Yes, it will probably be even better 🙂
This looks so good! Can I ask a silly question? Why did you choose a boneless short rib instead of leaving the bone in? Is there a difference?
Hi Clare, You can use bone-in if you prefer; boneless is just easier to eat 🙂
Super yummmm!!!! Happy happy !!!
Came across this recipe just today and made them for dinner tonight. Absolutely delicious! The entire family enjoyed them as did I. Initially, I was afraid to smother all that barbeque sauce on the meat so I used very little during the cooking process (I am considered the picky eater of the family). It did not take very long before I decided I needed to smother all the ribs in this sauce and I am glad I did. I definitely will make these again as everyone is already asking when will be having these again. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I made these last night for my in-laws and everyone raves about them. So easy to make and really delicious. The texture and flavor of the meat was outstanding! Definitely adding this to my favorite dinner recipes!
My wife made the ribs this time she followed the recipie to the t. It -was almost as good as when I made it using my own imagination and your great recipie a guide. Thank you. I recommend anyone that loves ribs try this very simple dish it’s to die for relish.
I would love to make these in a crock pot ( slow baked short ribs) ….how would you recommend i do that?
THANK YOU!!!! I am obsessed with your website!!! Love everything i have ever made! Eating one of them tonight!
Courtney
Hi Courtney, Thanks for the feedback — I’m so happy you’re enjoying the site! For this recipe, I really think it is best made in the oven because you need to be able to brown the meat at the end, otherwise it will look very unappetizing. You could make them up to that point in the slow cooker, then transfer them to the oven to brown but not sure if it’s worth the trouble.
Absolutely fantastic would be proud to serve these to guests.
This is definitely a very simple dish to make, and easy to throw together since there’s no chopping involved. Sometimes the ribs feel a little greasy, but I guess that depends on the fat content of the beef (I get mine at Whole Foods). I usually just steam some broccoli or stir fry some string beans as the side vegetable dish. Very fulfilling meal!