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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These ribs are FABULOUS!!! So easy…so tasty….so 5 stars. You have the BEST website for cooking that I have ever used. Thanks Jenn…. Every recipe I have tried from your website is a winner.
Should have doubled the recipe!! WE ALL LOVED IT!! Simple and Delicious!
I couldn’t believe how easy these were to prepare. They were so tender and delicious! I will be making these again soon.
I want to make ahead and serve while camping. How can I reheat on gas grill?
You can reheat over low heat (covered), basting with additional sauce so they don’t dry out.
This recipe sounds amazing, however, I have a gas oven and the lowest temperature available is 350F. Do you think it would turn out alright if I just tried to cook it for the same time, or possibly 30 min less at 350F instead?
I’m really hoping the 50F difference won’t make the meat tough and chewy.
Hi Jade, Should be fine to reduce the cook time a bit. Enjoy 🙂
Hi Jenn,
Just made these tonight for the family and we all LOVED them! However, I was wondering if this recipe would work with a less fatty cut of beef and if so, what you might recommend (and how to adjust cooking time)? Many thanks!
Hi Allison, Glad you enjoyed the short ribs. Unfortunately, I don’t think it would work with a different cut without changing the recipe entirely. Sorry!
Hi I’m cooking this for my parents who don’t like their food spicy. To make the BBQ sauce, should I not add the chili powder and cayenne pepper or reduce the amount of chili powder instead? I absolutely love the recipe the way it is, thank you for sharing!
Hi Leis, I would omit the cayenne and cut the chili powder by half — shouldn’t be too spicy at all. Hope they enjoy it!
I have a mix of bone-in beef short ribs and pork short ribs I got from the farmer’s market. Would this work on both? Thanks for any info!!
Hi Carol, I am not familiar with pork short ribs — do you mean rib tips?
Absolutely fantastic !!!!! Cooked as per recipe only added an extra 20 mins. Will make those again for sure, will even try bone in version.
Excellent! Thank you for this recipe!
I felt like I had served dinner from one of Toronto’s finest restaurants — yet it was so easy. Served with mashed potatoes (of course) and mashed sweet potatoes — luxurious comfort food!
ps. I omit garlic from all recipes — was still delish