Braised barbecue beef short ribs
Tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs brined, slow-braised, and finished with a rich homemade barbecue sauce, fresh herbs, chilli, and toasted sesame seeds. A show-stopping dish with layers of flavor.
Updated : 22 August, 2025
Easy
More than 1 hour.
Ingredients
600 grams
Beef ribs
as needed
Olive oil
2 tablespoon
Sesame
500 milliliters
Meat broth
2 tablespoon
Cilantro, coriander
2
Green onion
1
Green chilli pepper
For the brine
500 grams
Salt
handful
Thyme
head
Garlic
For the spice mix
115 grams
Smoked paprika
60 grams
Brown sugar
30 grams
Salt
1 tablespoon
Garlic powder
1 tablespoon
Onion powder
1 tablespoon
Ground black pepper
1 teaspoon
Hot pepper, ground
For the barbecue sauce
1
Onion
1
Garlic
400 milliliters
Ketchup
100 milliliters
Mustard
4 tablespoon
Apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoon
Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoon
Honey
120 grams
Brown sugar
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
To make the brine, combine 2.5 litres water with the salt, thyme, and garlic in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the salt has dissolved. Leave to cool completely.
Step 2
Place the ribs in a large tupperware container and pour over the cooled brine. Cover with a lid and refrigerate for 4 hours. When ready to cook, rinse the ribs thoroughly under cold running water for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, prepare the spice mix by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing well.
Step 4
For the barbecue sauce, heat a little oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Stir in 20g of the spice mix and cook for 2 minutes. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and cook gently for 1 hour. While still warm, blend the sauce in a food processor and strain through a fine sieve until smooth.
Step 5
Preheat the oven to 140C.
Step 6
Pat the ribs dry with kitchen paper, then rub with some of the remaining spice mix. Fry in a little oil over medium heat until browned on both sides. Transfer the ribs to a deep casserole dish and pour over the veal stock. Cover and braise in the oven for 4 hours, or until the ribs are tender. Set aside to rest.
Step 7
Increase the oven temperature to 180C. Spread the sesame seeds over a baking tray and roast for 5 minutes, or until golden and fragrant.
Step 8
Brush the cooked ribs generously with the barbecue sauce, then garnish with fresh coriander, spring onions, jalapeño chilli, and the toasted sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges on the side.