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I absolutely love making oven baked beef short ribs because they are incredibly delicious and always a hit. These ribs have a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that is simply irresistible.
What’s even better is that they are super easy to make, requiring minimal effort. Whenever I prepare them, they disappear in no time, and it doesn’t matter how many I cook; there never seem to be leftovers.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
5-6 beef short ribs (2 lbs). You can pick this up at pretty much any grocery store or butcher shop. Or if you have it on hand, that will work too.
The best seasonings. Ribs themself are already pretty flavorful, so I don’t like to go all out. I like to season my ribs with salt, ground black pepper, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper.
BBQ Sauce. I do like to combine my barbecue sauce with a touch of apple cider vinegar, however; you can also make your own, which I have a recipe for at the end of this post.
Oven Baked Beef Short Ribs
Step 1: Preheat oven to 300°F.
Step 2: Combine the dry seasonings (salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika) and generously coat the ribs.
Step 3: Paint the ribs evenly with the combined mixture of barbeque sauce and apple cider vinegar, or make your own. See notes below.
Step 4: Transfer the ribs into the dutch oven, bone side down. There is no need to oil the bottom of the pot; however, if you are not using an enameled Dutch oven, you will want to add a light coat of oil.
Pour beef broth into the bottom of the dutch oven, around the ribs, so it doesn’t rinse off the sauce.
Step 5: Cover and bake for 3 hours.
Check the ribs after 3 hours, the meat should be pulling away from the bone. If not, continue cooking for an additional 20 minutes at a time. (see picture below for reference)
Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe
- 3/4 cup of ketchup
- 1/4 cup of ACV
- 2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar (lightly packed)
- 1 tbsp of mustard
- 2 teaspoons of paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup of water. (So it’s not so thick)
Instructions
Step 1: Add everything to a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Step 2: Reduce to simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: Allow to cool completely before storing.
What is the difference between beef short ribs and back ribs
Beef short ribs are the meatier relative of beef back ribs. They are a flavorful and tender cut of meat taken from the lower part of the rib areas of the cow.
The most noticeable difference between the two is that the short ribs have the meat on top of the bone, and the back ribs have the meat between the bones.
Typically larger and meatier than these dutch oven pork spare ribs, beef short ribs are often braised or slow-cooked to break down the collagen and render the meat tender and juicy.
What is the best temperature to cook beef short ribs?
| Oven temperature | Time | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 300°F (covered) | About 3 hours | Fork-tender, falls off the bone |
I slow-cook my ribs at 300°F for several hours to achieve optimum tenderness, until they practically fall off the bone. This gentle cooking method also results in a delightful caramelized top, adding an extra layer of flavor and texture to the ribs straight from the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bake beef short ribs covered at 300°F for about 3 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and nearly falls off the bone.
Low and slow. Baking them covered at 300°F for 3 hours breaks down the connective tissue so the ribs turn out tender and juicy.
Searing is optional but worth it. A quick sear in a hot skillet or dutch oven adds a deep, browned flavor before the long, slow bake.
Yes. Keep them covered so they stay moist and cook evenly through the long bake.
Serving suggestions
A perfect dinner, in my opinion, would be a plate of juicy BBQ ribs with a side of dutch oven french fries and homemade coleslaw. Other great side choices are garlic parmesan brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, mac and cheese, and, of course, my favorite, skillet cornbread.
Enjoy Oven Baked Beef Short Ribs
Oven baked beef short ribs are perfect for a game day appetizer or for a main course at your dinner table. Whichever option you go for, it sure will be a hit.
Just pop them in the oven and let them cook for three hours. It’s no secret that slow cooking is the key to achieving tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs.
Try one of these rib recipes next!
- How to cook pork belly burnt ends
- Oven-baked brisket
- Easy tender beef rump roast
- Dutch oven country style pork ribs
- Pork baby back ribs
Oven Baked Beef Short Ribs
Equipment
- 4.5 qt Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 5-6 beef short ribs 2 lbs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup Barbeque Sauce
- 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup beef broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F
- Combine the dry seasonings (salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika) and generously coat the ribs.
- Mix the barbecue sauce and apple cider vinegar together and paint the ribs evenly.
- Place the ribs bone side down in the Dutch oven.
- Pour the beef broth into the bottom of the Dutch oven, around the ribs so it doesn't rinse off the sauce.
- Cover and bake for 3 hours
- Check the ribs after 3 hours, the meat should be pulling away from the bone. If not, continue cooking for an additional 20 minutes at a time.
Followed the recipe to the letter. The bbq sauce was burned. I had my doubts about applying it from the start. Might delay sauce application and reduce temperature to 275 next time. Not a bad starting point.
Thank you so much for making these and for coming back to let me know! I’m sorry the sauce scorched on you. You’re onto something with the sauce being the tricky part. I actually just went in and updated the recipe to add 1/2 cup of beef broth to the bottom of the pot. It doesn’t change the flavor or the method much at all, but that little bit of liquid in the bottom keeps the sauce from catching so you won’t get any burning. It’s not something most folks run into, but I want these to turn out perfectly for everyone who makes them. Thanks again for the honest feedback, it genuinely helps me make the recipe better!
Love it! Made it last night and it was very tasty.
So happy to hear!
This recipe looks amazing! I’ve always wanted to try cooking beef short ribs in a cast iron skillet, and your step-by-step guide makes it seem so doable. Can’t wait to give it a try! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much! I’m glad the step-by-step made it feel doable.
These oven-baked beef short ribs look absolutely delicious! I love the idea of using a cast iron skillet for that perfect sear. Can’t wait to try this recipe for my next family dinner! Thank you for sharing!
Sounds perfect for a family dinner, I hope everyone loves it!
Mmm, Mmm! This is the best recipe I have found for beef short ribs! Thanks!
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. That makes me so happy to hear!