Slow Cooker Asian Short Ribs

Slow Cooker Asian Short Ribs are so tender they fall off the bone. They are cooked in a wonderful sauce with lots of fresh garlic, ginger, and chili peppers for a fantastic flavor.

Busy moms like me know exactly what I mean when I say that slow cookers actually save you a lot of time. Although it takes a while, your slow cooker has your dinner ready when you are ready to eat it even if you have a busy day. With this recipe, you get Asian ribs that melt in your mouth way better than anything you could get from the take-out place.

Slow Cooker Asian Short Ribs are so delicious and incredibly tender that you will make them over and over again. This meal is perfect for busy families, but festive enough for special occasions. If you have a big enough slow cooker, you can make an extra-large batch to have leftovers for make-ahead meals. They freeze well so you can put them in freezer bags and just get out what you want when you want it.

The good thing about making these yourself is that you can leave out the spicy ingredients if you or someone you serve are sensitive to spicy food. Also, you can use my trick to skim the excess fat. All you have to do is lay a paper towel on top of the surface of the cooking liquid. Take the paper towel out, put it on a paper plate, and keep doing that until all the fat is gone. No more fat, but you still get all the flavor!

Why you will love this recipe

• Perfect for busy people: The slow cooker will do the work for you while you do your thing.
• Better than take-out: Way better than anything I have ever bought.
• Freeze it: It can be frozen for several months.
• Change it: Make your own adjustments.
• Make it healthy: Remove the fat.

What you’ll need to make slow cooker Asian ribs

Special items:

• Slow cooker – A six-quart slow cooker works best for this recipe. 
• Bowls
• Utensils

Ingredients:

• Beef short ribs – Bone-in beef ribs cut crosswise into two-inch pieces.
• Brown sugar – Packed with light brown sugar for a rich, sweet, smoky taste.
• Garlic – I use a lot of garlic. Four whole cloves and six cloves freshly minced.
• Onion – I prefer a yellow onion, quartered, so I get the full flavor.
• Sesame seeds – You can toast them for extra crunch and nuttiness.
• Ginger – Freshly grated ginger is so much better than powdered.
• Soy sauce – Use low-sodium soy sauce so the saltiness is not overwhelming.
• Worcestershire sauce – Adds a bit of spicy, salty, sweet, and savory flavor to your ribs.
• Sesame oil – For a nutty and earthy taste that can be strong if you use too much.
• Beef broth – Low-sodium organic beef broth with the least salt and additives.
• Red pepper flakes – Just a bit for some heat.
• Dried chili peppers – This is optional for those who like extra heat.
• Parsley – Freshly chopped parsley leaves.
• Bay leaves – Adds a lightly pungent and floral taste.
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Water
• Cornstarch

How to make slow cooker Asian short ribs?

This is a super easy recipe to follow. I have modified this dish over the years, and by now we managed to make it the best Crockpot Asian Short Ribs recipe. The general steps are as follows:

1. Sear the short ribs and transfer them to the Slow Cooker. Then, in a separate large bowl, prepare the sauce by whisking the sauce ingredients together. 
2. Cover the lid, and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours. You can even increase that by one extra hour if desired. That will result in extra tender meat, and fall off the bone ribs. 
3. Prepare the cornstarch by mixing it with 1/4 cup water. Then, gently stir in the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
4. Serve warm and garnish with some chopped green onions or sesame seeds. 

Expert tip

Where do short ribs come from

There are two different ways to get short ribs. They can be a certain cut of beef or a way of cutting the beef. The flanken is a cut across the bone, which is one to two inches in length. The English type is cut parallel to the bone and can be up to six inches long. English-cut short ribs can be served individually because they are so long. They are all cut from the brisket, chuck, plate, or rib areas of beef cattle.

Now, this may not matter to you in any way as far as cooking this dish. However, if you were to come home with an English cut of short ribs, you would notice right away that they are different from what I am cooking. Mine are only about two inches long and the English ones are typically four to six inches in length. They will have more gristle and less marbling. 

So, what you want to get is the short ribs that are actually short. Do not get pork. They do not have short ribs. Bison has short ribs but I have never tried them so I would stick with beef for this recipe. If you try bison, tell me how it was in the comments. I would love to find out!

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Extra spicy: Use hot peppers and cayenne pepper for extra spicy ribs.
• No sugar: If you are trying to reduce sugar, use honey instead of brown sugar.
• Boneless: Even though they will fall off the bone, you can start with boneless if you want to.
• No gluten: Use tamari instead of soy sauce if you are gluten intolerant.
• More vegetables: Feel free to add more veggies like broccoli spears, cauliflower florets, and julienned carrots.
• Pressure cooker version: You can also make this dish in the Instant Pot. The cooking time will be greatly reduced, and the meat will be equally tender. Check my recipe for instant pot short ribs

Serving suggestions:

Here are some of my favorite serving ideas you can try:

• These ribs go great with a side of fluffy and creamy mashed potatoes.
• Asian Short Ribs are the perfect family meal, you can serve them with instant pot roasted potatoes, and slow cooker rice and beans.
• Besides potatoes, the kids love it when I serve these with their favorite macaroni and cheese.
• However you serve it, make sure you remember the bread. You have to have something to soak up the extra sauce.
• I like to serve them with coconut rice, steamed broccoli, or a light arugula salad on the side.
• This meal would be perfect with a bottle of pinot gris, sauvignon blanc, or rose.
• For dessert, try my sweet and crunchy strawberry crunch cheesecake cake.

Frequently asked questions

Can you slow-cook short ribs too long?

Although slow-cooking meat is a little more forgiving than cooking it traditionally, you can still overcook things. With ribs especially, the longer they cook, the more tender they become. However, at some point, they will start getting mushy as the cartilage starts breaking down. I have pushed mine to 11 hours before, and they were still good, so I am not sure how much further you can go before they turn to mush.

Should I cook short ribs on low or high?

It depends on how long you plan to cook them. I prefer to set mine on low and cook them for eight hours. The lower and slower, the better. The slower you cook them, the better the collagen breaks down, which makes the meat tender, juicy, and extra flavorful. As mentioned above, it is possible to cook them too long so keeping them on low just in case the time gets away from you is a good idea. The only reason I would cook them on high is if I was in a hurry. And that would be silly since I am using the slow cooker.

Are Asian ribs made of a special type of ribs?

No. They can be made from either beef or bison ribs. I use beef short ribs cut crosswise into two-inch pieces in my recipe. Short ribs are just spare ribs taken from the plate section of the rib cage. They are richer and beefier, with more marbling for extra tenderness.

Why are my ribs so chewy?

There is only one reason why your ribs would be chewy: if they needed to be cooked longer. Cooking them in a slow cooker means you must let them cook for a long time. If you cook them on low, they must cook for at least eight hours. Nine hours would be a short time. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer. It should be between 195 and 200 F. If you cook them on high, give them at least four hours, but five would be really good too.

How to store leftovers:

• Refrigerate: Refrigerate leftovers for up to five days in an airtight container.   
• Freezing: If you want to keep them longer, wrap them in plastic and foil and put them in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers for up to four months.   
• Defrost: For the best texture and taste, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes or in the microwave for two to three minutes. 

Love Slow Cooker Recipes? I have some delicious ones! Check them here:

Recipe tips:

• I use a lot of garlic in this recipe. If you are not a big garlic fan like me, you can use less.
• If you do not like spicy food, leave out the chili peppers and the red pepper flakes.
• Be sure to use fresh ginger instead of powder. It makes a difference.
• It is best to cook these ribs on low to let the collagen break down slowly.
• Make sure you cook your ribs long enough so they are not chewy. When they are done, a meat thermometer should read 195 to 200 degrees F.
• However, do not cook them too long. You can overcook ribs and make them mushy even in a slow cooker.