Chinese Five-Spice Beef Short Ribs
Take your taste buds on a flavor adventure with this mouthwatering Chinese Five-Spice Beef Short Ribs recipe! This dish can be effortlessly made in the oven or slow cooker, yielding super tender beef every time.
This Asian short ribs recipe was given to me by a friend several years ago, and I love to make it! But I have modified the original recipe over the years, substituting most of the specialty ingredients, since it had several. I really like to use what I already have in the pantry, and luckily, I’ve been able to replicate the awesome, authentic flavor with ingredients that are easier to find here in the Midwest.
You may be wondering what five-spice powder is. Well, it’s a traditional seasoning blend with cinnamon, star anise, ground cloves, peppercorns, and fennel seeds. Five-spice powder, along with plenty of ginger and garlic, adds so much flavor to this recipe.
Recipe Substitutions
These Asian short ribs have plenty of substitutions you can make. Here are a few suggestions that would work:
- I used a neutral avocado oil to sear the ribs, but you could absolutely use fragrant sesame oil to add more flavor!
- You are welcome to use red cooking wine if needed. You can also substitute more beef broth for the red wine, but I do recommend adding a tablespoon of red wine vinegar if you do this, or you will miss the acidity.
- The sauce should naturally thicken, but if it doesn’t, you can make a cornstarch mixture out of 1 teaspoon of cornstarch or flour and 2 teaspoons of hot water. Whisk vigorously to combine before pouring into the sauce. Then, whisk into the sauce, making sure no clumps form.
- If you love garlic, you can add 4-5 cloves garlic to the braising mixture to infuse it with their flavor.
Want more easy recipes that will use up your five-spice powder? Try my Spatchcocked Grilled Chicken or these Grilled Cornish Hens! Both use a good amount of this seasoning blend.
Serving Suggestions
I typically make jasmine rice in my rice cooker, then serve these short ribs over it with a drizzle of the sauce reduction. Sesame asparagus or hibachi veggies make a wonderful side!
I hope you love these super tender beef short ribs! If you make them, I’d love to hear how it went in the comments below.
Chinese Five-Spice Beef Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef short ribs, bone-in, thawed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil, or sesame oil
For the braising liquid:
- 1.5 cups beef broth, low sodium
- 1 cup red wine, dry
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon sriracha, or hot sauce of choice
- 1 tablespoon five spice powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (or 1 teaspoon ginger powder)
- 1 tablespoon butter, unsalted
For serving (optional):
- green onions, sesame seeds, crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- If using the oven, preheat to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper.
- Add oil to a Dutch oven or large stockpot and heat on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the seasoned short ribs. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side until a light golden-brown crust begins to form. You may need to do this step-in batches.
- To the pot, add the rest of the ingredients except the butter and the garnish. Bring
- Transfer the Dutch oven, covered, into the preheated oven. Bake for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender.
- Make the sauce for serving: Strain the cooking liquid to remove any large bits of fat. I like to use a cheesecloth for this when I have it. Return the strained liquid to the Dutch oven or a saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 15 minutes until the liquid is thick and reduced to about 1.5 cups. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the reduced sauce over the cooked short ribs and serve warm, garnished with green onions, red pepper flakes and sesame seeds.
