4.60 from 428 votes

Korean Beef Short Ribs Recipe

Name: Korean Beef Short Ribs Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 375 min
Ingredients: 1 medium onion (thinly sliced vertically); 10 large cloves garlic (sliced); 2 tablespoons minced ginger; 2 cups beef broth; 1/2 cup soy sauce (tamari or coconut aminos); 1/4 cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar); 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons gochujang (fermented Korean chile paste) (or to taste and tolerance); 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil; 2 tablespoons canola oil (or vegetable or peanut oil); Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 3 - 3 1/2 pounds beef short ribs ((Between 4 and 8 ribs. Amount will depend on size and meatiness.) bone in, trimmed of excess fat); 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds; 2 scallions (white and light green part only, thinly sliced diagonally, for garnish, optional)

By CarolPublished Feb 23, 2026

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6 hrs 15 mins

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Korean Beef Short Ribs are spicy, sweet, amazing, and super easy! Slow-braising in the slow cooker makes them fall-off-the-bone tender, giving the rich, savory sauce time to develop a perfectly balanced, complex flavor. It’s the kind of restaurant-quality dish that tastes like you fussed all day!

“These short ribs turned out perfectly and were delicious! I will definitely make them again!”

Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs on oval white platter with meat fork sprinkled with sesame seeds and thinly sliced scallions.

Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
How to Make Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs:
Chef Tips and Tricks:
Recipe FAQs:
Serve with:
For more amazing, slowly-braised beef recipes, be sure to try my:
Korean Beef Short Ribs Recipe

Why This Recipe is a Keeper!

Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs made in your slow cooker are the kind of dish that delivers big, bold flavor with surprisingly little effort. The hands-off, slow-cooking does all the heavy lifting to create fall-off-the-bone tender short ribs and a rich, savory sauce with just the right balance of sweetness and spice.

This Korean beef ribs recipe:

Delivers big flavor with minimal effort. Just a few minutes of prep time lets the slow cooker do the work, transforming the ribs into a tender, restaurant-quality dish. It’s easy, with no complicated techniques.
Has deep, complex flavor. Soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and gochujang combine to create a rich, savory sauce with the perfect balance of sweetness, spice, and umami.
Feels special but is easy to make and can be made ahead! Elegant enough for entertaining, yet simple enough for a relaxed dinner at home.

With over 400 4 and 5-star ratings and pinned almost 50,000 times, this Korean beef short ribs recipe is a proven winner! It’s the kind of dependable recipe that delivers consistent, impressive results every time.

Whether you’re serving them for a special occasion or simply want an easy meal that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, these Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs never disappoint.

Close-up of Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs with meat fork shredding one of the ribs.

How to Make Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs:

Recipe Ingredients:

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this Korean beef ribs recipe. The exact quantities are on the recipe card below.

Ingredients for Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs in glass bowls with ribs on white plastic cutting board.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

Beef Short Ribs: Beef short ribs come from the brisket, chuck, plate, or rib areas of the cow. There are two main cuts: Flanken, which is cut across the bone into thin strips, and English, which is cut parallel to the bone into thicker pieces. For this Korean beef ribs recipe, I used the English cut. Each piece shown is a half-rib, which makes one generous serving when there’s plenty of meat. Short ribs contain a good amount of connective tissue (the white veining), which melts during slow braising, creating their signature tender, succulent texture. If needed, trim the excess fat from the top (the side opposite the bone), but leave the bone intact—it adds essential flavor to the finished dish.
Beef Broth: Use beef broth or stock, preferably low- or reduced-sodium, since some of the other ingredients are already salty.
Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is milder and less acidic than distilled white vinegar or those derived from anything grape-based. Use plain, unseasoned rice vinegar; seasoned vinegar has added salt and sugar.
Gochujang: This recipe uses gochujang, an ingredient rich in umami. It’s a savory, spicy, slightly sweet, fermented Korean condiment made from red chiles, rice, soybeans, and salt. Look for it in the international aisle of your local grocery store or international or Asian markets.
Sesame Oil: Use toasted (or roasted) sesame seed oil, not light, which is for cooking. Toasted sesame oil is for flavoring and available in the international aisle.
Soy Sauce: I prefer reduced-sodium soy sauce. Kikkoman is always a good choice. You can also use tamari or coconut aminos; however, coconut aminos won’t have the flavor depth of soy sauce or tamari.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

Gather and prep all the ingredients.

Four uncooked beef short ribs on white plastic cutting board.

Trim the excess fat from each short rib.

Ingredients for short ribs in slow cooker before ribs are placed inside.

Combine the first 9 ingredients in a slow cooker. Set the slow cooker to HIGH to preheat. (Can turn down to LOW later if desired.)

Four browned beef short ribs in nonstick skillet.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Generously season beef short ribs with salt and black pepper.

Working in batches if needed, add short ribs to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and brown well on all sides, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Ingredients for short ribs in slow cooker after ribs are placed inside.

Transfer ribs, meat side down, to the slow cooker.

Cooked beef short ribs in slow cooker before the sauce is thickened.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours, or on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or until very tender.

Combine the cornstarch with approximately 4 tablespoons of the cooking liquid in a small bowl, and stir until smooth.

Beef ribs in slow cooker after being thickened.

Pour the cornstarch mixture into the slow cooker, stir to blend, and cook on HIGH, uncovered, for approximately 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Close-up of beef ribs in slow cooker after being thickened.

Turn the slow cooker off and let everything rest for 10 minutes. (Sauce will thicken more upon standing.) Transfer to a platter and garnish with sesame seeds and, if desired, thinly sliced scallions.

Chef Tips and Tricks:

As the connective tissue in short ribs melts away, they shrink quite a bit. If your beef short ribs are meaty, one per person will suffice. However, two per person may be needed if they’re not all that meaty.
Trim the excess fat from the side opposite the bone. Leave some marbling and the bone side intact for the best flavor and texture.
Make ahead for an even better flavor. Like most braised dishes, these Korean braised beef ribs taste better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld.
Making ahead of time also allows you to skim the fat. Don’t thicken the sauce; cool, then refrigerate the ribs overnight in the slow cooker insert so the fat rises to the surface and solidifies. When ready to reheat, remove it for a cleaner, richer-tasting sauce. Return the insert to the slow cooker and reheat, then thicken with the corn starch slurry.

Recipe FAQs:

What is braising?

Braising uses both moist and dry heat. A tough cut of protein that has lots of connective tissue, such as beef short ribs, is first seared at a high temperature. Then, it simmers at a low temperature for several hours. During this process, the connective tissue breaks down, and the tough protein is transformed into something buttery and fall-off-the-bone tender. The result is extraordinary when this magical cooking method is paired with a robust cuisine like Korean, as in this beef short rib recipe.

Can I make these Korean beef short ribs in the oven?

Yes! Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown the ribs in oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot. Add the other ingredients. Cover securely and braise for approximately 2 1/2 hours. Transfer the short ribs to a plate and keep warm. Remove some of the cooking liquid and let it cool. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cooking liquid, then add it to the Dutch oven. Simmer until the liquid has thickened. Place the short ribs back into the Dutch oven and let them rest and reheat in the hot liquid/sauce.

Can I make Korean beef ribs in the Instant Pot?

Absolutely, but I recommend slow braising. Brown the ribs in some oil. Add the other ingredients, then cook the short ribs for about 45 minutes, followed by a 10 to 15-minute natural release.
Transfer the short ribs to a plate, then turn the Saute function back on for the liquid/broth in the Instant Pot. Remove some of the cooking liquid and let it cool. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cooking liquid and add it to the liquid/broth in the Instant Pot. Simmer until the liquid has thickened. Place the short ribs back into the Instant Pot and let them rest and reheat in the hot liquid/sauce.

Can I make these Korean braised beef ribs ahead of time?

Yes! As they rest, the flavors continue to develop and deepen, making the sauce richer and more complex. Making them ahead of time also makes it easy to remove excess fat. Don’t thicken the sauce after cooking. Instead, let the ribs cool, then refrigerate them overnight in the slow cooker insert. The fat will rise to the surface and solidify, making it easy to remove. When ready to serve, return the insert to the slow cooker to reheat, then thicken the sauce with the cornstarch slurry for a clean, glossy finish.

Can I freeze these Korean short ribs?

Absolutely! Cool completely, package in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through. You can freeze them whole on the bone or off the bone.