These short ribs are inspired by Thai flavors, using lemongrass and makrut lime leaves to give an otherwise rich dish a bright, citrusy flavor. Bone-in beef short ribs are seared on all sides and are temporarily removed from the pot while aromatics get their turn, picking up all the flavor from the meat drippings. Water and creamy coconut milk help deglaze the fond before the ribs return to the pot; the sauce simmers down to a thick, luscious state to coat the melt-in-your-mouth beef. This dish begs for fragrant steamed jasmine rice to soak up the sauce, as well as lime juice and cilantro to bring in welcome freshness. If you cannot find bone-in short ribs, boneless will also work (just be sure to reduce cooking time accordingly).
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What you’ll need
Dutch Oven
$133 $80 At Amazon
Microplane Grater
$18 At Amazon
Wooden Spoon
$7 At Amazon
Citrus Juicer
$20 $15 At Amazon
Can Opener
$14 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
3–4
4
2
10
1
6
6
2
1
3
½
¼
Preparation
Step 1
Pat 3–4 lb. English-style bone-in beef short ribs, cut into 3" segments, dry with paper towels; season with kosher salt on all sides. Heat a dry large Dutch oven or other heavy ovenproof pot over medium. Working in batches if needed, cook short ribs, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 8–10 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate, leaving fat behind.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 350°. Bruise 4 lemongrass stalks, bottom third only, tough outer layers removed, with flat side of a chef’s knife and add to same pot. Add 2 large onions, finely chopped, 10 garlic cloves, finely grated, and one 3" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until onions are softened and becoming translucent, about 2 minutes. Cover pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden, 8–10 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in 6 red or green Thai chiles or 2 large serrano chiles, thinly sliced, 6 makrut (Thai) lime leaves (if using), 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar, and 1 tsp. ground turmeric. Pour in three 13.5-oz. cans unsweetened coconut milk, ½ cup fish sauce, and 1½ cups water and bring to a simmer, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Nestle short ribs back into pot and return liquid to a simmer. Cover pot with a lid and transfer to oven. Braise short ribs until meat is tender and falling off the bone and liquid is thickened, 2½–3 hours. Fish out and discard lemongrass stalks and lime leaves, then stir in zest of 2 limes (if using) and ¼ cup fresh lime juice. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
Step 4
Divide steamed jasmine rice among shallow bowls and spoon short ribs over. Top with cilantro leaves with tender stems and chiles (if using). Serve with lime wedges.
Do Ahead: Short ribs can be braised 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.
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Reviews (42)
Back to TopFollowed the recipe exactly; it's seriously delicious. As a warning, with all the fat from the meat and coconut, it is quite rich. Five cups of liquid also means you're left with a lot of sauce. I froze most of the liquid and plan to use it as a soup base. I'll probably use just one can of coconut milk next time and a little less fish sauce to maintain the right ratio. I'm eating it as I type this :)
Will S
St Louis MO
10/4/2022
Okay so this was absolutely delicious but there was a lot of braising liquid and I really was expecting more of a sauce than a soup but it was enjoyed nonetheless. I agree with the other poster that it doesn’t need quite so much liquid. But if you’re looking for an incredible short rib curry or soup then look no further!
Carrie
Washington DC
10/11/2022
This was terrific. The other reviewers are correct that there is a lot of liquid but the broth is amazing and we’ll gladly use the leftovers later this week as a soup base. Everyone was salivating all afternoon while this was in the oven, just served it with jasmine rice, plenty of cilantro and green beans cooked in a little soy sauce. I couldn’t find Thai chilis or the lime leaves so subbed jalapeños and the lime zest-absolutely delicious!
Mary
Stowe, VT
10/17/2022
This recipe is amazing, and the flavor was incredible. This has to be in my top 5 recipes ever made. There is a lot of braising liquid but, I will also use it for soup so there will be no waste. Highly recommend this.
Bruce
Providence, RI
10/24/2022
This is the PERFECT dish. Flavorful, rich, comforting, impressive but easy to make, and little active cooking time. I lightened it up a little and used half the amount of coconut milk the recipe prescribes and it was still decadent. It is definitely worth sourcing the exact ingredients, and I also added some crushed cardamom. I took the short ribs out at the end and cooked down the braising liquid to make a thicker sauce, but you can also repurpose it as a soup like the other reviews. This is the perfect dish to feed a group of people that you love!
Sasha
Jersey City, NJ
10/31/2022
amazing! we just cut the tops of the Thai Chiles and left them whole so it didn't get too spicy for the kiddos.
AHW
MN
11/7/2022
Sorry but even as a loyal BA fab I must say: This is the worst recipe I have ever made. Tasteless and greasy. Do not waste your money on the ingredients as there are far better recipes for short ribs out there.
J
Seattle
11/7/2022