slow cooker korean short ribs

I'm not sure if you've ever tried to photograph meat before, but it's a little trickier than a selection of gleaming seasonal produce.  It's downright unappetizing.  But I persevered!  Because this recipe is absolutely delicious.  I've been working on it for several months to find the right technique for the perfect texture and flavor without too much work.  

And maybe if you could smell the slow-cooking beef in gingery, spicy-sweet marinade, it would look a little better.  I'm not deterred from sharing this recipe with you, and I've included a few meat photos to help demonstrate the process.  And some red pepper flakes. 

In cold weather, nothing beats a really easy hot meal.  This one is in inspired by delicious Korean bbq flavors, but modified for an American kitchen.  I hope you love this recipe.

Slow Cooker Korean Beef Short Ribs

Adapted from someone on pinterest

5 lbs beef short ribs (optional step: browned first in a pan, see below)

1 cup soy sauce (preferrably dark, gluten-free tamari)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup rice vinegar (or regular white distilled vinegar)

4 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

6-8 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 heaping teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1-2 stalks green onions, sliced, for garnish

1/2 teaspoon white sesame seeds, sliced, for garnish

To brown the short ribs:

Nothing annoys me more than a slow cooker recipe that requires pre-cooking, so I assure you that this is not a required step.  But it does add a great crust and chewy texture to the ribs after they are cooked, and it cooks out some of the extra fat, so if (and only if) you have time, I definitely recommend it. 

Heat a large skillet to medium high heat.  Place the ribs in the hot pan, fattiest side down first, and leave for several minutes to brown on each side, then turn to do the other sides.  When the edges are all brown, remove from the pan, set aside, and proceed with the rest of the short ribs in batches, wiping the skillet carefully with a paper towel if too much fat collects in the pan.  

Place the (browned or unbrowned) short ribs down in the bottom of a large slow cooker.  In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Pour the mixture over the ribs. 

Cook on low for 6-8 hours until the meat is falling off the bone.  Serve ribs over rice or with a side of sauteed baby bok choy or steamed snow peas.  Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. 

The cooking liquid will create a thin sauce in the bottom of the crockpot.   If you would like to serve extra sauce with the ribs, skim the fat off the top as best you can before spooning up some of the liquid from the pot.  Better yet, refrigerate the mixture overnight for leftovers.  The fat will harden on top of the sauce, and you can remove it with a spoon and throw it away before reheating the rest of the sauce.  (Gross but hopefully helpful picture below.)