Slow Cooker Asian Beef Short Ribs

By
Stephanie Gallagher
Stephanie Gallagher
Stephanie Gallagher is a journalist and food writer who has authored multiple cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/6/22
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Yield: 3 to 4 pounds ribs

Asian flavors give these beef short ribs a sweet-salty flavor that tastes like it came from an authentic Chinese restaurant. But this recipe takes only five minutes to prepare, and then the slow cooker does the rest. The best part is the kids will absolutely love these short ribs. Tender and succulent, the meat just falls off the bone.

Don't worry that the ribs will be too spicy. The long, slow cooking process mellows the spices so much that these ribs just taste sweet, with only a hint of spice.

You can even cook these short ribs from a frozen state without thawing. Just turn the slow cooker onto high for an hour, then turn it down to low for the rest of the cooking time. The short ribs will turn out perfectly.

Slow Cooker Asian Beef Short Ribs

The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 pounds beef short ribs

  • 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce, such as Lee Kum Kee

  • 1/4 cup water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Slow Cooker Asian Beef Short Ribs ingredients

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  2. Place short ribs in slow cooker. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and water.

    Place the short ribs in the slow cooker with brown sugar, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and water

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  3. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, turning once halfway through to ensure all sides of the ribs soak up sauce.

    Slow Cooker Asian Beef Short Ribs

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

Tip

  • If you are cooking frozen ribs that haven't yet been thawed, simply turn the slow cooker to high for the first hour of cooking. Then turn it down to low, and proceed with the recipe as directed.

Did You Know?

Sriracha hot chili sauce has become extremely popular, seen on restaurant tables and even in school cafeterias all over the country. It's an amazing condiment, but chili garlic sauce also needs to gets its due.

The chilies in this sauce are more visible, and the sauce is thicker and chunkier with a good dose of garlic that you can definitely taste. It's spicy and the touch of vinegar definitely lifts and brightens it up. It can last for at least a year once opened as long as you keep it in the refrigerator.

You can use it in sauces, marinades, soups, stews. You can blend it into wet rubs and pastes. It adds a nice little punch to almost any Asian dish, from stir-fries to casseroles. If your kids are spice-averse, start with small amounts. Sometimes, instead of reaching for the Tabasco Sauce or Sriracha, keep a jar of chili garlic sauce on hand instead.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
588 Calories
39g Fat
17g Carbs
42g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 588
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 39g 50%
Saturated Fat 18g 88%
Cholesterol 177mg 59%
Sodium 1458mg 63%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 42g
Vitamin C 3mg 17%
Calcium 51mg 4%
Iron 5mg 30%
Potassium 746mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)