Ingredients:

  • 2 kg (4.4 lbs) Bone-in Beef Short Ribs (English style)
  • 1 Tbsp Olive oil or neutral cooking oil
  • 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt (Flake or coarse salt preferred)
  • 1 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar (packed)
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 large Yellow Onion (roughly chopped)
  • 2 medium Carrots (roughly chopped)
  • 2 Celery Stalks (roughly chopped)
  • 60 ml (1/4 cup) Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 700 ml (3 cups) low sodium Beef Stock
  • 2 Bay Leaves (dried)
  • 120 ml (1/2 cup) Ketchup (high quality)
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Molasses (Black treacle)
  • 1 Tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Trim any excessive, hard fat from the short ribs. Pat the ribs very dry with paper towels.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, Smoked Paprika, Light Brown Sugar, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder to create the dry rub.
  3. Rub the seasoning mix aggressively and evenly over all sides of the short ribs. Allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  4. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the ribs in batches on all sides until deep golden brown and caramelised (2-3 minutes per side). Remove the ribs and set them aside.
  5. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the Dutch oven. Sauté, scraping up any browned bits (the fond) from the bottom, for about 5-7 minutes until softened.
  6. Pour the apple cider vinegar into the pot, scraping the bottom vigorously to dissolve any remaining fond. Cook for 1 minute until reduced slightly.
  7. Return the seared short ribs to the pot, nestling them among the vegetables. Pour in the beef stock and add the bay leaves. The liquid should cover about two-thirds of the meat.
  8. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer on the stovetop. Cover the Dutch oven very tightly with the lid (use foil if needed for an airtight seal).
  9. Transfer the covered pot to the preheated 150°C (300°F) oven. Cook for 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours, or until the meat is extremely tender and easily pulls away from the bone.
  10. While the ribs are finishing, combine all ingredients for the Finishing BBQ Glaze (Ketchup, Worcestershire Sauce, Molasses, Honey, and Dijon Mustard) in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, then remove from the heat.
  11. Carefully lift the cooked short ribs out of the braising liquid using tongs and transfer them to a foil-lined baking sheet (ideally fitted with a wire rack). Discard the vegetables and bay leaves, reserving 1 cup (240 ml) of the braising liquid.
  12. Reduce the reserved 1 cup of braising liquid in the saucepan until reduced by half and slightly thickened, then stir this concentrated liquid into the BBQ glaze mixture.
  13. Brush the ribs liberally with the BBQ glaze. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C (400°F).
  14. Return the ribs to the hot oven, uncovered, and bake for 15-20 minutes, brushing with remaining glaze every 5 minutes until the glaze is deeply caramelised, sticky, and shiny. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.