Grilled Beef Short Ribs

By
Kathy Kingsley
Kathy Kingsley
Kathy Kingsley
A former bakery owner, Kathy Kingsley is a food writer, recipe developer, editor, and author of seven cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/21/21
Grilled Beef Short Ribs Recipe

The Spruce 
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Marinate Time: 3 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1240 Calories
81g Fat
50g Carbs
80g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 1240
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 81g 104%
Saturated Fat 33g 167%
Cholesterol 313mg 104%
Sodium 2386mg 104%
Total Carbohydrate 50g 18%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 38g
Protein 80g
Vitamin C 5mg 26%
Calcium 86mg 7%
Iron 9mg 51%
Potassium 1031mg 22%
*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.)

The meat on these grilled beef short ribs is so tender that it falls right off the bone. Flanken beef short ribs are cut crosswise from the sixth, seventh and eighth rib. Each piece should contain three crosscut rib bones. If you don't see them in the meat case, you can usually special-order them from your butcher.

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

  • 1/2 cup medium-sweet sherry, or pineapple juice

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce

  • 1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 4  pounds flanken beef short ribs, well-trimmed, about 1/2-inch thick

For the Barbecue Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons onion salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/3 cup white vinegar

  • 1 cup ketchup

  • 1/2 cup apricot preserves, pureed if extremely chunky

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • Chopped scallions, for garnish

Steps to Make It

Make the Marinade

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Grilled Beef Short Ribs Recipe
     The Spruce

  2. In a medium saucepan, bring the sherry and soy sauce to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the brown sugar and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves.

    Grilled Beef Short Ribs Recipe
     The Spruce

  3. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the oil, garlic, and pepper and set it aside to cool completely.​

    Grilled Beef Short Ribs Recipe
     The Spruce

  4. In a large, shallow bowl, combine the ribs and marinade, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 12 hours, turning the ribs occasionally.

    Grilled Beef Short Ribs Recipe
     The Spruce

Make the Barbecue Sauce

  1. To make your own barbecue sauce, combine brown sugar, onion salt, garlic powder, ground ginger, white vinegar, ketchup, apricot preserves (pureed if extremely chunky), Worcestershire sauce, and honey in a small bowl.

    Grilled Beef Short Ribs Recipe
     The Spruce

  2. Transfer to a small sauce pot and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    Grilled Beef Short Ribs Recipe
     The Spruce

  3. With a whisk, add 2 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes, a couple at a time until blended. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly before using.

    Grilled Beef Short Ribs Recipe
     The Spruce

Grill the Ribs

  1. Heat a gas grill to medium-high, prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire or preheat a broiler. If you're using a charcoal grill, start the fire 30 to 40 minutes before grilling. The fire's right when coals look ash-covered and you can hold your hand 4 to 5 inches (grill height) over the coals for 4 seconds.

    Grilled Beef Short Ribs Recipe
    The Spruce 

  2. Drain the ribs and discard the marinade. Grill or broil the ribs 4 to 6 inches from the heat source for 10 minutes for medium-rare, 12 minutes for medium, and 14 minutes for well done.

    Grilled Beef Short Ribs Recipe
     The Spruce

  3. Turn and baste with barbecue sauce twice.

    Grilled Beef Short Ribs Recipe
     The Spruce

  4. Remove the ribs to a serving platter and serve right away with any extra sauce for dipping. Garnish with chopped scallions if you wish.

  5. Serve and enjoy!

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven-safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Tips

  • If you don't have time to make your own barbecue sauce, or just don't want to, feel free to replace the homemade recipe outlined above with 1 cup of your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce.

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