Barbecue Beef Short Rib

6/09/26

These short ribs are all about patience and reward: cooked low and slow until the meat falls away effortlessly, carrying all the depth and character that comes from truly good beef. The video below shows a similar version of this recipe, without the barbecue sauce.

Watch the video

Ingredients

  • 1 large piece Beef Short Rib

Spice Rub

  • 1 heaped tsp brown sugar
  • 2 heaped tsp paprika
  • 2 heaped tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 heaped tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 heaped tsp black pepper
  • 1 heaped tsp mustard powder

Barbecue Sauce

  • 125 ml apple cider vinegar
  • 250 ml tomato passata
  • 100g brown sugar
  • 1 heaped tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1 heaped tsp cayenne pepper
  • 375 ml water

Method

Lay your piece of short rib in a large deep roasting tin or tray. Pour over the spice rub and massage in with your fingers until all the meat is covered. You can either let this sit on the meat for a few hours or overnight to marinate or continue with the next step immediately if you’re tight on time.
 
Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan). Add all the BBQ sauce ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Once the sugar has dissolved, pour the sauce over the meat.

Cover the tray with foil, sealing it around the edges, and place in the oven for 4 hours. If you’d like to top to be a little crispy, remove the foil 15 minutes before the cooking time is up and cook uncovered for the remaining time. Make sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!
 
To serve, cut thick slices between the ribs, lay a portion over creamy mashed potato and drizzle with plenty of sauce.

Add some steamed green vegetables as a side, and tuck in.

BOB DICKINSON