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Food & Recipes

These Teriyaki Short Ribs Are Tender and Delicious + So Easy to Make in a Slow Cooker

All you need is 3 ingredients to make this "set it and forget it" dish!

Chilly nights call for a comforting dinner, and short ribs fit that bill perfectly. Meaty and full of rich flavor, they’re braised for a long time until they are fall-apart tender. We love making them in a slow cooker for a hands-off meal that only tastes like it took a lot of work. And to keep things easy, our favorite recipe involves simmering in just two ingredients: teriyaki sauce and pomegranate juice. The results are delicious — to try for yourself, keep reading for our pomegranate teriyaki short ribs recipe and get the full scoop on these tender and tasty short ribs!

What are short ribs?

Derived from the beef chuck portion of a cow, short ribs can be bought bone-in or boneless and cut Flanken or English style. Flanken-cut short ribs are sliced thin across the bones so each piece contains several smaller bits of bone, and they cook best quickly over high heat. English-cut short ribs are sliced between bones to separate them, so there’s only one longer piece of piece, and they’re better for long braising.

Why make teriyaki short ribs

Teriyaki sauce is a particularly delicious complement to short ribs. Luis Mata, co-founder of the online meat supplier Meat N’ Bone, notes that its acidity from ingredients like soy sauce and rice vinegar “helps break down the meat’s proteins and make it more tender.” While you can braise teriyaki short ribs on the stove, a slow cooker transforms this dish into the ultimate “set it and forget it” meal.

How slow cookers help tenderize short ribs

The slow cooker is ideal for braising short ribs. This is because the meat isn’t cooking over a direct flame, which can cause the liquid to boil over. Also, a slow cooker provides more temperature control compared to the stove for evenly cooked short ribs. When prepping the short ribs for the slow cooker, Anca Toderic, cookbook author and blogger at The Butter Table, notes that they don’t have to be seared beforehand. “Searing the short ribs first is optional — the  browning from a sear adds flavor and color, but a braise will still be delicious without it,” she explains. “This is because the long, low cooking tenderizes by breaking down connective tissue whether you sear first or not.” So, placing all of the ingredients into the slow cooker in the morning allows the aromas to waft through your kitchen all day long.

A delicious teriyaki short ribs recipe

Our test kitchen’s Pomegranate Teriyaki Short Ribs recipe requires no searing and just three ingredients: short ribs, pomegranate juice and teriyaki sauce. If you’re making them for a larger crowd, you can double or triple the measurements of each ingredient.

Pomegranate Teriyaki Short Ribs

Beef teriyaki short ribs being torn apart with a fork
LauriPatterson/Getty

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. beef short ribs (English-cut)
  • 3 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1 cup teriyaki sauce
  • A pinch of salt and pepper
  • Chopped scallions (optional for garnish)

Directions:

  • Yield: 2 servings
  1. Season short ribs with salt and pepper.
  2. Place meat in slow cooker and combine with teriyaki sauce and pomegranate juice. (Note: Top the short ribs with water if needed to ensure meat is ⅓ to ½ covered.)
  3. Cover and cook on high 4 to 5 hours or low 8 to 9 hours. Short ribs should be soft and tender when gently pulled with fork. Skim fat from meat juices to avoid greasiness.
  4. Sprinkle scallions (if desired) over short ribs and serve with meat juices straight out of slow cooker.

What to serve with teriyaki short ribs

Teriyaki short ribs are delicious served alongside fluffy white rice or creamy plain mashed potatoes as both starches absorb the syrupy brown sauce. A side of roasted vegetables is also tasty to enjoy with the short ribs as the caramelized sweetness from the veg complements the sauce’s sugariness.

My taste test

The short ribs’ cook time is an all-day affair, but it’s worth it. The meat had a buttery texture, and it pulled apart with ease. The sauce was at once salty, tangy and sweet, and the scallions balanced the pomegranate-teriyaki combo perfectly. For a little spice, I added a spoonful of WUJU Chili Crisp (Buy from Amazon, $14.99) on top of my serving of short ribs for a hint of both heat and crunch. These short ribs are going into my collection of low and slow favorites, alongside these Dutch oven carnitas and game day slow cooker recipes!

My test of pomegranate teriyaki short ribs
Alexandria Brooks

Continue reading to discover more delicious dinner recipes:

Slow-Cooker Kung Pao Beef: This Easy Recipe Is Sweet, Tangy & Way Cheaper Than Takeout

Escarole and Beans Soup Is Pure Comfort in a Bowl — Easy Recipe Preps in Just 20 Minutes

11 Ground Chicken Recipes That Are Healthy, Delicious and Easy — Perfect for Weeknights

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