What Is Short Rib & How to Cook It
Thomas Joseph Butchery — The Cut Guide
What Is Short Rib — And How to Cook It Perfectly
Rich, deeply marbled and collagen-packed — beef short ribs reward patience with some of the most extraordinary slow-cooked eating available from any cut. Here is everything you need to know, from the team at Thomas Joseph Butchery.
Beef short ribs sit at the intersection of everything that makes slow cooking great: rich, deeply marbled meat on the bone, packed with collagen that breaks down over low heat into a natural gelatin that enriches everything it touches. They are a cut that has spent decades on restaurant menus at serious prices — and for good reason. Braised low and slow until the meat slides from the bone and a spoon could cut through it, short ribs produce a depth of flavour and an unctuous richness that few other cuts can approach. At Thomas Joseph Butchery, they are a favourite among chefs and home cooks alike. Here is how to get the most out of them.
"Short ribs are brisket's showier cousin — same patience required, same extraordinary reward, with the drama of the bone making every bowl look like it belongs in a restaurant."
The CutWhat Are Beef Short Ribs?
Short ribs come from the chuck and plate sections of the animal — the lower part of the rib cage, beneath the prime rib section. The name is slightly misleading: they are not short in length, but rather cut from the shorter section of the rib as opposed to the longer back ribs. They are available in two main presentations:
- Individual short ribs — single rib sections cut across the bone, typically 7–10cm thick. Each rib contains a generous portion of heavily marbled meat on a cross-section of bone. These are the format most commonly seen in restaurants and the ideal for individual portions.
- Jacob's Ladder — the full rack of short ribs left intact, with four or more bones still joined. A dramatic, impressive presentation that is ideal for sharing or low-and-slow smoking whole. Our Jacob's Ladder at 2.5kg is the statement piece of the short rib range.
The meat itself sits between and above the bones — well-worked, heavily marbled and rich with connective tissue. That connective tissue is not a flaw — it is what makes short ribs what they are. Over long, low heat, collagen dissolves into gelatin, producing a silkiness and body in the cooking liquid and the meat itself that cannot be achieved from any leaner cut.
The TJB ProductGrass-Fed Short Ribs from Thomas Joseph Butchery
Short Ribs | Grass-Fed
Sourced from cattle raised across British and Irish farms — grass-fed, pasture-raised, with deep marbling and the collagen content that slow cooking demands. Available as a 1kg individual rib portion or as a full 2.5kg Jacob's Ladder for those who want the complete, dramatic presentation. A favourite among chefs and home cooks who have discovered that patience and a good cut are the only two things required for an extraordinary meal.
Individual Ribs / 1kg — £22 | Jacob's Ladder / 2.5kg — £50
Shop Short Ribs →The MethodsHow to Cook Short Ribs Perfectly
Braised Short Ribs — The Restaurant Method at Home
Season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy-based casserole to very high heat and brown the ribs aggressively on all sides — this is not optional. The Maillard reaction that happens during the sear contributes an enormous proportion of the final flavour of the dish. Take your time, brown in batches if needed, and do not move them until a deep, mahogany crust has formed on each face.
Remove the ribs. In the same fat, cook diced onion, carrot and celery until deeply caramelised — 10 minutes minimum. Add a generous pour of full-bodied red wine, reduce by two thirds, then add beef stock to come halfway up the ribs. Return the ribs, add a few sprigs of thyme, a bay leaf and a head of garlic halved across the equator. Cover tightly and braise at 160°C for 3.5–4.5 hours until the meat is yielding and beginning to pull from the bone. Remove the ribs and strain and reduce the braising liquid to a glossy sauce. Serve the ribs on the bone with the sauce spooned over and a generous bowl of pommes purée alongside.
Jacob's Ladder — Smoked Low and Slow
The whole Jacob's Ladder is one of the most impressive things you can put on a smoker or low BBQ — a full rack of short ribs, bones still joined, cooked low and slow until the meat has pulled back from the ends of the bones and the whole thing wobbles with collagen-rich tenderness. Season with a simple rub of salt, black pepper and smoked paprika. Cook at 110–120°C over indirect heat with oak wood for 6–8 hours, until the internal temperature at the thickest point of meat reaches 93°C and a probe slides through with no resistance. Rest wrapped in butcher's paper for 30 minutes before serving whole at the table. Carve between the bones. No sauce required.
Slow Cooker Short Ribs
Brown the ribs as above — this step makes an enormous difference and should not be skipped even when using a slow cooker. Transfer to the slow cooker with aromatics, red wine and stock. Cook on low for 8–10 hours. The result is falling-off-the-bone short ribs with very little active cooking time. Reduce the braising liquid in a saucepan before serving to concentrate it from a thin broth into a proper sauce. Serve over mash, polenta or buttered noodles.
At a GlanceShort Rib Cooking Times
🔥 The Sear Is Not Optional
Every short rib recipe, regardless of method, requires a proper aggressive sear before the long cook begins. It is the single biggest variable between a restaurant-quality short rib and a home cook result that lacks depth. Get the pan screaming hot, cook in batches so you're searing rather than steaming, and don't rush it. Brown on every surface, including the ends. The crust you build in those first ten minutes pays dividends over the entire cook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Short Ribs — Your Questions Answered
What are beef short ribs?
Beef short ribs come from the chuck and plate sections of the animal — the lower rib cage, beneath the prime rib. They consist of heavily marbled, well-worked meat attached to sections of rib bone, with significant collagen content that breaks down into gelatin during slow cooking, producing extraordinary richness and depth. They are available as individual cross-cut sections (each containing one rib) or as Jacob's Ladder — the full rack left intact with four or more ribs still joined.
How long do short ribs take to cook?
Braised in the oven at 160°C, individual short ribs take 3.5–4.5 hours. A whole Jacob's Ladder smoked at 110–120°C takes 6–8 hours. In a slow cooker on low, 8–10 hours. The best indicator of doneness is always probe feel — a skewer or thin knife should slide through the thickest part of the meat with zero resistance. Always rest short ribs for at least 20–30 minutes before serving.
What is Jacob's Ladder beef?
Jacob's Ladder is the name given to a full rack of beef short ribs left intact — typically four or more bones still joined, presenting as a dramatic, visually impressive slab of bone and meat. The name comes from the ladder-like appearance of the multiple bones running across the rack. It is the most dramatic presentation of short ribs and is particularly well-suited to smoking whole or slow-roasting in the oven as a sharing centrepiece.
What is the difference between short ribs and back ribs?
Short ribs and back ribs come from different parts of the rib section. Back ribs (also called beef ribs or dinosaur ribs) come from the prime rib section — the upper part of the rib cage — and carry meat between and below the bones left over after the ribeye has been removed. Short ribs come from the lower rib section (chuck and plate) and carry significantly more meat on and around the bone. Short ribs have substantially more marbling and collagen and are generally considered the more rewarding slow-cook cut of the two.
Do short ribs need to be browned before slow cooking?
Yes — always. Browning short ribs before the long cook is one of the most important steps in the entire recipe. The Maillard reaction that occurs during the sear — the deep caramelisation of the surface — produces hundreds of flavour compounds that the long, moist cooking environment cannot replicate. Skipping the sear produces a pale, flavour-deficient result compared to properly browned short ribs. Brown in batches over high heat, taking your time on every surface.
Where can I buy grass-fed short ribs in the UK?
Thomas Joseph Butchery stocks grass-fed short ribs at 1kg (£22) and Jacob's Ladder at 2.5kg (£50), sourced from cattle raised across British and Irish farms. Cut fresh to order and delivered next day anywhere in the UK.
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