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Slow Cooker Korean Beef Short Ribs

Slow cooker Korean beef short ribs cook low and slow in a savory-sweet sauce with Asian pear, soy, ginger, and garlic. The ribs turn fork-tender, and a quick cornstarch slurry makes the cooking liquid glossy and thick.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 9 hours 2 minutes
Total Time 9 hours 27 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Korean
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the ribs
  • 4 lb beef short ribs bone-in, English-cut
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
For the sauce
  • 1 Asian pear medium, peeled and finely grated
  • 0.5 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 0.5 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
For the slow cooker
  • 1 yellow onion large, cut into wedges
  • 3 carrots large, cut into 2-inch pieces
For the thickened sauce
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
For the garnish
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds

Equipment

  • 1 12-inch skillet
  • 1 6-quart slow cooker
  • 1 2-quart saucepan

Method
 

Brown the ribs
  1. Pat the short ribs dry.
  2. Season the ribs on all sides with the salt and pepper.
  3. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
  4. Brown the ribs in batches, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Make the sauce
  1. Whisk the grated pear, soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil in a bowl.
Assemble and slow-cook
  1. Put the onion and carrots in a 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. Arrange the ribs on top of the onion and carrots.
  3. Pour the sauce over the ribs.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the ribs are fork-tender.
Thicken the sauce
  1. Transfer the ribs and vegetables to a serving platter.
  2. Pour the cooking liquid into a 2-quart saucepan and skim off excess fat.
  3. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat.
  4. Whisk the cornstarch with the cold water.
  5. Whisk the slurry into the simmering liquid.
  6. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until glossy and thickened.
Serve the ribs
  1. Spoon the sauce over the ribs and vegetables.
  2. Garnish with the scallions and sesame seeds.

Notes

For deeper browning, brown the ribs in batches without crowding the skillet. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days or freeze them; use gluten-free tamari in place of soy sauce for a gluten-free variation.