Tender, fall-off-the-bone crockpot Asian short ribs. This easy recipe features tamari, ginger, and garlic. Serve with coconut rice and bok choy for a complete, dairy-free and gluten-free meal.

Start the week with a generous plate of tender, slow-cooked short ribs. The crockpot transforms the meat until it literally falls from the bone, producing rich, shredded beef with minimal hands-on time.

These short ribs are simmered in a savory sauce of tamari (or low-sodium soy sauce), brown sugar, rice vinegar, fresh ginger, and garlic, with a touch of red pepper flakes for warmth. The flavors meld during long, gentle cooking to create a glossy, deeply flavored sauce that pairs beautifully with coconut rice and blanched or sautéed bok choy.

Serve the ribs over a bed of coconut rice and sprinkle with thinly sliced green onions and sesame seeds for a simple, restaurant-quality meal at home. This dish feels special without being fussy—perfect for a cozy dinner or a small celebration when you want something impressive but easy.

The hands-off nature of the crockpot makes these short ribs ideal for busy days. Brown the ribs quickly in a hot skillet to build flavor, then transfer them to the slow cooker with the sauce ingredients. After several hours on high (or longer on low), the meat will be fork-tender and easy to shred. Thicken the cooking liquid with a cornstarch slurry, skim any excess fat, and toss the meat back in the sauce or serve it on the bone—either way, it’s delicious.

Additional Crockpot Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Crockpot Pulled BBQ Chicken
Slow Cooker Chocolate Stout Pulled Pork
Crockpot Honey Bourbon Chicken
Crockpot Pineapple Chicken Sandwiches

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it below—I’d love to hear from you.

Crockpot Asian Short Ribs

Yield:
about 5 to 7 servings

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook Time:
6 hours

Total Time:
6 hours 20 minutes

Tender, fall-off-the-bone crockpot Asian short ribs made with tamari, ginger, and garlic. Serve with coconut rice and bok choy for a satisfying dairy-free, gluten-free meal.

Ingredients

For the short ribs:

about 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 ½ pounds bone-in beef short ribs
salt and pepper, for sprinkling
½ cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
⅓ cup loosely packed brown sugar
¼ cup rice vinegar
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Serving ideas:

coconut rice
thinly sliced green onion
sesame seeds

Instructions

Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When hot, brown as many short ribs as will comfortably fit in the pan, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper; brown about 2 minutes per side.
Remove browned ribs to a plate and repeat with remaining ribs, adding more oil only if needed.
In a 6-quart crockpot, whisk together the soy sauce or tamari, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves into the liquid.
Arrange the short ribs in a single layer in the crockpot, cover, and cook on high for about 6 hours, or until the meat is very tender and pulls away from the bone. (Alternatively, cook on low for a longer period until tender.)
Carefully transfer the short ribs to a cutting board and skim excess fat from the sauce in the crockpot.
Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl to form a slurry. With the crockpot on high, stir the slurry into the sauce and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
If desired, shred the meat with two forks; you can serve it on the bone or shredded off the bone. Return shredded meat to the sauce to coat, or spoon sauce over plated ribs.
Serve over coconut rice, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, and enjoy.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Real Simple.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 7
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 547
Total Fat: 33g
Saturated Fat: 13g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 20g
Cholesterol: 142mg
Sodium: 909mg
Carbohydrates: 13g
Fiber: 0g
Sugar: 9g
Protein: 45g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate and is for informational purposes only, not a substitute for professional advice.