Beef Short Ribs with Crispy Rice

Tender short ribs are braised in red wine with beef broth, seared in beef tallow until deeply golden, then finished in their own rich braising liquid. Instead of polenta, the beef rests on a sheet of crispy rice - buttery, golden, and crackling at the edges - finished with fresh chives for brightness and balance.

Why You'll Love Beef Short Ribs with Crispy Rice

The golden crust of the crispy rice brings buttery crunch that plays against the melt-in-your-mouth richness of the short ribs. A short dry brine intensifies the beef's depth, while shallot layers in a subtle sweetness that keeps the braise elegant. Tomato paste is caramelized before the garlic, ensuring the sauce develops complexity without bitterness. Anchored by beef tallow and beef broth, the dish carries unmatched richness and balance in every bite, finished with the freshness of chives.

Tips and Tricks

• Press rice firmly into the frying pan or sauté pan for maximum contact and crust.
• Let the rice cool slightly before crisping - it holds together better.
• Loosen the edges gently with a spatula before lifting the rice out to keep the crust intact.
• Try the alternative rice-steaming method: after boiling, cover with a tight-fitting lid, weigh it down with something sturdy, turn off the heat, and let it sit 20-30 minutes. It sounds unusual, but it works perfectly.
• Always season with kosher salt - never sea salt.
• Let ribs come fully to room temp before searing for even cooking.
• Take your time with the vegetable sequence - layering builds flavor.

Variations

• Stir chopped herbs into rice before crisping for aroma.
• Add a pinch of saffron or turmeric to rice water for color and subtle flavor.
• Swap short ribs for lamb shanks for a twist.

Substitutions

• Shallot → onion (for a more savory, less sweet base).
• Red wine → dark beer for a richer braise.

Best served with

• A bold red wine (Cabernet, Syrah).
• Roasted root vegetables.
• Simple green salad.

How to Store Leftovers

• Refrigerate ribs and rice separately up to 3 days. Reheat ribs in sauce. Recrisp rice in a skillet with a touch of butter.
• Freeze braise up to 2 months; rice does not freeze well.

Beef Short Ribs with Crispy Rice

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Tender short ribs are braised in red wine with beef broth, seared in beef tallow until deeply golden, then finished in their own rich braising liquid. Instead of polenta, the beef rests on a sheet of crispy rice, buttery, golden, and crackling at the edges, finished with fresh chives for brightness and balance.

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Servings: 2

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Meat

Cuisine: Californian, French, Italian

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

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Short Ribs

• 1½ lbs beef short ribs bone-in
• kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon beef tallow
• 1 small shallot diced, or ½ yellow onion
• 1 carrot diced
• 1 celery stalk diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine
• 1½ cups beef broth
• 1 thyme sprig
• 1 bay leaf

Crispy Rice

• 1 cup white rice jasmine or basmati
• pinch kosher salt for rice water
• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter

To Serve

• fresh cracked black pepper to finish
• 2 tablespoon chives thinly sliced

Equipment

• Dutch oven
• Cooling rack + baking sheet (for dry brining)
• Whisk or wooden spoon
• Frying pan or sauté pan (for crisping rice)
• Saucepan (for rice)

Method

 

Prep the Short Ribs

1. Season ribs generously with kosher salt. Place on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered overnight, or up to 3 days, to dry brine.
2. Remove from fridge at least 1 hour before cooking to bring to room temperature.

Braise the Short Ribs

1. Heat the beef tallow in a Dutch oven over medium-high.
2. Brown ribs deeply on all sides, then remove.
3. Add shallot (or onion) to the pot, then cut the heat for 60 seconds to naturally deglaze. The shallot's own water deglazes the pan safely.
4. Return heat to medium and cook until starting to soften.
5. Add carrot and cook patiently until beginning to caramelize.
6. Add celery; cook until softened.
7. Stir in tomato paste and cook until caramelized, about 2 minutes. You'll know you're ready to move on when the paste loses its raw smell and starts to stick to the pan. Those browned bits are flavor, and you get them all back the moment you deglaze.
8. Add garlic and cook 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
9. Deglaze with red wine, scraping up browned bits. You'll know all of the bits have released when you run your spoon over the bottom of the pan and it feels smooth. Reduce by half.
10. Return ribs to the pot. Add the beef broth, thyme, and bay leaf.
11. Cover and braise in a 325°F oven for 2 ½-3 hours until fork-tender.
12. Remove ribs; strain and reduce braising liquid slightly to concentrate flavors.

Make the Crispy Rice

1. Rinse rice under cold water until it runs mostly clear. This removes excess starch and helps prevent sticking.
2. In a small pot, combine 1 cup rice with 1 ½ cups water and a pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
3. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer 12-15 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender.
4. (Alternatively, after boiling, cover with a tight-fitting lid, place something heavy and sturdy on top, then completely turn off the heat and let it sit for 20-30 minutes. I know it sounds crazy, but it will be done perfectly.)
5. Remove from heat and let rice sit, covered, for 5 minutes to finish steaming.
6. Fluff with a fork, then let cool slightly (so it firms up and is easier to press into the pan).
7. Heat 2 tablespoon butter in a frying pan or sauté pan over medium. Add rice, pressing it down into an even layer. Cook undisturbed until the bottom is golden brown and crispy, 8-12 minutes.

To Plate

1. Cut crispy rice into wedges or lift sections with a spatula. Place on shallow plates.
2. Top with braised short ribs.
3. Spoon over reduced braising liquid.
4. Finish with thinly sliced chives and fresh cracked black pepper.

Notes

Storage: cover and refrigerate the ribs and crispy rice separately for up to 3 days. Reheat the ribs gently in their braising liquid; re-crisp the rice in a hot skillet.

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