Succulent Beef Ribs

Succulent Beef Ribs are slow-cooked until the meat becomes wonderfully tender, moist and packed with deep, rich flavour. Beef ribs combine with onion, garlic, beef stock and tomato purée to create a dark, glossy and intensely savoury sauce. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables for a comforting and satisfying meal that makes the most of just five main ingredients.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 15

Servings Servings

Ingredients

Five Main Ingredients:

1 kg beef ribs meaty
1 large onion peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
500 ml beef stock
2 tbsp tomato purée

Larder Ingredients:

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 160°C / 140°C fan / 325°F / Gas Mark 3.
Pat the beef ribs dry with kitchen paper. Season them generously with the salt and black pepper.
1 kg beef ribs, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish over a medium-high heat.
1 tbsp cooking oil
Add the beef ribs and brown them thoroughly on all sides. Take your time with this step, as good browning creates extra flavour.
Remove the ribs from the dish and place them on a plate.
Add the chopped onion to the same dish. Cook for around 5 minutes until it starts to soften.
1 large onion
Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for another minute. Keep stirring so the garlic does not burn.
4 cloves garlic
Add the tomato purée and stir well. Cook for 1–2 minutes to slightly caramelise the purée.
2 tbsp tomato purée
Pour in the beef stock and scrape the bottom of the dish with a wooden spoon. This releases all the delicious browned pieces into the sauce.
500 ml beef stock
Return the beef ribs to the casserole. The stock should come roughly halfway up the meat rather than completely cover it.
Bring the liquid gently to a simmer, then cover the casserole with its lid.
Transfer the dish to the preheated oven. Cook for approximately 2½–3 hours, turning the ribs once during cooking.
Check the beef after 2½ hours. The meat should be extremely tender and should pull away from the bone easily.
Remove the casserole from the oven and carefully transfer the ribs to a warm plate. Cover loosely with foil and leave them to rest for around 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, check the cooking liquid. If it seems too thin, place the casserole on the hob and simmer the sauce uncovered for several minutes. This will concentrate the rich beef flavour.
Spoon some of the dark, glossy sauce over the ribs just before serving.

Equipment

Notes

Serving Suggestions:

Serve these succulent beef ribs with **creamy mashed potatoes** to soak up the rich cooking juices. Roasted potatoes also make an excellent choice if you prefer plenty of texture.

For something lighter, serve the beef with steamed green beans, carrots or seasonal greens. A little crusty bread is another excellent addition because it gives you something to mop up every last drop of sauce.

Recipe Tips:

Choose meaty ribs: Ask your butcher for ribs with plenty of meat and some visible marbling. The fat helps keep the beef moist during slow cooking.

Brown the beef properly: Don't rush this stage. Deep browning gives the finished dish a much richer flavour and darker colour.

Keep the lid on: The covered casserole helps retain moisture during the long cooking time. However, check the liquid occasionally if your casserole does not seal particularly well.

Make it ahead: These ribs can be cooked a day in advance. Once cooled, refrigerate them in their cooking liquid. The flavour often becomes even deeper overnight.

Remove excess fat: If making the ribs ahead, any fat will solidify on the surface when chilled. You can easily lift it away before reheating.

Check tenderness rather than the clock: Cooking times can vary depending on the size and thickness of the ribs. The best test is whether the meat becomes beautifully tender.

Five Ingredients Friday Note:

The five main ingredients are beef ribs, onion, garlic, beef stock and tomato purée. Salt, pepper and cooking oil are treated as everyday larder staples, keeping the recipe true to the Five Ingredients Friday format.

Nutrition