Oven short ribs are the slow Sunday treat — collagen melts, the meat pulls from the bone, and the kitchen smells of proper beef. 1.3-1.7kg Short Beef Ribs is the generous pack for a family roast or a sharing board. Shop it in beef short ribs and beef.
Oven method
Pat the ribs dry and season well with salt and pepper. Optionally sear in a hot pan first for deeper colour. Nestle into a roasting tin with onion, garlic, a splash of stock or red wine, and a bay leaf — liquid should come a third of the way up the meat, not cover it. Cover tightly with foil and roast at 150–160°C for 3 to 4 hours until a fork twists easily in the thickest part (probe around 90–95°C for soft, pull-apart beef). Uncover for the last 20 to 30 minutes to brown and reduce the juices. Rest 15 minutes under loose foil before serving. Do not rush on high heat — short ribs need time for the connective tissue to melt.
Slow cooker backup and leftovers
No long oven sit: slow cooker on low 7 to 9 hours with the same aromatics, then brown under a hot grill if you want sticky edges. Skim the fat from the juices and reduce for gravy. Browse beef short ribs for pack sizes, and beef for brisket and diced beef beside.
What to serve
Creamy mash, greens, and the reduced pan juices, or soft rolls with slaw for a pulled-rib sandwich. Leftover meat shreds beautifully into tacos or ragù — keep covered in the fridge and reheat gently with a splash of stock. Freeze leftover chunks in portions for midweek comfort.
Times above are a guide for home ovens, air fryers and pans — always trust a probe over the clock, and rest meat before you carve so the juices stay in the slice, not on the board. British packs vary a little in thickness, so start checking a few minutes early the first time you cook a new size.
Write your own fridge note the first time you cook a new pack size — home ovens and pans vary, and a two-minute early check beats dry meat. Rest on a warm plate, not a cold board, so the juices stay put when you carve or plate up.