Short ribs are cooked low and slow in a rich sauce until meltingly tender, then served over sushi rice with roasted cabbage, sautéed asparagus, red bell peppers, and bok choy.
Any Recipe That Starts with Asian Short Ribs Has Got To Be Good
These Asian short ribs are incredibly flavorful and versatile. They require very little hands-on time—about five minutes—to prep, then cook slowly in the oven or a slow cooker until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. Because the meat braises in a deeply seasoned liquid, the resulting sauce is rich and savory, and it pairs perfectly with simple sides like steamed rice and quick-sautéed vegetables.
Use the Cooking Liquid to Make a Rich, Delicious Sauce
The sauce for these bowls is simply the cooking liquid the short ribs simmered in. After straining, it becomes an intensely flavored base that you thicken and reduce until glossy and flavorful. One important step: defat the sauce. Removing excess fat yields a cleaner, more balanced sauce and improves the texture and mouthfeel.
The easiest way to defat is to chill the cooking liquid: refrigerate it for a couple of hours or overnight so the fat solidifies on the surface and can be lifted off. If you’re short on time, let the liquid sit at room temperature for 10–30 minutes so the fat rises and can be skimmed with a spoon.
Use Whatever Vegetables You Like in These Rice Bowls
This recipe uses roasted red cabbage, sautéed asparagus, red bell peppers, and bok choy, and that combination is delicious. But you can easily swap in other quick-cooking vegetables—broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, or yellow squash all work well. The key is to cook the vegetables until just crisp-tender so they retain texture and color.
Cabbage is the one vegetable that benefits from roasting rather than quick-sautéing; roasting concentrates its flavor and yields nicely browned, slightly crispy edges. If you’re not a cabbage fan, you can omit it or replace it with another roasted vegetable.
More Recipes that Use Asian Short Ribs
- Slow Cooker Short Rib Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms
- Asian Short Rib Nachos
- Black Eyed Peas with Andouille Sausage
- Asian Short Rib Fried Rice
- Asian Short Rib Lasagna
📖 Recipe
Asian Short Rib Rice and Veggie Bowls
Short ribs braised until tender and served with sushi rice, roasted cabbage, sautéed asparagus, red bell peppers, and bok choy.
Ingredients
- 2–3 lbs cooked Asian short rib meat (see linked short rib recipe)
- 1 small head red cabbage
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 cup sushi rice
- 1 tablespoon chili sesame oil
- 1 lb asparagus
- 2 red bell peppers
- About 6 cups chopped bok choy, well rinsed
Instructions
Prepare the meat and sauce
- Follow the Asian short rib recipe to cook 3 pounds of short ribs in a slow cooker or the oven. Remove the meat with tongs to a plate or cutting board and let it cool enough to handle.
- Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl and discard any solids. Let the liquid sit for 5–10 minutes, then skim as much excess fat from the surface as possible and discard the fat. (See notes for other defatting tips.)
- Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch with about ½ cup of the strained cooking liquid until smooth. Add the remaining cooking liquid to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Meanwhile, pull the short rib meat from the bones and shred it into strips; discard bones and any very fatty pieces.
- Toss the shredded short rib meat with the thickened sauce until well coated. Keep warm.
Make the rice and vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Prep the cabbage: trim the bottom, remove the core, and cut the head in half crosswise. Slice each half into three thick slices for six total. Arrange the slices in a 9×13 baking dish; slight overlap is fine.
- Melt the butter and stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Brush the cabbage slices with the butter-oil mixture and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Roast the cabbage until the edges are brown and slightly crispy, about 35–40 minutes.
- Prepare the rice: combine 1 ½ cups water, 1 cup sushi rice, and the chili sesame oil in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, keep the lid on, and let the rice rest for 10 minutes.
- While the rice cooks, trim asparagus and cut into roughly 2-inch pieces. Core and slice the red peppers into ½-inch strips.
- Heat 1–2 teaspoons oil in a skillet over high heat. Working in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan, sauté the asparagus, red peppers, and bok choy for 2–3 minutes until crisp-tender. Season lightly with salt and pepper and transfer each batch to a large bowl.
- To serve, reheat the short rib meat if necessary. Spoon rice into bowls, top with the roasted cabbage and sautéed vegetables, and finish with the sauced short ribs.
Notes
The easiest way to defat the short rib sauce
If you have time, refrigerate the strained cooking liquid (uncovered) for an hour or two so the fat solidifies on top and can be easily removed. Alternatively, chill it covered for up to two days. If you need the sauce warm right away, let it rest at room temperature for 10–30 minutes and spoon off the fat that rises to the surface.
Nutrition Information
Yield: 6
Serving Size: 1
Amount per serving (approx.):
Calories: 630 • Total Fat: 42g • Saturated Fat: 17g • Cholesterol: 157mg • Sodium: 270mg • Carbohydrates: 22g • Fiber: 6g • Sugar: 8g • Protein: 45g