Soy-Free Korean Short Ribs in the Slow Cooker

Korean inspired beef short ribs made in the slow cooker are a great choice for an impressive dinner that requires minimal effort.

Classic Korean red chili seasoning, Gochugaru, gives the ribs a mild, smokey heat that pairs well with honey, robust coconut aminos and sesame oil. The bright, zingy cucumber salad adds a lovely acidity to the overall dish. A bed of rice is the perfect medium to soak up the extra juice.

Where to find short ribs.

I used All Grass Farms, pasture raised, 100% grass fed beef short ribs for this recipe. To better understand why eating grass fed meat is better for you, the animals and the environment, I encourage you to read this article written by All Grass Farm’s, Cliff McConville.

How to prepare short ribs for cooking.

Unless removed by a butcher prior, short ribs will have silver skin, or membrane, attached on both sides. Silver skin is a thin, elastic layer of connective tissue. On the bone side, take a sharp knife along the sides until a bit of the silver skin pulls away. Then, with your hands, peel it off. If some sticks and is being a real bear to remove, don’t stress, just do your best. On the other side, after removing the silver skin, a layer of fat will be left. Trim any thick, hard fat. It’s optional to remove the layer of fat completely before cooking. I score it in between the ribs for quicker cooking and better marinade penetration. After cooking, any bit of it that haven’t rendered need to be removed.

Korean short rib marinade details.

Korean inspired flavors led me to this winning combo of sweet honey, savory coconut aminos and warm Gochugaru seasoning. More details below.

Coconut aminos. This soy-free, soy sauce alternative, is slightly less salty but full of umami flavor. It is derived from coconut sap.

Honey. Sweet, robust honey from Willie’s Honey Company, a Northern Illinois small business, offering unpasteurized, natural wildflower honey. I include a tad bit of the comb as well; it breaks down while slow cooking.

Rice vinegar. Every good marinade needs an acid to help tenderize and balance flavors. Rice vinegar pairs well with Asian dishes with its sweet and nutty notes.

Sesame oil. Smoky and robust, sesame oil is full of umami flavor.

Seasoning. Gochugaru is a Korean spice blend of red chili peppers. It’s on the mild side but is full of warmth. Smoked paprika adds more heat and depth. The sweetness of coconut sugar compliments both spices well.

Aromatics. Minced garlic and the whites of 3 large scallions.

Gochugaru cucumber salad

It’s July and cucumbers are in season! The great thing about growing cucumbers is that they are super prolific. They also grow quickly. They double in size seemly overnight. Similar to zucchini, they can sneak up on you if you don’t keep up on harvesting. I used an English cucumber for this recipe. China Jade is another long, skinny cucumber that would work well.

A bite of briny cucumber salad balances out the rich flavors of the beef. The minimal ingredients required are probably already in your pantry. It’s important to let the cucumber and red onion sit with the salt for at least 5 minutes to pull out water and soften the flavor of the red onion. Gently squeeze them after 5 minutes and discard the liquid.

The cucumber salad is best refrigerated for 20 minutes or so then eaten right away on top of the beef. Leftovers are still great, but the cucumbers will soften and not give a refreshing crunch to the dish.