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Sticky, spicy Crockpot Thai Short Ribs with Coconut Rice. Enjoy on nights when you’re craving your favorite bowl of sticky Thai-style beef, but don’t feel like doing carry-out. Tender beef short ribs are slow-cooked in a spicy chili sauce until the beef is caramelized around the edges and falling off the bone. Shred the meat and serve it over steamy coconut rice. Add fresh cilantro, green onions, salty peanuts, and sesame seeds. Each bowl is spicy, sweet, tangy, and salty. All cooked in one pot – either in the crockpot or on the stove. An almost effortless slow-cooked dinner!
It’s that time of year when I crank out all my favorite slow cooker meals. One of the reasons I love cozy fall cooking so much is that they’re simple and easy. And allowing something to slow cook all day long usually leaves your kitchen smelling incredible. Your home just gives off cozy vibes.
Short ribs are always a favorite in our house. I love slow-cooking them in the fall and winter. One of my favorite dishes to date is my French onion braised short ribs. I also loved last year’s short rib ramen.
Short ribs are amazing because as long as you cook them slowly, they almost always turn out tender and delicious. By the time they finish cooking, they should be falling off the bone and shred easily.
For today’s recipe, I used one of my favorite sauces and then added sweet pomegranate juice to create a delicious spicy, sweet, tangy, and salty beef.
These turned out so perfectly and the whole family loved the beef, especially with the creamy coconut jasmine rice.
Details
Step 1: start the ribs
This process could not be easier. Use your crockpot or your Dutch oven, it really doesn’t matter much. I actually use a cast iron braiser, I think it cooks the meat perfectly.
Add everything to the crockpot/pot, no searing, no pre-cooking. Nothing like that. Just add the beef short ribs, black pepper, shallots, ginger, and Chinese 5 spice. Then pour over the pomegranate juice, tamari/soy sauce, and Thai chili sauce.
Cover the pot, and let the crockpot or oven work their magic. I skipped searing the ribs because I knew they would caramelize naturally in the spicy sweet chili sauce. By the time I uncovered my pot, the ribs were perfect, caramelized, and falling off the bone.
Step 2: make the coconut rice
About 20 minutes before you’re ready to serve, make the rice. This is one of my favorite rice recipes.
Mix dry jasmine rice with a can of coconut milk, bone broth, and a couple of tablespoons of ghee or butter. Bring to a boil, stir, then cover and let the rice cook until fluffy. My rice takes about 20 to 25 minutes. Don’t open the pot to check it while cooking!
Step 3: the toppings
You’ll need fresh toppings for this beef. I make an herb mix with cilantro, green onions, roasted peanuts, and toasted sesame seeds. I didn’t do this, but you could also add a squeeze of lime juice. That would be so delish!
Then if you’d like, toss in some pomegranate arils. I always do this if pomegranates are in season!
Step 4: shred the ribs
Shred the ribs and toss with the sticky sauce. If you notice a lot of grease on top of the sauce, do your best to drain that away before you toss the ribs.
Then serve the ribs and sauce over coconut rice with that fresh herb mix. Cozy, but fresh all at the same time. And most importantly, so darn yummy!! We just love the spicy, sweet, and tangy ribs. And the coconut rice rounds out a perfect, hands-off dinner.
Looking for more easy dinners? Here are a few to try for fall:
Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Tortilla Soup.
30 Minute Thai Peanut Chicken Ramen
Better For You Chicken and Spinach Ramen
Healthier Italian Wedding Soup with Lemon and Garlic
Lemony Garlic Chicken and Orzo Soup
Creamy Gnocchi Soup with Rosemary Bacon
Lastly, if you make these Crockpot Thai Short Ribs with Coconut Rice be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crockpot Thai Short Ribs with Coconut Rice
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 650 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 5 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
- black pepper
- 4 shallots, halved
- 2 inches fresh ginger, sliced
- 1-3 teaspoons Chinese 5 spice
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 1/3 cup Thai chili sauce (homemade in notes)
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 2 cups cilantro, chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds, optional
Instructions
Crockpot
- 1. In the bowl of the crockpot, season the short ribs with pepper. Add the shallots, ginger, and Chinese 5 spice. Pour over the pomegranate juice, tamari, and chili sauce. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.2. Shred the ribs and discard the bones. Drain any excess grease away from the sauce. Toss the ribs into the sauce. Keep warm.3. In a bowl, mix the cilantro, green onions, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Add the pomegranate arils, if using. 4. Serve the ribs and sauce over rice. Top with herbs/peanuts.
Oven
- 1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. 2. In a large, oven-safe brasier, season the short ribs with pepper. Add the shallots, ginger, and Chinese 5 spice. Pour over the pomegranate juice, tamari, and chili sauce. Cover and roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the short ribs are tender and falling off the bone.2. Shred the ribs and discard the bones. Drain any excess grease away from the sauce. Toss the ribs in the sauce. Keep warm.3. In a bowl, mix the cilantro, green onions, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Add the pomegranate arils, if using. 4. Serve the ribs and sauce over rice. Top with herbs/peanuts.
Notes
Coconut Rice: Combine 1 (14 ounce) can of coconut milk, 3/4 cup bone broth or water, and 2 tablespoons ghee or butter in a medium pot. Bring to a low boil. Add 2 cups of jasmine rice and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine, cover, then turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook for 10 minutes on low, then turn the heat off completely. Let the rice sit, covered, for another 15-20 minutes (don’t take any peeks inside!). Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
Homemade Sweet Thai Chili Sauce: Mix 1/3 cup honey, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1-2 tablespoons chili sauce, 2 teaspoons lime zest, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, and 1 clove grated garlic in a glass jar. Shake or stir well. Use as directed.
This post was originally published on October 16, 2023
Is it okay if the ribs are not fully covered by sauce in slow cooker?
Hi Rae,
Yes, that is totally okay! Let me know how this dish turns out for you, I hope you love it! xT
I can’t wait to make this tomorrow night. Just wondering if you think oven or crockpot is better?
Hey LeeAnn,
I think the oven provides a thicker sauce, otherwise I love them both! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
I cook a HBH recipe pretty much every night. This is in the top 10 of all time. And so freakin easy. Make it!
Hey Ashley,
Happy Friday!🍂 I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for trying it and your comment! xx
My husband is very easy to please he said it was terrible the worse tasting dish I ever made
Daughter in law and son tried some with full plates left they felt the same way.
We unfortunately threw it out . I think the pomegranate juice did not compliment the
Dish and left A very strange taste.
Hi Rhonda,
So sorry to hear that this recipe was not enjoyed. Please let me know if there is something that I can help with! xx
Can I make the rice in a rice cooker? Would I need to modify the liquid amounts?
Hi Jan,
So sorry, I have honestly never used a rice cooker so I am not sure how this would turn out for you! Let me know if you give the recipe a try! xT
House smells delicious and dinner was a hit with the whole family! Thank you for another delicious and easy meal to add to our repertoire.
Thanks so much Stephanie! So glad to hear your family enjoyed this dish, I appreciate you making it! xx
This was SOOOOO EASY and SOOOOOOO DELICIOUS! My family gave me a standing ovation! Really!!!
This will be a family staple for years to come!!!!!
Thank you!!!!
Yay!! Thanks so much Nadia!! Love to hear that your family enjoyed this dish! Thanks for making it! xT
Hi! How would you cook this on a stovetop?
Hi Grace,
I wouldn’t recommend the stove top for this recipe, I would stick with the oven or slow cooker:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Tried three stores and cannot find the ribs. Is there a substitute you could recommend?
Hi Christine,
Beef chuck roast will also work well for you here! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Hello! Having a hard time finding Beef Short Ribs on a budget, replacement ideas were beef chuck roast. Would you cook this the same way?
You bet! Beef chuck roast would be a great option to use here! I hope you love this recipe:) xT
So good! Made this two weekends in a row.
Hey Julie,
Happy Sunday!!🍂 Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your review, so glad it was enjoyed:) xx
Curious if I could use flanken style (Korean) in this instead of the english?
Hi Nancy,
I probably wouldn’t for this recipe:) Please let me know if you give the dish a try! xT
Big hit for my family! Even the kids enjoyed!
Love to hear this Alexandra!! Thanks a lot for trying this dish, I’m so glad to hear it was a hit! xx
This was *chef’s kiss*. I used the oven option. I did sear the beef to brown it up before adding everything to the pot. It was down in 2.5 hours. Rice was so good. Already looking forward to leftovers.
Thanks so much Gina!! I’m so glad this dish turned out well for you and appreciate you making it! xT
Oh I’m so excited to try this! I LOVE all of your recipes! Could I use the instant pot I stead of slow cooker? If so, how long would I cook it?
Thanks so much Tereasa! I haven’t tested this recipe in the instant pot, but best results I would stick with the slow cooker or oven:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
I tried it in the Instant Pot tonight. I seared the ribs first on the saute setting then cooked on high pressure for 40 minutes. The meat was falling off the bone and very tender. I did have a bit of a hard time shredding so I might go for the full hour on high pressure if I make it again.
Hi Michelle,
Happy Friday!🍂 I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for trying it and your comment! xx
Unbelievably delicious! The bones slipped right out. Made for incredible leftovers.
Hey Monica,
Happy Friday!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was a hit! xT