Jamaican Brown Beef Short Ribs Stew – A rich, fragrant, braised short ribs stew with fall-off-the-bone delicious with just 10 minutes of prep time! Spicy, economical, and absolutely delish!
If you want something bad to the bone, finger-licking good, insanely delicious, and impossible to mess up with almost no time invested, this is the one!!! Braised beef short ribs stew with Jamaican spices. Yes, short ribs.
If you love brown stew chicken, then you have to try it with short ribs. The same aromatics, garlic, thyme, bell pepper, and smoked paprika, spice up beef cooked to fall apart tenderness.
Ah! You haven’t lived until you’ve tried these short ribs.
This deliciousness is elegant enough for any special holiday, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or any day of the week for that matter. Definitely a great alternative to those fancy, schmancy (aka expensive) restaurants.
Why Make Short Rib Stew at Home
I remember a short rib plate I tried at one of those restaurants, yeah! It was really good, I won’t lie. I would eat there all the time if my pocketbook could handle it.
But the serving was so small I was still famished when we finished. It upset me so much that I stopped at the supermarket, got some short ribs, and cooked them like they should be. We ate the whole thing. Then, and only then, did I truly feel happy.
Ingredient List
- Short Ribs make this stew what it is. They’re usually cut from the brisket, chuck, plate, or rib areas, but you can replace them with chuck roast if you can’t find them. And a little oil for browning.
- Seasonings – Brown sugar, bay leaf, ginger, garlic, onion, green onions, thyme, Scotch bonnet pepper, smoked paprika, bell pepper, browning sauce, and ketchup deliver sweet and spicy goodness.
- Broth – Beef broth or water with bouillon powder gives you a flavorful braising liquid.
How to Make Jamaican Brown Beef Short Ribs Stew
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190℃).
- Season – Thoroughly season short ribs with salt and pepper to cover all sides.
- Sear – Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or oven-safe pan over medium heat. Add short ribs and brown well, turning once, 2-3 minutes per side, until short ribs are brown. Do not overcrowd the pan, cooking in batches if necessary. (Photo 1)
- Saute – Drain excess oil from the skillet, leaving about two tablespoons of oil. Add onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, scotch bonnet pepper or hot sauce, and smoked paprika. Stir for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent. (Photo 2)
- Braise – Add ketchup, browning sauce, brown sugar, bell pepper, bouillon, and water. Bring to a boil, cover, and place in the oven for 2½-3 hours. Check periodically during the cooking process, and add more water as needed. Turn the ribs over halfway through the cooking time. (Photos 3-4)
- Serve – Adjust for salt, pepper, and consistency. Enjoy!!!
Recipe Notes
Here are a few tips to get you going on your way.
- You can’t rush short ribs because it takes time in the braising in liquid to become melt-in-your-mouth tender. The good news is that it’s hands-off in the oven or stovetop. I prefer the oven.
- After cooking, feel free to remove the grease for a lower-fat meal.
What to Serve With Serve Jamaican Brown Beef Short Ribs Stew
This hearty goodness is excellent with rice or Caribbean coo coo. Of course, easy 3-ingredient biscuits or boiled dumplings are always a winner, even if they’re not the classic pairings.
More Hearty Stew Recipes to Try
Jamaican Braised Short Ribs Stew
Ingredients
- 2½-3 pounds (1-1.5k) short ribs (with salt and pepper to taste)
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) canola oil (or other cooking oil)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1-2 green onions, sliced
- 1-2 teaspoons (2-4g) minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon (1-2g) thyme, fresh or dried
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon (2g) grated ginger
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper or 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon (2g) smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon (15g) ketchup
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) browning sauce
- 1 tablespoon (13g) brown sugar
- 1-2 small bell peppers
- 2-3 cups (475-700ml) beef broth
- 1 teaspoon (3.5g) bouillon powder (optional)
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190℃).
- Thoroughly season short ribs with salt and pepper to cover all sides.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven or oven-safe pan over medium heat. Add short ribs and brown well, turning once, 2-3 minutes per side, until short ribs are brown. Do not overcrowd the pan, cooking in batches if necessary.
- Drain excess oil from the skillet, leaving about two tablespoons of oil. Add onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, ginger, scotch bonnet pepper or hot sauce, and smoked paprika. Stir for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent.
- Then add ketchup, browning sauce, brown sugar, bell pepper, and broth (or water and bouillon). Bring to a boil, cover, and place in the oven for 2½-3 hours. Check periodically during the cooking process, and add more water as needed. Turn the ribs over halfway through the cooking time.
- Adjust for salt, pepper, and consistency. Enjoy!!!
Tips & Notes:
- You can’t rush short ribs because it takes time in the braising in liquid to become melt-in-your-mouth tender. The good news is that it’s hands-off in the oven or stovetop. I prefer the oven.
- After cooking, feel free to remove the grease for a lower-fat meal.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Berry says
this recipe looks delicious, but i am not sure what “browning sauce” is. any help you can provide will be much appreciated. thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
Browning sauce is burnt sugar, used in Caribbean cooking. It’s available in most Caribbean markets and some international markets. Don’t sweat it if you do not have it. Just omit.
Jae says
This recipe was amazing! As with every other one of your recipes I’ve tried (at least 10!) I added some cabernet wine to my short ribs. Thank You for your cooking techniques. I am now considered a great home cook!
ImmaculateBites says
10 ? Oh boy! Am doing the happy dance – you should see my moves. Haha! Thank you so much Jae. So happy you to hear it working out Soooo well for you.
Jackson says
Made your recipe last night (I’m a novice in the kitchen) and it came out Great! I deviated a little by using some regular beef ribs that I had planned on smoking. I also used some of my Girl’s homemade sofrito (2tbs) she keeps in the fridge. Sooooo tender and yummy! I’ve Pinned the recipe and will definitely go to it again and again. ( Think I might be ready to tackle some “Brown Stew Chicken”) – look at me getting cocky after one successful dish, lol.
Thank You very much!
ImmaculateBites says
Hahaha!! You are going to nail it. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
JoAnn says
Just found your website and thought I’d died and went to heaven! Going to make the Short Rib Stew in the next day or two. Already have plans to make the Lentil Stew also. I am considered a very good home cook (and a somewhat adventurous cook), by my friends and family, and I always like like cooking meals and having people try different things to expand their tastes. So I was ecstatic when I ran across your website. That being said, I will be setting up shop in your “online kitchen” to learn as much as possible so I can continue to WOW! my friends and family. Continued success, and will see you online!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi JoAnn! Welcome! You are in Tropical Heaven.So glad you are here and looking forward to seeing you here more often. Do let me know which ones you try and how they worked out for you. Happy Cooking!!!
Kymmie says
I just put this into the oven and realized that the directions did not say when to put in the smoked paprika…Should I have put it in when I sauteed the onions? I am going to add it now to the pot…but think that paprika is one that should be cooked/heated prior to adding to the recipe. Hope I don’t mess it up…smells good already though!
ImmaculateBites says
You sure can.
Felesha says
I am a huge fan of short ribs and these look just spectacular. Can’t wait to try them! Thanks for sharing!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
I seriosuly cant remember the last time I had oxtail – you are making me drool and wanting to go buy some now.
Toyin says
Hi I would love to try the recipe, but the quantity for the ribs are not listed.
ImmaculateBites says
Silly me! Recipe updated.Thanks
Helen says
I don’t see the quantity of the ribs. Where was it uodated
ImmaculateBites says
Now it’s working.
AiPing | Curious Nut says
I love short ribs. They tend to be less lean than other parts because of the marbling. Yum!
Cassandra says
This looks delicious Imma! Ill have to try it soon!
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Cassandra! Do let me know how it works out for you.
Dee says
This looks amazing, and I love the flavors going on here. Pinned! 🙂
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for pinning!!!!
Renee says
These look finger licking delicious!! They would be perfect with polenta. Can’t wait to see your recipe!
ImmaculateBites says
Renee, they are a perfect match.
Meggan Hill says
Things I want out of my food include: INSANELY good and Impossible to Screw Up. So yeah. Gorgeous photos, I can’t wait to try this! BTW it was so great meeting you last November, we haven’t really connected since then. I didn’t even get to say goodbye. I hope you’re doing well!! xoxo
ImmaculateBites says
Same here Meggan. Really nice to meet you too! And Charlotte – Of course. She’s adorable!!! Will definitely get in touch .
Tania @ COOKTORIA says
Wow! Your photographs made me hungry! And the recipe sounds fantastic too. I’d love to try it! Pinned and Yummed!
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for Pinning Tania
Henry says
That is absolutely spectacular dish, takes me back to childhood with my Auntie cooking in the Carribbean. Look forward to the other dishes next week for Rice and Beans as well Cornmeal. Remember eating lots of Cornmeal and Okra in my younger days. Cooking this dish this weekend among others with the big game.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Henry! So glad to hear you have this on the menu for super bowl and SUPER EXCITED you are coming back for the Cornmeal and Okra. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
Henry says
Made this Stew and it tasted great. It was surprisingly easier to make than it seems. Gonna put this in my cooking rotation.
Steve summer's says
Will be doing this dish tonight, watch this space,??
ImmaculateBites says
Can’t wait for you feed back!
Lauren says
What is browning sauce?
ImmaculateBites says
Browning is burnt sugar. Available in Caribbean Markets and some supermarkets depending on your location.