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
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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.
Taunya says
The flavor was spot on..minus the brown sugar (used Browning instead). This is now a weekly meal.
Thank you
Imma says
Sounds amazing! Thank you so much for showing your love for my recipes:) Much love!
Yenta R Williams says
Hi, what size Dutch oven do you recommend?
ImmaculateBites says
For this recipe I used a 5 quart Dutch oven. Hope this helps
Siobhan says
Question. I don’t have a dutch oven pot can I follow the recipe in a baking dish instead?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Siobhan! For the oven part, that will work. Just sear the meat and sauté the seasonings in a skillet first, then put everything in a baking dish large enough to hold everything.
Let me know how it would turn out for you. Hope you like it! 🙂
Cindi says
Can’t wait to try this!!! Looks amazing my only question is what kind of bullion do I use or an I use beef broth and how much???
ImmaculateBites says
Any works out just fine .Replace the water(2-3 cups) with beef broth- adjust thickness with more broth , if desired
William B Bardelmeier says
I’m 81, live alone and don’t really know how to cook. I am leaping for joy. I just found the place to learn.
My wife was from the Caribbean (Grenada). No need for restaurants any more. I’ve been looking at your recipes and can’t wait to start. Thank you very much.
Tom says
This sounds more Jamaican inspired than authentic Jamaican. We don’t use Bay Leaf and Paprika in our cooking.
Syiah says
Nor have I or anyone else I know ever put brown sugar in stewed anything
Tiff says
Not true. Born and raised in Jamaica and we use brown sugar to substitute browning sometimes.
A mom says
And a Jamaican friend of mine suggested brown sugar for browning as well… perhaps everyone in Jamaica doesn’t cook the same lol.
Nancie says
What delicious flavors in this sauce! I tend to forget about cooking with short ribs, but this recipe has made them memorable. I’ll be making this again, sooner rather than later. Thank you for sharing!
imma africanbites says
You’re welcome, Nancie! This is perfect for this season. Glad you like it.
Angie says
Do people eat short ribs with rice? I’m always seeing mash potatoes or the like; just wondering… thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
I do and know others that do. It’s a matter of preference – whatever rocks your boat.Happy cooking!!
Jovan Webster says
Thanks for recipe…I loved every bit of it.
imma africanbites says
Thank you, Jovan! Glad you love it. 🙂
Katie says
Hi I want to make roses ribs. I don’t have a Dutch oven or crackpot though. Have you personally tried to cook them in a pot, on the oven top?
ImmaculateBites says
No I haven’t yet. If you do let me know how it works out for you. Thanks
Karl says
Hi, big fan of your posts and personality in making delicious food. My question is for this exact dish, instead of using my oven, can I use a crock-pot and cook it for say 6 hours?
ImmaculateBites says
Aww, thanks Kari! You sure can. It works well with a slow cooker too! Happy Cooking!!!
Serbian with Slovak heritage says
This is awesome, I add more bullion and bottle of Alaskan beer, to make more liquid, but to have it over the rice to make it little thicker I add durum wheat or semolina. Instead of browning sauce I add barbecue sauce.
Thank you for recipe.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Glad it worked out for you.
Shelly says
I’ve tried this recipe countless times and it always turns out great! Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes.
Shanon says
Has this ever been tried in a slow cooker? Looks delicious!
ImmaculateBites says
Yes, It works out great . Just follow the instructions then cook in a slow cooker for about 3 hrs .
Ngum says
Hi! I’ve been following your site for quite some time. You are an amazing cook and you provide very clear instructions. I’m a first-gen Cameroonian, but I love that you also incorporate dishes from throughout the diaspora.
Anyway I made this last night and my SO finished the pot as he went back fo seconds and thirds. I know he’s already looking forward to me making it again.
ImmaculateBites says
YESS! Thank you so much !!! Glad to hear the recipes are working out well for you. So glad to hear from you.