Skip to main content

3-Ingredient Sweet and Savory Short Ribs

Image may contain Food Pork Ribs Meal and Dish
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks

In Epi's3-Ingredient Recipesseries, we show you how to make great food with just three ingredients (plus staples like oil, salt, and pepper).

Tangy teriyaki and sweet prune juice might seem like an unlikely pairing, but they are all you need to make flavorful, succulent short ribs. This flavor combination was popularized by Rozanne Gold's recipe for Mahogany Short Ribs in her bookRecipes 1-2-3.

Ingredients

3 pounds English-style bone-in beef short ribs
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup prune juice
1 cup teriyaki sauce
  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Season ribs with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large ovenproof pot over medium-high. Working in batches if necessary, sear ribs until browned on all sides, 8–10 minutes. Transfer ribs to a plate.

    Step 2

    Drain fat from pot. Add prune juice, teriyaki sauce, and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer and return ribs to pot. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and braise until beef is very tender and falling off the bone, 2–3 hours.

    Step 3

    Transfer ribs to a platter. Bring liquid in pot to a boil on stovetop. Cook, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 12–15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; pour over ribs.

Sign InorSubscribe
to leave a Rating or Review

How would you rate 3-Ingredient Sweet and Savory Short Ribs?

Leave a Review

Reviews (16)

Back to Top Triangle
  • Wouldn't make again. The meat came out super tender, but the sauce was rough. It was sticky and sugary, but not in the way that I was hoping. Giving 2/4 because the short rib was great once you took as much of the sauce off as possible.

    • mrella22

    • Staten Island, NY

    • 11/14/2018

  • I love this recipe. I have made it three different times and everyone has enjoyed this dish each time. Based on reviews with concern of the flavor of teriyaki, I did add an onion, ginger, and garlic cut into large chunks and then discarded them when removing the beef. Used this recipe with pork and beef. Delicious. Easy. This recipe is a keeper!

    • kikisquid

    • Napa, CA

    • 3/14/2018

  • This was just ok. Went together very easy, of course, but the flavors weren't spectacular or anything. I'd call it interesting more than yummy. Then I'm stuck with the rest of the jar of prune juice...

    • nywenzel

    • Columbus, OH

    • 8/31/2017

  • Made this last night, super simple, only 3 ingredients. duh! Made the braising liquid per the recipe. However, the teriyaki sauce I used had garlic and sesame seeds, so lots of extra flavor enhancement there. I used my enameled cast iron and cooked in my pellet smoker. It is hot in SoCal right now. Set the temp for 350, but after about 20 mins I could tell it was cooking too fast. Reduced the temp to 280 and let it continue for about 1.5 hours. Meat was tender and a knife plunged easily into the meat. After the reduction the sauce was a bit salty, so no need to adjust the seasoning. I was really happy with the results, though next time I'll cook it slower than the 350.

    • stevemill

    • southern Cal

    • 7/23/2017

  • This (famous) recipe was created by Rozanne Gold back in the 1990s under the name "Mahogany Short Ribs." Please give credit where credit is due.

    • janelear8162

    • New York, NY

    • 7/15/2017

  • This is the second year I made this recipe for a Passover seder. Last year I burnt the first batch and made it again but lowered the cooking temperature. This year I browned the meat faster and hotter then cooked it for 2 1/2 hours at 325 F. It was great.

    • cookiesandler

    • Toronto ON

    • 4/12/2017

  • Your finished dish will only be as good as your teriyaki sauce. Mine was too salty and bitter. While it was incredibly easy, the dish isn't one that I'll repeat. Next time I'llf find a more reliable option.

    • jenacass

    • Dallas

    • 12/15/2016

  • I used this on baby back ribs rather than short ribs, but it worked just as well. I added a little bit of adobo sauce to the glaze and it was so delicious I practically licked the pan clean when I poured it over the ribs. Definitely going to repeat this one.

    • acetken

    • 8/24/2016

  • Delicious!

    • Anonymous

    • 6/20/2016

  • LOVE this super easy and delicious recipe!! I made a few adjustment to it: Used the teriyaki sauce from Trade Joes and syrup of a can of plums. Also added in carrots and onions. After it was done braising, put it under the broiler for 2-3 mins. And served it with drizzles of the braising liquid .

    • jmei21

    • Chicago

    • 6/10/2016

  • Best recipe I've ever made for short ribs. Loved the flavor. I thought it would be sweeter, but was delighted that it had a mild sweetness, as well as a nice beefy-ness. Only change I made was the start the oven at 325 for 90 minutes, then dropped it to 275 for an hour. Then I left the pot in the oven for another hour.

    • henry6512

    • Phoenixville, PA

    • 5/6/2016

  • After the review about too salty, I added a little brown sugar and root beer to the liquid mix (cut down the water.) Seemed to do the trick. I might throw in some sweet onions in the bottom of a Dutch Oven, give it a little more zing. Mostly I liked it for minimum prep time, it didn't seem to lack from complexity for just a few ingredients.

    • tsea

    • Seattle

    • 4/18/2016

  • Delicious!! Made it last week and I'm making it again today! Very good! Using it to load up on protein before a marathon :)

    • chrross

    • Boston, MA

    • 4/17/2016

  • Loved how easy this recipe is and how tender the short ribs come out, but is anyone else getting a blast of salt? I used regular Kikoman teriyaki sauce and Sunsweet prune juice and my sauce came out almost too salty to even eat. Wowsers, was it salty. Anyone have a solution? Different teriyaki sauce? Adding some brown sugar? Adding blood pressure medication?

    • jim35

    • Los Angeles, CA

    • 4/16/2016

  • 我跟着烤箱的菜谱到厨师ing. That's when I put it all in the crockpot and let it cook for 7 hours on low. Then I picked up the recipe (reducing liquid on stove-top). This was truly fab-o! So simple and yummy. Will definitely make again, same way.

    • Miss_Mikki

    • Los Angeles

    • 4/11/2016

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Coconut-and-Lemongrass-Braised Short Ribs
Meltingly tender short ribs braised in a rich coconut-milk-based sauce stay bright thanks to Thai flavors and fresh lime. Be sure to make plenty of rice!
Supremely Easy Teriyaki Chicken
Everyone’s favorite teriyaki glaze is shockingly easy and pantry-friendly.
Giant Red-Eye Ribs
Large primal-looking beef ribs are meltingly tender and richly marbled under a peppery-sweet jacket of spices.
No-Grill Lemongrass and Soy Ribs
Saucy and spicy with lots of garlic and lemongrass, these ribs come together entirely on the stovetop. No grill or oven required.
Garlicky Grilled Ribs With Charred Onion Salad
Thin-cut flanken-style ribs with a low-effort lemon-rosemary marinade cook in less than 10 minutes.
Shawarma-ish Short Rib Kebabs
Cubes of boneless short rib are begging to be spiced, skewered, and grilled off to be your next quick any-night meal.
Meskouta (Moroccan Yogurt Cake)
Meskouta是一个惊人的莫ist yogurt cake that is so easy to prepare.
自制的酒醋
This homemade vinegar recipe works with any type of wine—red, white, rosé, or a mix if you find yourself with open bottles after a party.