Barbecued Beef Short Ribs

First week of October. My birthday is in three days and I will be twenty-three years old, which feels different from twenty-two in a way I cannot fully explain. Twenty-three feels like a number that means something. Like I am solidly in my twenties now rather than just on the edge of them.

I am making myself a birthday dinner on Saturday because Gloria is insisting on doing something Sunday and I want both: one dinner for myself, one with the people I love. Saturday dinner will be steak, a good ribeye cooked in cast iron with butter and thyme and garlic, roasted potatoes, and a glass of wine I have been saving. Sunday at Gloria's will be whatever she directs me to make and wants to call my birthday dinner, which will probably be fried chicken and banana pudding because those are my stated favorites when she asks what I want and I will not be changing my answer.

I have been thinking about birthdays and what they mean when you grew up in care. There were birthdays in group homes where the day passed without acknowledgment, and there were birthday cakes from a box with frosting from a can, and there was one year that I will not go into. And then there were the birthdays from fifteen onward where Gloria made real food and James sang off-key and I had a place to be on the day. I know what birthdays were before and I know what they are now and I am old enough to hold both things and be glad that the now is what it is.

Twenty-three. Here we go.

The ribeye on Saturday is mine alone — quiet, intentional, a gift I gave myself. But Sunday at Gloria’s called for something with a little more depth and low-and-slow patience, the kind of cooking that feels like it has something to say. Barbecued beef short ribs are that dish for me: rich and a little smoky, the sort of thing that takes time and rewards it, which felt exactly right for a birthday that I wanted to actually feel. I brought them to Gloria’s and James sang off-key while they rested, and that was everything.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

3 to 3 1/2 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup barbecue sauce (your favorite brand or homemade)
1/2 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Preheat and season. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels, then season all sides generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
Sear the ribs. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, sear the short ribs on all sides until a deep brown crust forms, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer seared ribs to a plate and set aside.
Build the sauce. Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, whisk together the barbecue sauce, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and onion powder, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot as you stir.
Braise low and slow. Return the short ribs to the pot, nestling them into the sauce. The liquid should come about halfway up the ribs; add a splash more broth if needed. Cover tightly with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is very tender and pulling away from the bone.
Finish and glaze. Remove the lid for the final 20 minutes of cooking to allow the sauce to thicken and glaze the ribs. The tops should look sticky and deeply caramelized.
Rest and serve. Remove from the oven and let the ribs rest for 10 minutes before serving. Spoon extra sauce from the pot over the top and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or alongside roasted vegetables.

Nutrition (per serving)

Barbecued Beef Short Ribs — When the Weekend Calls for Something Worth Celebrating