Beef Short-Rib Adobo Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan

Adapted by Nick Fox

Beef Short-Rib Adobo Recipe (1)

Total Time
2 hours 30 minutes
Rating
5(1,285)
Notes
Read community notes

This hearty recipe is adapted from "Memories of Philippine Kitchens: Stories and Recipes From Far and Near," by Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan. These short ribs are quite simple to prepare, and after about 2 hours of braising, you end up with intensely flavorful, tender meat that falls from the bone. —Nick Fox

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 3pounds short ribs
  • ½teaspoon kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • 3tablespoons oil
  • 1cup chicken stock
  • 1cup coconut milk
  • 1cup cider vinegar
  • ½cup soy sauce
  • 1head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
  • 3bay leaves

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

1606 calories; 147 grams fat; 65 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 63 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 55 grams protein; 2015 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Beef Short-Rib Adobo Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Heat the oven to 275 degrees. Season the ribs all over with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, pour in the oil. When it is warm but not smoking, add the ribs to the pan, in batches if necessary, and brown well on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the ribs from the pan and pour out the oil.

  2. Add the remaining ingredients and 1 teaspoon black pepper, stir well, and add the ribs back in one layer. Use two pans if necessary, distributing the liquid. Bring to a boil over high heat. Turn off heat, cover the pan and put it into the oven. Cook until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 1 .5 to 2 hours. The liquid should only simmer very gently. Skim off excess fat when you check on it.

  3. Step

    3

    Transfer ribs to a broiling pan. Put the braising liquid over high heat; boil for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken it. Meanwhile, put the ribs under the broiler until brown. (You can dispose of the bones if they become loosened.) Put ribs on a platter; pour sauce on them.

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1,285

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Vivian

GUYS---please eat this with rice. Filipino main courses are generally not meant to be eaten unaccompanied. This is why you are all complaining about it being too salty or too sour. The sweetness of jasmine rice cuts the strong flavors of the braise. Editors, would be great if you could adjust the recipe description to include a serving suggestion. Eating adobo alone is ridiculous.

leah

You can reduce the vinegar to half a cup and use palm vinegar (Datu Puti brand) instead of cider vinegar. But the most important thing to cooking adobo is to make sure the vinegar is 'cooked'. The closest thing I can think of that translates is cooking off the alcohol in wine. For this particular recipe, I would braise the meat in the vinegar, soy and coconut milk until the sauce has thickened, the meat is tender and the fat has rendered. No need to broil. This is a one-pot dish.

KimA

The vinegar is excessive. It cuts the richness of the meat nicely but the sauce (even cut with added coconut milk and caramalized sugar) is inedible.

Lillian P

Have you even eaten Filipino Adobo?? It's supposed to be a sour dish.

Emma

I made this in an instant pot, and it came out fantastic. After browning I added the liquid and put the meat in as flat as I could. Here’s my timing with added PIP rice:35 minutes at pressurequick release, put in tall trivet and stainless bowl of rice and water, reseal10 minutes at pressure15 minutes natural release, then vent.Meat was fork tender and rice was well cooked.

Leanna

I made this exactly as directed except that, since we had a little over 4 lbs of short ribs, I used a whole can of coconut milk and scaled everything else up accordingly. The meat fell right off the bone during braising, and the sauce reduced to something absolutely delicious and velvety. This was neither too salty nor too sour—it was fabulous, and even my kids (7 and 2) enjoyed it.

seoul cooker

Use better vinegar. Did you use cider vinegar? Distilled vinegar would certainly be horrible and might explain your results.

GregK

Braising-type recipes like this are well-suited to the pressure cooker, making this recipe compatible with a weeknight after-work start. Would also suggest using coconut oil for the searing.

Paul

I was skeptical about the vinegar, but many other recipes around the net offered the same ratio, so I went with it. Only used a quarter cup of soy sauce. The beef needed more than 2 hours to become fully tender, so just check while cooking and adjust the time as needed. After about 3 hours I placed the ribs under a broiler for about 4 mins per side. The beef ended up crispy on the outside, with juicy, fall-apart tenderness on the inside. The flavor is tangy but pleasant.

Betsy Hilt

Made this last night and after the first bite had requests from the whole table to make it again. Only change I made to the recipe was using 1/2 cup cider vinegar. We like vinegar-y things so I might try using the full cup next time.

Hut

Kim, You're right, something is amiss with the 1 cup of vinegar. I used a couple of table spoons and it seemed fine. Also the ribs were browned well enough in the initial stages that I didn't bother with broiling.

Marissa

Cooking tips: Add the vinegar first and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes, then the soy sauce (careful not to mix them) and let it simmer for another 5 minutes, followed by the broth (I use beef broth) which I Add in 1/3 cup increments to avoid lowering the temperature (Again do not mix. I taste the mixture, add seasonings and add the coconut milk and finish in the oven lightly covered. Add chilis at the end and spring onion as garnish. I usually add a small potato during cooking to thicken the sauce.

Sharyn

Cooked exactly as written and received high praise from the family. Beef is a treat for us, not something we often enjoy so it was wonderful to have a simple recipe that was declared a resounding success. Thank you, NYT Cooking, for making our meals during this pandemic time a daily pleasure.

David Hays Buckley

Wow! Instant Pot. Just what I was looking for. But how many minutes?

coleadrift

I made this as directed, but with boneless short ribs. I used Bragg's cider vinegar, and while the flavor was intense it was delicious, especially after reducing sauce to a thick syrup. I would like to try with coconut vinegar next time. Any recommendations for pairings? I served the ribs with fennel and chili roasted carrots and basmati rice. The carrots seemed too sweet and spicy and the plain rice was good for balancing the tang of the sauce, but plate didn't taste balanced. Will make again.

Alex C

I’ve made this several times and always used 1/2 the vinegar and 1/2 the soy sauce. Plenty salty anyway. if your ribs are very large it will take closer to 3 1/2 hours for them to be really tender. Last time I subbed mushroom stock for chicken stock. It was pretty great!

Vancityvickic

This was excellent! Followed almost exactly: just added a tablespoon of brown sugar. Served with rice and Bok choy. We had half the amount of ribs but made the full amount of sauce. We are using the leftovers to serve with grilled chicken thighs and rice. Salivating just thinking about it.

Matthew

So for folks who are reading through the feedback and are thoroughly confused:Yes the adobo is slightly sour from the vinegar. It's meant to be eaten with rice which helps to mute the twang but in general you find a lot of vinegar in Filipino food so this isn't out of line.If you are afraid of salt use low sodium soy instead of reducing the amount of soy. The soy sauce is necessary to balance the flavor and color properly.

Joyce

Thought I had coconut milk. I didn't. Substituted a can of evaporated milk. Fingers crossed.

Martha

Simply amazing. My husband has made it three times now and it is a hit. Perfect. I would change nothing at all. We serve it with polenta.

Andrew Nguyen

Actually try .75cup soy sauce.

Tim

A local farm had short ribs on special at the market this week, so I made this recipe exactly as stated but only with 1.5lb of short ribs (yes, with the full cup of ACV). Turned out delicious. Took Vivian's advice and had it over jasmine rice. 10/10, would make again. Browned it in my Lodge Logic cast iron dutch oven with grapeseed oil (was low on olive oil), and continued to cook in the dutch oven for the majority of it, and braised on a regular sheetpan as I didn't have a broiling pan.

Little Guy

Not having any chicken stock on hand I sensibly sacrificed a perfectly potable Euro-Pilsener. Fortuitously patient and unhurried I recused the cooked ribs and boiled down the mass with the addition of whole button mushrooms. Inspired! The resulting gravy was a happy surprise to the unsuspecting roasted potatoes perfectly composed with their own seasoned perfection. The result, washed down with a sturdy Pinot Noir was an occasion of singular delicacy, delighting all… even me. Recommended!!

KP

This was delicious! I braised it for 3 hours consistent with other NYT short rib recipes and it was perfect. I don’t normally sub ingredients when I make a recipe for the first time but I used coconut vinegar which was perfect for my taste.

MPols

Ridiculously easy and absolutely delicious and the leftover meat and broth made a killer pasta as well.

Gina

Made this recipe exactly as written. Delicious!

Drgonzo777

I just finished preparing this and eating the final product. Four stars. I followed most of the recipe as written. I found this version to be neither too salty nor too vinegary. What did I change? When finished, I put the ribs/braising liquid in the refrigerator so that I could eliminate much of the fat on day two. I probably could have used a fat separator. Potato starch added to the liquid as I boiled it down. Ribs broiled for 5 minutes. Next time: fat separator, no coconut milk.

Carol J

I made this recipe exactly as directed, except for switching out the coconut milk for regular milk (family members allergic to coconut). The milk separated with the addition of the vinegar, but it was not a problem with taste or visual at all once cooked. Absolutely delicious! I served it with garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli, which paired very well with the oh so flavorful meat. I will be making this recipe over and over again. Good, easy, and company worthy!

Mary

This meat looked fantastic when done, and I didn't have an issue with any sour/vinegar taste. However, it was VERY greasy. That may have been because of the cut of meat, but gallbladder didn't seem real happy with me after dinner.

Jen B

Be careful not to over reduce the sauce! It was still yummy but salty!

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Beef Short-Rib Adobo Recipe (2024)

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