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Sticky, spicy Crockpot Thai Short Ribs with Coconut Rice. Enjoy on nights when you’re craving your favorite bowl of sticky Thai-style beef, but don’t feel like doing carry-out. Tender beef short ribs are slow-cooked in a spicy chili sauce until the beef is caramelized around the edges and falling off the bone. Shred the meat and serve it over steamy coconut rice. Add fresh cilantro, green onions, salty peanuts, and sesame seeds. Each bowl is spicy, sweet, tangy, and salty. All cooked in one pot – either in the crockpot or on the stove. An almost effortless slow-cooked dinner!
It’s that time of year when I crank out all my favorite slow-cooked meals. One of the reasons I love cozy fall cooking so much is that they’re simple and easy. And allowing something to slow cook all day long usually leaves your kitchen smelling incredible. Your home just gives off cozy vibes.
Short ribs are always a favorite in our house. I love slow-cooking them in the fall and winter. One of my favorite dishes to date is my French onion braised short ribs. I also loved last year’s short rib ramen.
Short ribs are amazing because as long as you cook them slowly, they almost always turn out tender and delicious. By the time they finish cooking, they should be falling off the bone and shred easily.
For today’s recipe, I used one of my favorite sauces and then added sweet pomegranate juice to create a delicious spicy, sweet, tangy, and salty beef.
These turned out so perfectly and the whole family loved the beef, especially with the creamy coconut jasmine rice.
Details
Step 1: start the ribs
This process could not be easier. Use your crockpot or your Dutch oven, it really doesn’t matter much. I actually use a cast iron braiser, I think it cooks the meat perfectly.
Add everything to the crockpot/pot, no searing, no pre-cooking. Nothing like that. Just add the beef short ribs, black pepper, shallots, ginger, and Chinese 5 spice. Then pour over the pomegranate juice, tamari/soy sauce, and Thai chili sauce.
Cover the pot, and let the crockpot or oven work their magic. I skipped searing the ribs because I knew they would caramelize naturally in the spicy sweet chili sauce. By the time I uncovered my pot, the ribs were perfect, caramelized, and falling off the bone.
Step 2: make the coconut rice
About 20 minutes before you’re ready to serve, make the rice. This is one of my favorite rice recipes.
Mix dry jasmine rice with a can of coconut milk, bone broth, and a couple of tablespoons of ghee or butter. Bring to a boil, stir, then cover and let the rice cook until fluffy. My rice takes about 20 to 25 minutes. Don’t open the pot to check it while cooking!
Step 3: the toppings
You’ll need fresh toppings for this beef. I make an herb mix with cilantro, green onions, roasted peanuts, and toasted sesame seeds. I didn’t do this, but you could also add a squeeze of lime juice. That would be so delish!
Then if you’d like, toss in some pomegranate arils. I always do this if pomegranates are in season!
Step 4: shred the ribs
Shred the ribs and toss with the sticky sauce. If you notice a lot of grease on top of the sauce, do your best to drain that away before you toss the ribs.
Then serve the ribs and sauce over coconut rice with that fresh herb mix. Cozy, but fresh all at the same time. And most importantly, so darn yummy!! We just love the spicy, sweet, and tangy ribs. And the coconut rice rounds out a perfect, hands-off dinner.
Looking for more easy dinners? Here are a few to try for fall:
Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Tortilla Soup.
30 Minute Thai Peanut Chicken Ramen
Better For You Chicken and Spinach Ramen
Healthier Italian Wedding Soup with Lemon and Garlic
Lemony Garlic Chicken and Orzo Soup
Creamy Gnocchi Soup with Rosemary Bacon
Lastly, if you make these Crockpot Thai Short Ribs with Coconut Rice be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crockpot Thai Short Ribs with Coconut Rice
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 650 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
- black pepper
- 4 shallots, halved
- 2 inches fresh ginger, sliced
- 1-3 teaspoons Chinese 5 spice
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 1/3 cup Thai chili sauce (homemade in notes)
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 2 cups cilantro, chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds, optional
Instructions
Crockpot
- 1. In the bowl of the crockpot, season the short ribs with pepper. Add the shallots, ginger, and Chinese 5 spice. Pour over the pomegranate juice, tamari, and chili sauce. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.2. Shred the ribs and discard the bones. Drain any excess grease away from the sauce. Toss the ribs into the sauce. Keep warm.3. In a bowl, mix the cilantro, green onions, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Add the pomegranate arils, if using. 4. Serve the ribs and sauce over rice. Top with herbs/peanuts.
Oven
- 1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. 2. In a large, oven-safe brasier, season the short ribs with pepper. Add the shallots, ginger, and Chinese 5 spice. Pour over the pomegranate juice, tamari, and chili sauce. Cover and roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the short ribs are tender and falling off the bone.2. Shred the ribs and discard the bones. Drain any excess grease away from the sauce. Toss the ribs in the sauce. Keep warm.3. In a bowl, mix the cilantro, green onions, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Add the pomegranate arils, if using. 4. Serve the ribs and sauce over rice. Top with herbs/peanuts.
Notes
Coconut Rice: Combine 1 (14 ounce) can of coconut milk, 3/4 cup bone broth or water, and 2 tablespoons ghee or butter in a medium pot. Bring to a low boil. Add 2 cups of jasmine rice and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine, cover, then turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook for 10 minutes on low, then turn the heat off completely. Let the rice sit, covered, for another 15-20 minutes (don’t take any peeks inside!). Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
Homemade Sweet Thai Chili Sauce: Mix 1/3 cup honey, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1-2 tablespoons chili sauce, 2 teaspoons lime zest, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, and 1 clove grated garlic in a glass jar. Shake or stir well. Use as directed.
So good! My first time making coconut rice and I’m hooked. Your short rib recipes are always a hit (we LOVE the short rib ramen)! Can’t wait to make it again!
Hey Alyssa,
Happy Sunday! I’m so glad to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for trying it out! xT
Such An amazing meal! We make it every chance we get! So delicious with the coconut rice! In our opinion, just as good with a beef chuck if you can’t find short ribs
Hey Lottie,
Wonderful! I am so glad this recipe turned out nicely for you, thanks so much for making it! Happy Sunday! xT
Hey,
Can this dish be made in a pressure cooker?
Hi Erica,
Yes, that should work well for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Could cranberry be subbed for Pom juice?
Hi Elizabeth,
Totally, that would work well for you! I hope you love this recipe! xT
I think your ratios for the coconut rice is off. I cooked as directed and rice is nowhere close to done. Using jasmine rice from costco. Added another cup of water and cooking a little longer to see if it will cook.
Yeah, the raid for the rice are very off. Two cups of rice is way too much rice for the amount of liquid you’ve got in this recipe for doing it on a stove top. It’s about right for an instant pot or a rice cooker but you need a 2:1 ratio of liquid to rice generally for doing it in the stove top.
It’s just the two of us and I made the 5 lbs of short ribs. Of course, we had leftovers. We had the first serving as directed which was so delicious. I liked the different flavor combinations and toppings. My husband, a big ‘traditional’ short rib fan, was a little thrown off by the Thai influence. He liked it but not as much as the traditional version. We ate the leftovers a few days later with egg noodles and mashed potatoes which he raved about – the flavor combos had melded by then. This version beat every version prior for him. Both versions were delicious. Very hearty and a nice easy meal for a wintery weekend. I like that I get two meals out of it.
Thank you so so much Krista! So happy to hear that you and your husband enjoyed these short ribs! xT
A great recipe…super yummy and hearty! Make sure to make the coconut rice…delish with it! I made it in the crockpot but after almost 7 hours it still was not done and the liquid was plentiful… I transferred everything into my le creuset and finished it in the oven and the meat got so tender so fast and the liquid thickened and carmelized…I highly suggest the oven route on this one. Next time that’s the way I’m gonna go the whole time. Thanks for another keeper recipe 🙂
Happy Friday! Thank you for trying out this recipe, and have a great weekend! xT
This recipe is the bomb! Pretty simple but so flavorful. I used 2.5 lbs of chuck roast ribs and cooked on low for 5.5 hours. Forgot to add the lime but I will never time. Thank you!!
Hey there! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for giving it a try! xT
Wow!!!!! I cut the recipe in half for the two of us and I wish I just made the full thing. It was spectacular! (I did use chuck roast and it was still amazing – and can confirm the splash of lime was PERFECT!) you are the BEST. 🔥
Hi Ellie! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for trying it out! 🙂 xT
Omg! This was incredible! Butttttttttt I THINK I can get the same effect using a chuck roast 🫢for a third of the price. Has anyone tried?
Hi Celia! You could definitely use a chuck roast if you’d like! xT
Hello, can you do this with a smaller short rib? It’s just for 2 people and 5 pounds seems excessive. Would I change cooking time at all
Hey Lindsay! Yes, you can just half this recipe, and I would definitely decrease the cooking time! xT
One of my favorite recipes!! This is the perfect recipe for when you want a tasty and hearty meal, but are feeling lazy or don’t have much time on your hands. Don’t skip on the coconut rice- so good!
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try! Hope you have an amazing New Year! 🙂 xT