Description
These sweet + spicy Braised Short Rib Steamed Buns (Bao) are such a treat. The beef short ribs are braised in tons of umami flavor including soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar, chili paste, garlic, and ginger until meltingly tender. The succulent, sticky beef is piled in fluffy steamed buns with a vinegary slaw mixture. You’ll love these flavor-filled short rib bao buns that are so easy to make and delicious!
Ingredients
For the Braised Short Ribs:
- 3 lbs bone-in beef short ribs, English-cut
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup Shaoxing wine (or any dry sherry cooking wine)
- ⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 2-4 teaspoons chili paste (I use Sambal Oelek)
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 small red chili pepper, sliced- optional
For the Slaw & Serving:
- 2 cups green cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- 1 medium carrot, julienned
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 10-15 pre-made bao buns, from local Asian market
Instructions
- Season & rest the short ribs: Generously season the short ribs with salt and pepper on all sides. Then set the short ribs aside to rest and to come up to room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Afterwards, go ahead and preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Brown the short ribs: In a deep dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, gently swirl the pot around to evenly coat the bottom. Add a few short ribs into the pot, working in batches, careful not to overcrowd. Sear the short ribs on all sides until a deep brown crust appears, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Then transfer the browned short ribs onto a clean plate/small baking sheet and repeat the process until all the short ribs are browned- adding an additional tablespoon of oil into the pot as needed.
- Assemble the braise: Return the browned short ribs back into the pot along with any residual juices that have collected and shut off the heat. Add the soy sauce, water, shaoxing wine, brown sugar, maple syrup, garlic, ginger, chili paste, scallions, and sliced red chili pepper (if using)- carefully stir to combine everything.
- Braise the short ribs: Cover the pot with a lid and transfer the pot into the oven. Let the short ribs braise for 2 ½ – 3 hours, covered, until the ribs are meltingly tender and falling off the bone. About 20 minutes before the short ribs are done, prep the slaw and the buns.
- Make the slaw: In a large bowl, combine the green cabbage, red cabbage, julienned carrot, white vinegar, honey, sesame seeds, and salt/pepper- to taste. Toss the slaw until well combined and cover the bowl. Transfer the slaw into the fridge to chill until ready to use.
- Steam the buns: Steam the bao buns according to your package directions. A steamer/steaming pot with an insert is helpful for these.
- Assemble the steamed buns & serve: Back to the braised short ribs, use two forks (or your hands fitted with disposable gloves, if desired) to shred the beef. Stir the beef in the braising liquid and let sit for a few minutes for it to soak up the flavors. Then set up your steamed bun station with the slaw, buns, and braised short rib. Grab a bun and add an even amount of slaw and top with the braised beef. I like to spoon more of the braising liquid over the assembled bun, mmm. Serve these soy braised short rib steamed buns immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.