How to cook flanken ribs in oven

Although typically, beef ribs take long slow cooking to achieve a tender result, flanken ribs take just a minute or so each side to achieve juicy perfection.

Perfect for a barbecue, griddle or under a hot grill, this dinner really takes just minutes! Great for a quick meal or for when you are catering for a crowd.

Not only that but they are so, so tender and totally delicious too, with just a quick Asian marinade.

Enjoy!

How to cook flanken ribs in oven
Jump to:
  • FAQs
  • Why you will love this recipe
  • πŸ₯˜ Ingredients
  • 🍽 Equipment
  • πŸ”ͺ Instructions
  • ⏲️ Cooking Time
  • πŸ₯— Side Dishes
  • πŸ“– Variations
  • Storage
  • Prepare in Advance
  • πŸ“‹ Recipe
  • πŸ’¬ Comments

I came across beef flanken ribs by accident. I do buy a lot of meat online, as there seems to be less and less choice and availability in the supermarkets these days.

I've been using Swaledale butchers for a while and found flanken ribs in the barbecue section and I was intrigued! After all, the British love to barbecue.

Here's all you need to know about this fantastic cut.

FAQs

What kind of meat is flanken ribs?


These are cross cut ribs, also known as banderita in Argentina, which means small flags. The Koreans have also cut their ribs in this way.

Essentially, beef flanken ribs are cut across the bone, which is also across the grain of the meat. Each slice resembles a thin pork rasher with a line of rib bones running through it.

When you cut meat thinly against the grain, beef, which would normally be too tough to eat without long cooking, becomes meltingly tender.

Typically cut from the breast ribs, there is a small amount of fat to add to the flavour.

What is the difference between short ribs and flanken?


English cut ribs are cut in between the bones, with the grain. This means that each piece consists of bone surrounded by meat, fat and connective tissue.

Longer ribs are called beef spare ribs and are normally about 15 centimetres or 6 inches long.

Short ribs are spare ribs cut in half.

There is also a cut called Jacob's ladder, where short rib portions are not cut between the bones.

However, all of these cuts require braising on the hob, in the oven or slow cooker, whereas the beef flanken ribs are cut thinly across a series of bones and require little cooking.

The best bit for me is that the pieces of bone are easily cut out with a knife and fork and there's absolutely no need to get messy because you have to pick them up to extract the meat!

How long does it take to cook flanken cut short ribs?


It does depend on the thickness of the cut, but it's important to start with a really hot barbecue or grill and cook for around a minute a side for slices up to a centimetre thick.

Why you will love this recipe

  • Quick cook in minutes
  • Use your own favourite marinade
  • No messy eating
  • Great for feeding a crowd
  • Extremely tasty and tender

πŸ₯˜ Ingredients

How to cook flanken ribs in oven
  • Beef - flanken cut short ribs. You may be able to get these from your butcher or try online. They should be cut into long lengths just less than a centimetre thick.
  • Soy sauce - for most marinades or bastes I use dark soy sauce. It's an instant flavour enhancer for gravy too. Use a low salt version if you prefer.
  • Oil - I've used sesame oil for flavour as I'm not using it to cook the meat.
  • Garlic - garlic and beef go so well together.
  • Ginger - a grated piece of ginger gives the best results.
  • Sugar - brown sugar really helps the meat to caramelise quickly.

See recipe card for quantities.

πŸ’­ Top Tip

  • It's not always easy to have fresh ginger to hand but it can be easily frozen. Simply cut into thumb sized chunks and place in a container or ziplock bag without peeling. When you need ginger just grate what you need from a chunk. It doesn't clog the grater and is much easier and quicker.

🍽 Equipment

πŸ”ͺ Instructions

Start by making the marinade.

Crush or finely chop the garlic and grate the ginger.

Place them in a small bowl with the soy sauce, sesame oil and brown sugar.

How to cook flanken ribs in oven

Pat dry the beef flanken short ribs and place in a large dish.

Pour over the marinade and use a pastry brush to make sure that all surfaces are coated.

Leave the ribs in the marinade for at least 30 minutes.

How to cook flanken ribs in oven

⏲️ Cooking Time

Preheat the barbecue, griddle or grill to a medium high heat.

Add the beef flanken ribs in a single layer and leave for 1 minute without disturbing. This means that you will get a good sear on the meat.

Turn over and cook for a further minute.

πŸ’­ Top Tip

  • A pack of flanken short ribs typically has 12 slices so the grill may quickly get overcrowded. To make it easier, cook in 2 batches.
How to cook flanken ribs in oven

Serve and enjoy!

How to cook flanken ribs in oven

πŸ₯— Side Dishes

Try a salad or more conventional hot side dish.

  • Courgette Salad
  • Fried Cabbage with Bacon and Onions
  • Pan Haggerty
  • Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
  • Easy Roast Potatoes
  • Roasted Courgettes
  • Roast Savoy Cabbage
  • Tomato and Onion Salad
  • Sarladaise Potatoes
  • Braised Red Cabbage
  • Crispy Smashed Potatoes

πŸ“– Variations

Try these marinades and sauces for a change

  • Chimichurri sauce - this herby, spicy and garlic sauce is great served with the meat, but can also be used as a marinade.
  • Herby - use a mix of dried tarragon and red wine. I love using tarragon with beef as it's a bit like having a bearnaise sauce.
  • Onion - replace the ginger and garlic with finely chopped shallot or onion.
  • Spicy - use red pepper flakes, sriracha sauce or a teaspoon of chilli powder.

Storage

  • Refrigerator - store cooked ribs covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • Freezer - wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months.
  • To reheat - use in stir fries or heat quickly in a hot pan or under the grill.

Prepare in Advance

  • Let the meat sit in the marinade for up to 24 hours before cooking.
How to cook flanken ribs in oven

More barbecue and grilling ideas

  • Minted Lamb Burgers
  • Stilton and Black Pudding Burgers
  • Venison Burgers
  • Lincolnshire Sausage Skewers
  • Pinchos de Pollo
  • Vietnamese Grilled Chicken

πŸ“‹ Recipe

How to cook flanken ribs in oven

Flanken Short Ribs

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Amanda

These cross cut ribs across the bone are cooked in minutes. Perfect for grilling, they are tender and delicious too.

4.90 from 28 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeRecipe Saved

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 2 mins

Total Time 7 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine British, Korean

Servings 4

Calories 272 kcal

Equipment

  • Pastry brush

  • grill, barbecue or griddle pan

Ingredients MetricUS Customary 1x2x3x

  • 600 g flanken ribs
  • 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 teaspoon ginger grated
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions 

  • Crush or finely chop the garlic and grate the ginger. Place them in a small bowl with the soy sauce, sesame oil and brown sugar.

  • Pat dry the beef ribs and place in a large dish. Pour over the marinade and use a pastry brush to make sure that all surfaces are coated.

  • Leave the ribs in the marinade for at least 30 minutes.

  • Preheat the barbecue, griddle or grill to a medium high heat.

  • Add the beef flanken ribs in a single layer and leave for 1 minute without disturbing.

  • Turn over and cook for a further minute.

  • Serve.

Nutrition Facts

Flanken Short Ribs

Amount Per Serving

Calories 272 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 65mg22%

Sodium 575mg25%

Potassium 426mg12%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 0.1g0%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 22g44%

Vitamin A 0.1IU0%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 16mg2%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

Detailed instructions for this recipe, including step by step photographs, hints and tips, can be found in the main article

Keyword flanken cut short ribs

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Food Safety

  • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
  • Wash hands after touching raw meat.
  • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
  • Never leave cooking food unattended.
  • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
  • Always have good ventilation when using gas.

Do you have a question or did you make the recipe?

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However, due to spam comments, I do have to moderate each one, so don't worry if you cannot see your comment immediately. I'll publish your comments as soon as I can.

What temperature do you cook flanken short ribs?

I would aim for a final temperature of 140-145F but the meat is so thin your thermometer is going to give you highly variable readings. Instead of cooking to temperature try to cook to appearance and realize that it is hard to undercook these ribs. These ribs looked and tasted amazing!

How long does it take to cook flanken?

A classic way of cooking flanken is to sprinkle it generously with salt, pepper and dried onion flakes. Add a cup of water to the pan and cover tightly. Cook at 300⁰F for 5-7 hours, or overnight at 250⁰F. The meat will be super soft.

How long to cook thin short ribs in oven at 350?

Bake ribs in the 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven 45 minutes, or until meat pulls apart easily with a fork and reaches a minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

How long does it take to cook ribs in the oven at 350?

Shoot for around 2 hours at 350 degrees if the ribs are uncovered, as in our Barbecued Pork Ribs. If wrapped in foil, the ribs can go for up to 3 hours at 300Β°F degrees, or crank the oven up to 400 degrees for a briefer baking timeβ€”1.5 to 2 hours.