Short ribs

What are Short Ribs?

While spareribs are actually the ribs of the pig, short ribs are the ribs of the cow. Also known as beef ribs. In America, beef ribs are known as short ribs because they are attached to the short plate. They consist of 4 ribs that are not at all equal in size, making them perfect for even low & slow cooking. Spareribs are undoubtedly one of the most popular low & slow BBQ dishes in the Netherlands, but among pitmasters, short ribs are quickly gaining ground. And rightly so! In Texas – the mecca of American BBQ – short ribs are indispensable in culinary life. Fortunately, short ribs are now also being increasingly embraced by fervent BBQ enthusiasts in Europe...

Klapstuk with Rib

As mentioned before, short ribs consist of four ribs of the same size. This part of the cow is also sold without ribs under the name klapstuk or pianostuk. Why pianostuk? Because when you remove the ribs, the remaining meat resembles a piano. But with bone, some people also know short ribs as Jacobs Ladder. Short ribs are thus klapstuk with bone, and that bone plays a role in low & slow cooking. It imparts flavor and provides insulation during cooking. Generally, short ribs are four ribs, also known as the plate or klapstuk with ribs. However, short ribs are sometimes also sawed on the bone. They call it Flanken Style, or Kalbi Korean Style BBQ ribs. These beef ribs are better suited for hot & fast cooking, while the four ribs together are more like a roast.

Marbled Short Ribs

Short ribs contain a lot of meat and are quite fatty. You can somewhat compare them to belly pork. For short ribs, in our opinion: the more marbled, the better. So, you preferably eat short ribs from a beautifully marbled beef breed, and these are well-represented at The Butchery. Wagyu from Australia and Black Angus from the USA, Canada, and Australia: each breed is known for beautiful marbling. You want that for short ribs! Because for slow cooking, you need intramuscular fat (fat between the muscles). The structure of short ribs is quite coarse, and the meat itself is not very tender, but after a good low & slow session, that intramuscular fat gradually spreads beautifully throughout the meat, leaving you with butter-tender meat.

Preparing Short Ribs

Important when preparing short ribs: take your time… For the first time, you could follow the recipe of BBQ icon Jord Althuizen.

Buying Short Ribs Online

Wagyu short ribs or Black Angus short ribs: buying beautifully marbled short ribs online is very easy at The Butchery. Choose your favorite beef breed and weight, add them to your shopping cart, proceed to checkout, choose your delivery day, and receive your short ribs quickfrozen – with optimal quality preservation! If you order before 11:00, you have them at home the same evening! It doesn't get any easier!