short rib

IPA/ˈʃɔːt ˌrɪb/
IPA/ˈʃɔːrt ˌrɪb/

short rib — noun

1. a cut of beef taken from the lower section of the cow's rib cage, containing sma

1.nounB2
Definition

a cut of beef taken from the lower section of the cow's rib cage, containing small pieces of rib bone and known for its rich flavour when cooked slowly over low heat

Example

Olu braised the short ribs with red wine and rosemary for Sunday dinner.

braised with wine — common slow-cooking method

The chef at Yuki's favourite restaurant serves short ribs with a honey glaze.

Common collocations
  • braised short ribs
  • short rib tacos
  • slow-cooked short ribs
  • short rib stew
  • boneless short ribs
Synonyms
  • flanken

    American term used mainly in Jewish cuisine for a similar cut, often sliced across the bone

  • beef short ribs

    fuller name that distinguishes from pork or lamb short ribs

Grammar Patterns

short ribs as plural noun

Usage Note

Often cooked using moist-heat methods such as braising or slow-roasting to break down the connective tissue.

Common Mistakes

Short rib is a single piece of meat from the back.
Short ribs are small, meaty cuts from the lower part of the cow's ribs, usually sold in strips.
Short ribs are typically plural and come from the front ribs near the breastbone, not the back.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three come from the rib area of a cow, but they differ in cut and cooking use. Short ribs (from the lower front ribs) are small, bony strips best suited to braising. Flanken is a Jewish-American preparation of the same area, cut across the bone into thin strips and often used in soup or grilled. Beef rib roast (prime rib) is a large, bone-in roast from the upper rib section, cooked as a standing roast. Short ribs are the most common term in everyday cooking; flanken appears mainly on kosher or deli menus; rib roast is for special-occasion meals.

short rib ↗flanken ↗beef rib roast

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • braised short ribs
  • short rib ragu
  • short rib sandwich

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

The word 'short' here refers to the short length of the rib bones near the breastbone — these ribs are shorter than the long rib cuts used for standing rib roasts. 'Rib' comes from Old English 'ribb', meaning a curved bone of the chest. The compound term 'short rib' appeared in American English cookery by the late 19th century as butchers named cuts by their bone length.