Short Ribs 101
What are short ribs?
As their name says, short ribs are, well, short ribs cut from any part along the cow’s ribs: the lower belly, the shoulder (or chuck), or the forward midsection. Here are the three cuts of short ribs that you’re most likely to encounter at the meat case.
TOP CHOICE: Boneless
Boneless short ribs are the easiest to work with and eat—if you know to compensate for the flavor and body lost by evicting the bone. Our recipe is boldly flavored and uses gelatin to give the sauce body and silkiness.
BEST BONE-IN CHOICE: English-Style
English-style short ribs are 2- to 4-inch lengths of bone with a wide piece of fatty meat attached. They are easy to find at the supermarket and usually cheaper than flanken, which is why we prefer them in the test kitchen.
NOT RECOMMENDED: Flanken-Style
Flanken-style short ribs are about ¾ inch thick, cut across the ribs and grain, and they include two or three segments of rib bone. We find them harder to eat than English-style short ribs, thus we don’t recommend them.
