Slow-cooker gochujang short ribs with apple slaw

Name: Slow-cooker gochujang short ribs with apple slaw
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 5 h
Total time: 5 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 4 large beef short ribs; 1 2 garlic cloves; 5 tbsp gochujang; 3 tbsp dark soy sauce; 3 tbsp dark brown soft sugar; 1 1 cinnamon stick; 1 2 star anise; 1 tsp coriander seeds; 75 ml shaohsing rice wine; 1 2 red onions quartered; 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger peeled and roughly chopped; 400 ml beef stock; 1 tbsp cornflour; 1 2 spring onions finely sliced; 1 cooked rice to serve; 1 2 apples halved; 1 1 lemon juiced

Prep: 30 minsCook: 5 hrs

Prep

30 mins

Cook

5 hrs

Servings

Difficulty

Hard

Dairy-FreeNut-FreeEgg-Free

(0)

This slow cooker recipe has become my go to for impressing guests without spending hours in the kitchen. The gochujang brings this incredible spiced heat that transforms humble short ribs into something restaurant worthy, while the apple slaw adds a bright, cooling contrast that keeps things balanced. What I love most is that you just throw everything in the pot and let it do the work for five hours, which means you're free to do literally anything else. Gochujang is packed with beneficial probiotics from fermentation, making it genuinely good for your gut alongside being absolutely delicious. Once you taste how tender the meat becomes and how the sauce clings to every bite, you'll find yourself making this again and again.

Ella x

Ingredients

Servings:

1 tbspvegetable oil
4 largebeef short ribs(about 2kg)
12 garlic cloves
5 tbspgochujang
3 tbspdark soy sauce
3 tbspdark brown soft sugar
11 cinnamon stick
12 star anise
1 tspcoriander seeds
75 mlshaohsing rice wine
12 red onions quartered
1thumb-sized piece of ginger peeled and roughly chopped
400 mlbeef stock
1 tbspcornflour
12 spring onions finely sliced
1cooked rice to serve
12 apples halved(cored and cut into thin matchsticks)
11 lemon juiced

Detail level

Instructions

1
Heat the oil in a medium frying pan over a high heat. Season the short ribs all over with salt, then cook in the pan for 8-10 mins until deep brown on all sides. (You may need to do this in batches.) Add a small splash of water to the pan in between batches, and pour the residual liquid into a small heatproof bowl. Set aside.
2
Lightly bash the garlic cloves with the skin still on and set the slow cooker to low. Mix the garlic with the gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, cinnamon, star anise, coriander seeds and rice wine. Tip into the slow cooker along with the red onions and ginger. Add the ribs, then pour over the stock. Cover with the lid and cook for 4 hrs 30 mins, or until the meat is falling off the bone.
3
In the final 10 mins of cooking time, mix 1 tbsp of the reserved cooking liquid with the cornflour in a small bowl to make a smooth paste. Add this to the slow cooker and mix well. Taste the sauce for seasoning and add more soy sauce, if needed. Cover and set aside. Make the slaw by mixing the apple with the lemon juice and season to taste.
4
Scoop the garlic cloves out of the slow cooker, discard the skins, then stir the garlic back in. Serve the ribs with the spring onions sprinkled over, alongside the rice and slaw.

Recipe Variations

Get AI-powered ingredient substitution suggestions.

Butter bean curry

This butter bean curry is one of my go to weeknight dinners when I want something satisfying but don't have hours to spend cooking. The whole thing comes together in under an hour, and butter beans are incredibly affordable and packed with fiber, keeping you full for ages. I love how versatile it is too, with the warming spices and creamy beans balanced by fresh coriander and a zingy banana and cucumber raita on the side. It's genuinely delicious, feels a bit fancy, but honestly couldn't be simpler.

55 mins

Gluten-FreeVegetarianNut-FreeEgg-Free

Air fryer roast beef joint

You know what surprised me most about making roast beef in the air fryer? How incredibly quick and simple it is. This method cuts your cooking time in half compared to a traditional oven, and honestly, the results are just as impressive. The beauty of beef is that it's packed with iron and B vitamins, which are essential for energy and overall health. With just a handful of pantry staples and five minutes of prep, you'll have a stunning, tender roast that's perfect for a weeknight dinner or impressing guests without the fuss.

50 mins

Gluten-FreeDairy-FreeNut-FreeEgg-Free

Bread in four easy steps

Making your own bread doesn't have to be intimidating. This granary loaf comes together in just four straightforward steps, ready to eat in under an hour. Granary flour is packed with whole grains and fiber, which means you're getting real nutritional value with every slice. What I love most is how simple and budget friendly this recipe is. You probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen already, and the fast action yeast does all the hard work for you. Trust me, once you taste homemade bread warm from the oven, you'll be making this constantly.

50 mins

Gluten-FreeDairy-FreeVegetarianNut-FreeEgg-Free