Slow Cooker Korean Beef Short Ribs (Kalbi) are literally falling-off-the-bone tender from a long, slow cooking process braising in a flavorful marinade that doubles as a fantastic slightly sweet and savory sauce that can be drizzled over the cooked short ribs and white rice.

If you are looking for some other delicious Korean recipes, you should check out my Bulgogi (Korean Beef Tacos), Hotteok (Korean Sweet Pancakes), and Pajeon (Korean Pancakes with Scallions)!

a white plate with korean shortribs stacked on it and garnished with scallion and seasame seeds

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We are big fans of ribs at our house and these slow cooker Korean beef short ribs (known as Kalbi in Korea) are some of the easiest, most delicious ones ever!

Overhead shot of slow cooker Korean beef short ribs on a white plate, garnished with chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and a bowl of white rice on the side.

Slow Cooker Korean Beef Short Ribs

This is one of my favorite slow cooker recipes because unlike some where you need to saute vegetables or brown meat beforehand, with these slow cooker Korean beef short ribs you literally just throw everything in to the crock pot, turn it on and walk away.

Then when it's time to eat you have succulent, juicy meat that is melt-in-your-mouth delicious and packed with incredible Asian flavors.

Crockpot with beef short ribs and sliced onions in it, with a soy sauce based marinade being poured over the top.

What is the difference between short ribs and regular ribs?

Beef short ribs come from the plate cut, while spare ribs (also known as beef back ribs) come from the cow's rib section. Short ribs are typically braised or cooked in a slow cooker, while the longer spare ribs can be barbequed, roasted, braised or grilled.

How to make the sauce

I like to thicken the sauce just a bit with an easy slurry made with a little cornstarch and cold water, then serve that alongside the ribs and some white rice. And I would definitely recommend not skipping the garnishes of sliced green onions and sesame seeds, which add wonderful freshness, flavor, and texture to the final dish.

One braised beef short rib on a bed of white rice.

Having a fat separator will come in handy with the sauce because short ribs tend to have quite a lot of fat that cooks off during the long, slow braising process. But you could also just skim fat off the top with a spoon.

This recipe would also work with almost any meat, really, including chicken, other cuts of beef (brisket & flank steak, especially), or a pork roast. And it would go perfectly with stir-fried baby bok choy!

a white plate with korean shortribs on it

And if you love ribs, you might also want to check out these brown sugar & honey smoked baby back ribs.

More Slow Cooker Recipes For Busy Nights

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Slow Cooker Korean Beef Short Ribs (Kalbi)

4.81 from 159 votes
Amy Nash
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Servings 5 people
Slow Cooker Korean Beef Short Ribs (Kalbi) are literally falling-off-the-bone tender from a long, slow cooking process braising in a flavorful marinade that doubles as a fantastic slightly sweet and savory sauce that can be drizzled over the cooked short ribs and white rice.

Ingredients
  

  • 4-6 pounds beef short ribs
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar
  • ½ Tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 Tablespoon ginger minced
  • 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional or 2 tablespoons Gochujang

To finish

  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • ¼ cup cold water
  • 2-3 green onions sliced on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Arrange the short ribs in the bottom of a slow cooker, then sprinkle with the thinly sliced onion.  
  • Mix together the soy sauce, beef broth, rice vinegar, brown sugar, black pepper, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, then pour over the short ribs.  
  • Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours.  
  • When almost ready to serve, whisk the cornstarch into the cold water and pour into the slow cooker, stirring to combine with the sauce and juices from the meat.  Cover and cook another 20 minutes, until the liquid has thickened slightly.  
  • Remove the ribs from the slow cooker and transfer to a serving platter.  Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and green onions.  Use a fat separator to remove  the fat from the cooking liquid, then serve alongside white rice and the short ribs to be drizzled over the meat and rice.  

Notes

Adapted from Damn Delicious.

Nutrition

Calories: 632kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 56g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 2958mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g
Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @HouseOfNashEats or tag #houseofnasheats!

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About the author

Hi, I'm Amy

I enjoy exploring the world through food, culture, and travel and sharing the adventure with mostly from-scratch, family friendly recipes that I think of as modern comfort cooking.

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Reader questions and reviews

  1. 5 stars
    Talk about a meal that makes me smile! These short ribs look so tender and flavorful! A must make for me.

  2. 5 stars
    We have this at a local resutaurant and Ive always wanted to make them at home.... now I can. Your photos are simply stunning and I will absolutely be trying them over the weekend!

  3. I love exploring new cuisines! I haven't done too much with exploring Korean food yet. I will have to keep an eye out for some good veg options!

  4. 5 stars
    These are some next level short ribs! Love the flavors in the marinade and my goodness, they look so tender! This is such a fun idea you had, too, for a food blogger celebration of the Winter Olympics. (I can't wait for the Games to start!) Will definitely try these recipes as we watch all of these amazing athletes from around the world compete!

  5. 5 stars
    I love Korean food and your beef short ribs look so delicious! I love using a slow cooker for delicious dishes just like this! What a fun idea about the food blogger winter games! These look so tender and delicious! Great recipe!

  6. 5 stars
    I love ribs, and if a meal can be made in a slow cooker then I'm in! These look so flavorful!

  7. 5 stars
    Such an amazing dish this is! Beef is always a favorite meal to me. I have to try it. Thank you for sharing. 🙂

  8. My stomach started growling while I was reading your post and looking at these delicious looking photos. I think that making foods from different cultures, and using that food as a teaching opportunity with your kids, is a great idea. I love recipes like this that don't require a lot of attention. I've printed this recipe and will be making it soon.

    1. Thanks, Patti! Yes, I love introducing my kids to cultures through food! We take them on our travels too, but it's a lot more affordable to explore through flavors when we can't fly somewhere!

  9. I'm skipping the takeout and making this easy dish at home! I love the sauce and that it can be made right in my slow cooker with little work.

  10. YUM! I am always looking for new short rib recipes, and this sounds incredible! I love the idea of everyone contributing a food inspired by different countries - what a fun way to get into the spirit of the Winter Games! And what amazing prizes! I'll have to check out IG!

  11. What a great idea the food blogger winter games! And this dish would make my family happy! They too love ribs, especially when they fall off the bone... The Korean flavor gives such a nice touch!

  12. 5 stars
    Your short ribs look amazing. They look incredibly lean for short ribs. What a fun way to celebrate the Olympics -- foods from different countries. I do have to admit I'm quite partial to any kind of ribs and the Asian flavor sounds very tasty.

  13. Made these tonight. Only had 1.8 lbs of ribs so halted the recipe. Added 1/2 regular sesame and 1/2 toasted seasame oil. Meat was tender but not off the bone. Maybe our crockpot is too big. Sauce was AMAZING though.

  14. I made this exactly the way the recipe said to and it came out perfect. I will definitely will be making this again

  15. Just wondering i am making these 2moro. Do they need to braised in a Dutch oven first or just put directly in the crock pot?

  16. I had to scroll through my private messages to find this recipe! Thank-you, this is one of our most favorite meals.

  17. 5 stars
    This was so delicious and easy to make. Paired it with cabbage and fennel seared. Wonderful flavors! Great recipe! Thanks!

  18. 5 stars
    This is amazing. Truly. I saved all of the gravy (with all the little chunks of meat) added a little sour cream and made poutine. OMG.
    THANK YOU.

  19. I wish you would add a link to PRINT. I would love to keep this recipe in my Meals Binder on my counter. Thank you!

    1. It's there! Look right under the picture in the recipe card where it says "print", "pin", and "rate". Glad you love the recipe!

  20. Just finished eating dinner.
    I was worried about the fact that this recipe is for Short ribs and not Korean cut short ribs.
    It really doesn't matter. We loved it.
    My only suggestion is to use low sodium soy sauce or cut back on the soy sauce on 4lbs.
    Other than that. INCREDIBLE RECIPE

  21. I always loved Korean Food...saw this one and making it tonight with white rice...it's 5pm now Dec.20, 2022 I need to wait 1 more hour in a 4-6hrs high. can't wait!

  22. I don't know why it's too salty, I even replace the beef broth to Low sodium one..hhmmm...what I did I just out a tablespoon of white vinegar..yummmmmm thank you..

  23. This is one of my husband's favourite meals now. It's actually in the slow cooker for the third time since discovering this recipe! He loves the sauce so much that we have to keep the leftovers so he can have over rice. Thanks for sharing!

  24. Absolutely delicious. Followed the recipe, but browned the ribs before putting them in crock pot. And I also added orange rind to the sauce. The sauce was so silky, rich and flavorful.

  25. 5 stars
    Just want to say that i've made this recipe a dozen times and it always comes out perfectly and it's always a huge hit with the eaters!

  26. Will be trying the recipe but wondering can you use frozen short ribs straight out of the freezer or does it need to be thawed first. If yes, is there time adjustment ended to account for the frozen state and how long?

    1. Hi! Personally, I would put them in thawed. You can thaw the ribs overnight in the fridge. If you do want to try putting them in frozen, I would add an extra hour to cook time. I have also seen people cook on high for an hour and then turn it down to low for the remainder of the time. Either way, it will still turn out delicious. Enjoy!

    1. Hmm, that's a good question. I haven't tried it with other cuts, but I think the flavors would be good with flank steak or even a chuck roast.