Noodles with Spicy Beef Ribs

The beef is the main attraction here, but if you’re a lover of ramen noodles, you will certainly love the broth the noodles are cooked in! These Noodles with Spicy Beef Ribs are certainly not on the mild side of spicy, so beware! If you prefer a mild version, the recipe card has some easy substitutions for you!

This is a recipe that I could prepare over and over again and never grow tired of it! It’s hearty and filling; and it’s most certainly family-friendly too, especially if your family likes spicy food! If not, don’t worry – the great thing about this Noodles with Spicy Beef Ribs recipe is that you can lessen the spice level or omit the spiciness completely!

Did you know that spicy food is supposed to relieve stress? Maybe it just causes you to forget about stress for a while, because you’re more consumed with cooling your mouth! The last thing I want to do is to make you afraid to try this dish. But if you have any tolerance for spicy food at all, you will handle this one like a pro!

I’ve long been a lover of slow-roasted beef. And, I’ve long been a lover of short ribs. Long have I held on to the belief that you can’t really have super moist and tender short ribs unless you go the slow-roasted route. As it turns out, Dear Reader, I was wrong! My first big bite of the beef in this recipe changed my mind! Just look at those ribs! Don’t they look amazing!?

From the very first moment I tasted a braised beef short rib, I knew there was no turning back. They can be pricey, which is why I don’t cook them very often. They also need to be cooked properly, otherwise, they can be tough and chewy. Until now, I really thought that meant cooking them very slowly, but braising in a heavy pot with a heavy lid to lock in moisture, cuts down the cooking time substantially.

WHAT ARE BEEF SHORT RIBS?

Before I tell you how to make my Noodles with Spicy Beef Ribs, I want to explain what they are, because they are not an ingredient that is widely used, so you might not know much about them. Basically, beef ribs (sometimes called beef short ribs) come from the beef chuck section of the cow. There are five short ribs that are too small to be used for steak, so they are packaged and sold as beef ribs.

Please note that short ribs are not just shorter and fatter beef back ribs. The rack of beef ribs that you see on most summer grills comes from the prime rib section of the animal which is closer to the top. Beef short ribs come from the bottom section. Short ribs are much larger and meatier, which also makes them a little bit pricier, depending on where you source beef.

The beef ribs you see in my photos are quite large in comparison to what you might see in other parts of the world. In Asian cuisine, for example, beef short ribs are sliced thinly so they can be cooked quickly rather than long and slow. Some cuts do not have the extended bone like the ones I’m using. The longer bone, with one very thick and meaty end and a tapered opposite end, refers to an English-style cut.

DUTCH OVENS

A proper Dutch oven is needed to get these ribs just right. I have several to choose from. But, that’s because I have purchased them over the years and not all at once. And, because I cook and bake all the time. Dutch ovens are a huge investment, but they are very much worth it if you use it often enough.

For this particular recipe, I used my 5 litre Le Creuset. You can most certainly use a larger pot, but I wouldn’t use anything smaller. You may run into an issue with the sauce bubbling over if you use a smaller pot. (Spellcheck is suggesting that I change litre to liter, but I cannot bring myself to do it! I may be wrong, but I think the United States is the only place where it’s spelled liter. Here in Canada, it’s litre!)

You most certainly can use an oval Dutch oven if that’s what you have! And, it does not need to be a Le Creuset brand either! In fact, I have a cheaper version that I often use. It’s a Pioneer Woman brand that I picked up at Walmart. I think I paid less than $50 for it!

If all you have is cast iron pot with a heavy cast iron lid, then it will work perfectly as well. The key is to keep the heat into the pot, which will ensure that the ribs braise properly. It’s important to keep the heat and steam inside the pot and not let it escape.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Beef Ribs/Short Ribs – Do not use Asian-style short ribs for this recipe. Those ribs tend to be sliced thinly across the bone and will most certainly completely fall apart in this recipe. Use larger cuts which typically weigh roughly 10-12 ounces each.
• Water
• Sugar
• Soy Sauce – Use low-sodium soy sauce, otherwise, the sauce will be too salty. If you only have regular soy sauce, use half soy sauce and half water to dilute the salt.
• Corn Syrup – There are a lot of misconceptions about corn syrup because one of them is bad for you and the other one is just liquid sugar extracted from corn. We are using the latter, which won’t hurt anyone in moderation. You can substitute with molasses or honey.
• Red Pepper Paste – Commonly known as gochujang, a spicy paste used in Korean cooking, made from red chili peppers, fermented soybeans, rice, and salt. You can find both of these in many big chain grocery stores and most certainly in Asian markets. Gochujang is also available on Amazon.
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic for maximum flavour.
• Ginger – Use fresh ginger and grate it on a box grater.
• Rice Wine Vinegar – If you don’t have rice wine vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
• Onion Powder
• Dry Mustard – This is a powdered mustard, usually sold in small cans. You will find it in the spice section of most grocery stores.
• Dried Red Chili Flakes
• Ground Black Pepper
• Ramen Noodles – You can use the cheap packets here. You will only use the noodles and not the seasoning packets inside, so any flavour you have on hand will do.
• Soft Boiled Eggs – These are optional, but the creaminess of the yolk pairs so well with the piping hot noodles and broth.
• Sesame Seeds
• Chili Crisp Oil – Optional
• Chives – For garnish.

HOW TO MAKE NOODLES WITH SPICY BEEF RIBS

Add all of the sauce ingredients to a large dutch oven and stir to combine. Turn the heat to medium and allow the sauce to heat up. (If you do not like spicy food at all, substitute the gochujang with ketchup and omit the chili flakes.) In the meantime, rinse the beef ribs under cold running water. Gently massage each piece taking the time to feel for small bone fragments and remove any if found. Once all of the ribs have been cleaned, add them to the pot with the sauce and increase the heat to high.

As the sauce and rib mixture comes to a boil, some foam will gather at the top. Use a spoon to scoop out the foam and discard it. Once all of the foam has been removed, reduce the heat to simmer and place a lid on the pot. Simmer the ribs for 1 hour, checking at the 45 minute mark to stir.

Remove the beef ribs from the pot and transfer them to a plate. Set aside. Next, increase the heat to high and add the ramen noodles to the pot. (Do not add the seasoning packets!) Boil the noodles for the length of time indicated on the packet or until they are done to your likeness. Transfer one portion of the noodles to a bowl. Ladle some of the broth into the bowl and top with 2-3 ribs, and a soft boiled egg. Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of chili crisp oil (optional) and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

SOFT BOILED EGGS

Boiled eggs – whether they be hard-boiled or soft-boiled – have to be one of the simplest and most humble of foods, yet to me, they scream comfort. We stock our fridge with hard-boiled eggs quite often so that we can have one as a quick snack or quickly make an egg salad sandwich on occasion. Sometimes, I prepare Marinated Soft Boiled Eggs which are meant to be savoured and enjoyed. Other times, when I’m lazy or just don’t have much time, I prepare the eggs in the same way but skip the marinating part and just dig in.

Using a pan or pot with a large surface, fill it with two inches of water. Add two tablespoons of white vinegar. (You will want to use a pan or pot large enough so that the eggs can sit in the pan in a single layer.) Over high heat, bring the water and vinegar mixture to a boil. Once boiling, carefully add the eggs directly from the fridge. The eggs should not be at room temperature! Boil the eggs for 7 minutes.

Use a rubber spoon or spatula to gently stir the eggs in a clockwise manner for 30 seconds. (These 30 seconds are included in the 7 minutes of boiling time.) After the 7 minutes have passed, transfer the eggs into an ice bath to cool. Once the eggs are cool to the touch, peel them and use them as a garnish on these noodles or transfer them to a food-safe container with a tight fitting lid and store them in your fridge for 3-5 days.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!