One of my signature dishes to make when people come over is braised short ribs. They’re incredibly delicious AND impressive, and they can be made ahead of time, instantly making hosting feel way less stressful. While my Red Wine Braised Short Ribs are a forever staple, this version has quickly become a favorite.
The inspiration comes from a miso au poivre (peppercorn) sauce I created a few Valentine’s Days ago when I wanted something more creative than a classic steak sauce. I’ve always loved a peppercorn sauce with my steak, but adding miso and soy sauce felt like the perfect way to amp up the umami and give it a little unexpected depth.
Here, the short ribs are slowly braised in a mixture of sake, miso, soy sauce, peppercorns, and aromatics until they’re completely fall-apart tender. The sauce is then finished with a splash of heavy cream, turning it into something truly addictive — the kind of sauce you’ll be tempted to drink straight from the pan.
I love serving these short ribs over a bed of mashed Japanese sweet potatoes for a slightly sweet contrast that makes the whole dish feel extra special. This dish is so good, both my friends and my fiancé have boldly stated that this might honestly go down as one of my best recipes ever.
It’s the perfect recipe for Valentine’s Day or date nights when you don’t want to babysit a steak at the stove — or anytime you want to serve something to guests that is truly memorable and impressive with minimal stress.
Tips for Success
- Use a combination of boneless and bone-in short ribs. While bone in short ribs add a lot of flavor, depending on the cut they sometimes don’t give a lot of “bang for your buck” in terms of meat quantity. To combat this, I like to use a combo of bone-in and boneless short ribs (or even chuck roast steaks for a more economical option) to ensure I have enough beef to go around.
- Use freshly ground peppercorns: This is key for an au poivre–style sauce. Pre-ground pepper won’t give you the same aroma or bite, and grinding them yourself allows you to choose the level of coarseness you prefer.
- Don’t rush the sear: Taking the time to deeply brown the short ribs builds the foundation of flavor for the entire dish and helps render some of the fat. The browned bits that get left behind after searing add so much flavor that gets lifted into the sauce when you add the sake.
- Degrease the sauce: Short ribs tend to be quite fatty, so trimming the excess fat beforehand, rendering the fat in the searing stage (then pouring off the excess grease), and skimming off the excess fat before finishing the sauce ensures it’s rich and silky, not heavy. I find the easiest way to do this at the end is placing in a glass measuring cup and freezing, to easily remove the fat that floats to the top.
- Balance the salt: The only thing I salt in this dish is the short ribs before searing. Between the miso and the soy sauce, you don’t want to overdo it, so choose low sodium chicken stock and wait to salt until the end to properly control the salt. If your miso is especially salty, taste the sauce before finishing and adjust with a splash of cream or broth if needed.
- Sweet potato swap: Japanese sweet potatoes add natural sweetness and creaminess, but Yukon golds or regular sweet potatoes can work really well too, just be sure to adjust the cream/butter amounts if needed.
Make Ahead Tips:
For the slow cooker, sear the short ribs on the stovetop and follow all the steps up until adding the miso broth mixture. Transfer to the crockpot, add the miso broth, and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours until fall-apart tender. After skimming the fat from the sauce, finish the sauce on the stove with cream and peppercorns for best texture and flavor.
These short ribs are ideal for making ahead because they get even better the next day. Braise them in advance, refrigerate overnight, and gently reheat in the sauce before serving.
As for the mashed sweet potatoes, these can also be made ahead and warmed through in a covered saucepan on low, just be sure to add extra liquid if needed as sweet potatoes tend to stiffen as they sit.
Instant Pot Method
To make this in the Instant Pot, sear the short ribs using the sauté function, then pressure cook on High for about 45 minutes with a 15-minute natural release. Finish the sauce on sauté with cream and remaining peppercorns until silky and slightly thickened.
Slow Cooker Method
For the slow cooker, sear the short ribs on the stovetop, then follow the stovetop instructions up until adding the miso broth, then transfer the short ribs and sake/pan juices to the crockpot with the miso broth and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours until fall-apart tender. Finish the sauce on the stove with cream and peppercorns for best texture and flavor.
Miso Au Poivre Short Ribs
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 4
Description
Fall-apart tender miso au poivre braised short ribs simmered in sake, miso, soy sauce, and peppercorns, finished with cream and served over a bed of mashed Japanese sweet potatoes. A cozy, impressive make-ahead dinner perfect for Valentine’s Day, date nights, or special occasions.
Ingredients
For the Miso Au Poivre Short Ribs:
- 2 lbs bone-in short ribs
- 1 lb boneless short ribs
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 shallots, minced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ tbsp whole black peppercorns*
- 2 cups sake
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup white miso paste
- 2 tbsps soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Salt to taste
- Sliced green onions for garnish
For the Mashed Japanese Sweet Potatoes:
- 3 lbs japanese sweet potatoes
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 4 tbsps butter
- Salt to taste
Instructions
For the Miso Au Poivre Short Ribs with Mashed Japanese Sweet Potato:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Pat the short ribs dry and season with salt. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, drizzle in the oil. Working in batches if needed, sear the short ribs in a single layer on all sides until deeply golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Meanwhile, coarsely grind the black peppercorns using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
- Carefully pour off excess fat from the Dutch oven, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind. Reduce heat to medium and add the shallots and garlic. Sauté for 3–5 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add about ¾ of the ground peppercorns and toast for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour in the sake and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth, miso, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Return the short ribs to the pot and pour the miso broth mixture over top. Cover, bring to a boil, then transfer to the oven and braise for about 3 hours, or until the short ribs are fork-tender and falling apart.
- About 1 hour before the short ribs are done, prepare the mashed sweet potatoes. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them in half lengthwise. Place in a pot, cover with cold water, and season with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30–35 minutes, or until tender. Drain and let sit for 2–3 minutes to allow excess moisture to evaporate.
- Heat the butter and cream together until the butter has melted. Return the sweet potatoes to the pot, add half of the butter-cream mixture, and mash. Gradually add the remaining mixture, mashing until smooth. Season with salt to taste and keep warm.
- Once the short ribs are done, remove them from the braising liquid and set aside. Pour the liquid into a fat separator or glass measuring cup and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes, until the fat solidifies on top. Skim and discard the fat.
- Trim excess fat from the short ribs and shred as desired. Return the braising liquid to the pot over medium heat. Once simmering, whisk in the remaining ground peppercorns and the heavy cream.
- Serve the shredded short ribs over mashed Japanese sweet potatoes, spooning the miso au poivre sauce generously over top. Finish with sliced green onions.
Notes
*Freshly ground black peppercorns are essential for that classic au poivre flavor. Pre-ground pepper won’t give you the same depth or aroma, but if absolutely necessary, use 2 tsp ground black pepper.
**Short ribs tend to be quite fatty, so degreasing the sauce is crucial. For the silkiest sauce, skim off excess fat before finishing with cream. A brief chill in the freezer makes this quick and easy.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Braised
- Cuisine: Japanese