Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs. – Half Baked Harvest

Sticky Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs: tender beef short ribs slow-cooked in a savory, sweet, and sour pomegranate sauce until the beef is caramelized around the edges and falling off the bone. The meat is then shredded and served over steamed rice or creamy mashed potatoes. Add butter-fried sage leaves, sesame seeds, and pomegranate arils for a delicious meal cooked all in one pot. A super easy, slow-cooked dinner!

You know what my mom said to me over the weekend? She feels like so many sites are becoming too cookie-cutter and less personal. She mentioned that she loves that we’ve always shared personal stories with each piece of content we put out.

I said it’s almost impossible for me to write a post without sharing something semi-personal. It’s the way we’ve always written and it feels the most natural to me!

Short ribs are something I’ve been cooking for my family in place of pot roast since way ack. Until recently, I was never interested in cooking a pot roast. I always felt that short ribs were the way to go.

While I do now love a good post-roast, I think the flavor of short ribs is still superior. Cooking them every so often feels special, especially during the fall. Slow-cooked short ribs on a Sunday—it’s so cozy!

Plus, my older brother, Creighton, always gets so excited when I slow-cook short ribs. I couldn’t wait to share these with my family. The sauce on the ribs is a little sweet, mixed with sour, yet still feels savory with fresh thyme and sage. It’s truly the most delicious sauce. We loved these ribs!

These are the details

Ingredients

• bone-in beef short ribs
• yellow onions
• garlic
• honey
• dry white wine, or use broth
• pomegranate juice
• tamari, or use soy sauce
• fresh thyme
• a dried bay leaf
• salted butter
• fresh sage
• toasted sesame seeds
• pomegranate arils

Special Tools

None, just an oven safe Dutch oven or braiser. You could also easily make this recipe in the crockpot as well!

Steps

Step 1: prepare the ribs

This process could not be easier. Use your Dutch oven or a large braiser. I use a cast iron braiser—it cooks the meat perfectly. You could also slow cook the ribs in the crockpot, but I love to use the oven, as it allows the ribs to caramelize and develop a little more flavor.

Add everything to the braiser—no searing, no pre-cooking, none of that. Simply add the beef short ribs, black pepper, onions, and garlic. Drizzle over some honey, then pour over the pomegranate juice, white wine, and tamari/soy sauce.

Add the fresh thyme and a dried bay leaf. Use some chili flakes to your taste.

Cover the pot and let the oven work its magic. I never sear the ribs because they caramelize naturally while cooking in the oven and in all that sweet/sour sauce. By the time I uncover my pot, the ribs are perfectly caramelized and falling off the bone.

This is the easiest method of cooking short ribs, at least for me!

Step 2: shred the ribs

When the short ribs are tender and falling off the bone, shred them and toss them with the sauce. If you notice a lot of grease on top of the sauce, do your best to drain that away before you toss the ribs.

Step 3: fry the sage

Now, fry the sage in butter until it’s crisp. Add chili flakes, again to your taste, and some sea salt too.

Step 4: serve

Serve the ribs and sauce with rice or mashed potatoes. We like both; it just depends on the day.

Then, top with sesame seeds, sage, and fresh pomegranate arils. The pomegranate arils might seem off, but they add fresh flavor and texture. Give them a try!

Enjoy! These Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs are cozy but fresh all at the same time. And most importantly, they’re so darn yummy!

Looking for more easy dinners? Here are a few to try for fall:

Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Tortilla Soup.

30 Minute Thai Peanut Chicken Ramen

Better For You Chicken and Spinach Ramen

Easy Spicy Baked Potato Soup

Lemony Garlic Chicken and Orzo Soup

Creamy Gnocchi Soup with Rosemary Bacon

Spicy Short Rib Peanut Ramen

Lastly, if you make these Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!