These have to be my favorite way to prepare thin sliced beef short ribs. Dim sum beef short ribs are my top 3 dim sum items and I literally crave this every week. It’s tender, meaty, savory, and salty all in one. I have always wanted to make this myself and finally did it. I gave my Mom a taste and she said it was even better than the ones at the dim sum restaurants.

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Air fry vs deep fry (dim sum beef short ribs)

Firstly, here is a side by side comparison of air frying vs deep frying. As you can tell, not much difference. It all depends on how far you’re willing to go to get the most authentic version of this recipe. I deep fried at 350F for 3 minutes and air fried at 400F for 8 minutes.

I will be the first to say that I will be air frying these the next time because it still tastes amazing. However, there are a few things that are better when deep frying:

Color

Deep frying will create more even and deeper browning across the short rib. I noticed that when I air fried, only one side turned to my desired color and the other side was more pale. A way to fix this is to flip the short ribs and cook it longer, however this risks overcooking the short ribs.

Tenderness

I noticed that after deep frying, the short rib came out slightly more tender especially after letting it rest for 30 minutes. The air fried version became more chewy after resting maybe because the juices weren’t locked in as well as the deep fried version.

Flavor

While the flavor still tastes amazing in the air fryer, I noticed that deep frying took it a level above the air fryer. I believe it’s because the oil seared the meat better which developed another layer of flavor.

Conclusion

As an everyday meal for yourself, air frying these are 100% the way to go. If you plan on impressing someone or serving it at a dinner party where taste is priority, then you should deep fry.

Preparing meat for dim sum beef short ribs

The type of meat you want to buy are beef short ribs that have been thinly sliced. I go to my Asian grocery store and get the butcher to slice it for me. I ask for about 1/2 a centimeter in thickness and no thicker than 1 centimeter. You want enough meat that you can chew on but not so much that it feels like a steak.

Why rinse off beef short ribs?

When the butcher cuts through bone, there is always a lot of bone fragments and sediment that sticks on to the meat. You do not want to eat this so that is why you always rinse off beef short ribs after they are cut.

Baking soda for dim sum short ribs

Baking soda is important if you want the most tender beef after cooked. The baking soda is used as a tenderizer and only works after at least 30 minutes. That is why I tell you to let the meat marinate for at least 1 hour before cooking.