Name: The Best Easy Tender Pineapple marinated Beef Short Ribs
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 8 beef short ribs; 1 pineapple pulps; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp worchestershire sauce; 1 tsp sugar; 1 tbsp oyster sauce; some vegetable oil; some green onion for garnish

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Pineapple marinated beef short ribs are tender and juicy yet easy to make!

Did you know that pineapple contains a type of enzyme called protease? The pineapple enzyme bromelain breaks down meat proteins, aka tenderizes the meat. As well as imparting great flavour, pineapple juice also helps to tenderize the meat while it marinates. An enzyme in the fruit, called bromelain, softens the meat by dividing proteins like collagen (and also imparts a rich and tangy flavour). This is called enzymatic tenderization btw.

I have heard kiwi or papaya can do the same, but I personally like pineapple the best, maybe because its sweet and slightly tangy nature compromises hearty meat dishes. What fruit is the best meat tenderizer for you? Comment down below to let me know.

These Pineapple marinated beef short ribs are best to serve with rice, Juicy, tender and flavourful beef short ribs are just heavenly and delicious, I could easily eat three bowls of rice. Seriously, this is that good! These Pineapple marinated beef short ribs are the best and so easy to make!

I have shared another short ribs recipe before, don’t forget to check it out!

What do you need for this Pineapple marinated beef short ribs?

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Beef short ribs
pineapple
soy sauce
Worcestershire sauce
sugar – I used monk fruit sweetener
oyster sauce
Ground Black pepper
Green Onion slices for garnish
Some vegetable oil for frying

How to make this Pineapple marinated beef short ribs?

Use kitchen paper to absorb any liquid on the beef short ribs.

Apply pineapple pulps onto the beef, you may soak them in pineapple juice too.

Marinate the beef with pineapple for 1 hour. (maximum 6 hours)

Remove the pineapple pulps by wiping them down with kitchen paper, You need to absorb all the liquid if you used a pineapple juice bath.

Marinate the beef short ribs with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and oyster sauce, for at least 30 minutes, best overnight.

Heat a frying pan or grill pan, pan sear both sides until brown.

Garnish with green onion slices.

pineapple pulp or pineapple juice as a tenderizer? Can I use canned pineapple?

Pineapple is mainly used in the form of juice to the marinade to tenderize the meat and add flavour. However, pineapple pulp in minced form can also be used for the same purpose. Here are a few points that should be considered while using pineapple to marinate meat.

To marinate a piece of meat in pineapple juice or pulp, take a shallow container and place the meat in it. Now pour the juice or minced pulp on top to cover the meat evenly from all sides. The quantity of the marinade should be just enough to coat the meat from all sides for uniform flavour and tenderness. (Source)

Will Canned pineapple work?

Fresh pineapple juice or pulverized fresh pineapple is mandatory. Canned pineapple is heated which kills the enzyme so it won’t work.

How long should the short ribs be marinated with pineapple?

As pineapple is acidic in nature, the resting time for the marinade should not be more than 12 hours. I love it to be marinated for a few hours, I would love the meat a little elastic, also who wants the short ribs to be mushy? LOL

Tenderizing meat with traditional method vs pineapple marinate?

The most common method to tenderize the meat is by using one of those medieval-looking devices to pound or pierce the meat. This method breaks up the connective tissues that make the meat tough, and also breaks up the meat fibres themselves, so the physical activity is actually pre-chewing the meat for you. I personally do not like this method on short ribs, I prefer not to destroy the structure of meat fibre.

Using pineapple marinate, on the other hand, the pineapple enzyme bromelain is effective in breaking down connective tissues without turning the meat into mush.

Enzymatic tenderization I found it best for thinner meat such as pineapple marinated beef short ribs, if I have a thick pork chop I would pound the meat.

How to cut a pineapple?