How to Cut Beef Short Ribs: English-Cut vs Flanken-Cut Techniques

The first time I fabricated short ribs in the carnicería of San Sebastián, my master Antonio stopped me mid-cut. "¿Para qué cocina?" he asked — for what cooking method? The way you cut short ribs is not a universal formula. It is a decision that must account for how the meat will be cooked, who will cook it, and what final texture you are trying to achieve. English-cut for slow braises, flanken-cut for high-heat grilling — the same bone structure yields completely different results based on knife angle alone.

In my 20 years of butchery across Argentina, Spain, and the United States, I have seen more home cooks struggle with short ribs than almost any other cut. They buy a full plate section, attempt to cut it without understanding the bone structure, and end up with uneven pieces that cook inconsistently. Or worse — they cut flanken-style ribs too thick and wonder why they turn out chewy and undercooked after 3 minutes per side on the grill.

This guide walks through both cutting styles with the precision and anatomical understanding necessary to turn a rough plate section into professionally portioned short ribs ready for any cooking method.

Understanding Beef Short Rib Anatomy

Before you make a single cut, you must understand what you are working with. Beef short ribs come from the plate primal (NAMP 123), located on the underside of the beef carcass between the brisket and the flank. This section contains ribs 6 through 8 (sometimes 6 through 9), along with the intercostal meat (meat between the ribs), deckle fat, and connective tissue.

The plate section has several distinct characteristics:

• Bone structure: Each rib bone runs roughly parallel to the others, with intercostal meat filling the gaps. Bones are flat, wide, and contain significant marrow.
• Meat grain direction: The muscle fibers run perpendicular to the bones. This matters for flanken-cut ribs, where you will be slicing across the grain naturally.
• Fat distribution: Significant intramuscular marbling plus thick exterior fat cap and deckle seams. This fat is what makes short ribs so flavorful when cooked low and slow — collagen breaks down into gelatin.
• Connective tissue: Dense collagen throughout. Short ribs are a working muscle group, which is why they require long cooking times to become tender.

The USDA defines short ribs as coming from ribs 6-8 of the beef plate, though some butchers will extend this to include rib 9 depending on carcass size. According to USDA Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications, the plate short rib (NAMP 123A) should contain at least three rib bones with surrounding intercostal meat.

The Two Cutting Styles

There are two primary ways to cut short ribs, and the choice between them is driven entirely by cooking method:

English-Cut (Parallel to Bone)

English-cut short ribs are cut parallel to the bone, producing rectangular pieces with one bone per portion. Each piece typically measures 2 to 4 inches long (bone length), 1.5 to 2.5 inches wide, and includes a thick layer of meat on top of the bone. This is the classic American short rib presentation — what you would see in a steakhouse or high-end butcher case.

Best for: Low-and-slow cooking methods (braising, smoking, oven-roasting at 275°F for 3-4 hours). The thick meat section breaks down gradually, connective tissue converts to gelatin, and the bone adds flavor to the surrounding liquid.

Typical dimensions: 2-3 inches bone length, 2 inches meat thickness above bone, 8-12 oz per piece.

Flanken-Cut (Cross-Cut Across Bones)

Flanken-cut short ribs are cut perpendicular to the bones, slicing across the full width of the plate section. Each piece contains cross-sections of 3 to 4 rib bones with thin strips of meat connecting them. The pieces are flat, typically 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick, and look like a ladder of bones with meat webbing between them.

Best for: High-heat, quick-cooking methods (Korean BBQ, direct grilling, stir-frying). The thin cut allows rapid heat penetration, and because you are slicing across the grain, the meat is naturally tender even with minimal cooking time.

Typical dimensions: 1/2 inch thickness, 6-8 inches wide (spanning 3-4 bones), 4-6 oz per piece.

The flanken cut originates from Eastern European Jewish butchery traditions and was popularized in Korean cuisine as galbi or kalbi. According to food historian J. Kenji López-Alt at Serious Eats, the cross-cut style became standard in Korean barbecue because it maximizes surface area for marinades and allows for fast, even cooking over charcoal.

Tools You Need

Cutting short ribs requires specific tools to handle both meat and bone:

• Boning knife (5-7 inches): Flexible blade for trimming fat and membrane between cuts.
• Butcher's saw or band saw: For English-cut ribs, you need a saw to cut through bones cleanly. A hand saw works, but a band saw is faster and produces cleaner cuts.
• Chef's knife or cleaver (for flanken-cut): A heavy 10-inch chef's knife or cleaver can slice through thin ribs in one motion if they are cut to 1/2 inch thickness. For thicker cuts, you will need a saw.
• Large cutting board: At least 18x24 inches. A full plate section is substantial.
• Paper towels: For drying the surface and improving grip on slippery fat.

Work with cold meat straight from the refrigerator. Cold fat cuts cleanly, and cold bones are less prone to splintering when sawed.

How to Cut English-Style Short Ribs

English-cut short ribs are the more straightforward of the two styles, but precision matters. Uneven portions mean uneven cooking.

Step 1: Orient the Plate Section

Place the plate section on your cutting board with the bones running horizontally (parallel to the edge of the board closest to you). The meat side should face up, with the bone side down. You should see the rib bones as parallel lines running left to right.

Step 2: Remove Excess Fat and Membrane

Flip the section so the bone side faces up. You will see a thick layer of fat and a thin membrane covering the bones. Use your boning knife to trim away the thick exterior fat cap, leaving about 1/4 inch. Remove any loose membrane — it will not render during cooking and creates an unpleasant texture.

Flip the section back over (meat side up). Trim away any hard chunks of fat, loose connective tissue, or silver skin from the meat surface. You want clean, exposed muscle.

Step 3: Identify Bone Spacing

Run your fingers along the meat surface to feel where each rib bone is located. The bones are spaced roughly 1.5 to 2 inches apart. Your goal is to cut between each bone, producing individual portions with one bone per piece.

Step 4: Make Your First Cut

Using your boning knife, make a shallow scoring cut down the length of the meat, following the natural seam between the first and second rib bones. You are marking your cut line, not sawing through yet.

Flip the section bone-side up. Use your butcher's saw to cut through the bone at the scored line. Saw in smooth, even strokes — do not force it. Let the saw teeth do the work.

Once the bone is cut through, flip back to the meat side and finish the cut with your knife, slicing through any remaining connective tissue.

Step 5: Repeat for Remaining Ribs

Continue cutting between each rib bone until you have individual English-cut portions. Each piece should have:

• One rib bone, 2-3 inches long
• 1.5 to 2.5 inches of meat on top of the bone
• Thin fat cap (1/4 inch or less)
• Clean edges with no ragged membrane

Step 6: Trim to Uniform Size

Inspect each piece. If one end has significantly more meat than the other, trim it to create uniform thickness. This ensures even cooking. Save the trimmings for grinding into burger blends or stews.

How to Cut Flanken-Style Short Ribs

Flanken-cut ribs require more precision because thickness uniformity is critical. A 1/2-inch flanken rib cooks in 3-4 minutes per side on a hot grill. A 3/4-inch rib takes twice as long and will be tough.

Step 1: Orient the Plate Section

Place the plate section on your cutting board with the bones running vertically (perpendicular to the edge of the board closest to you). The meat side should face up. You should see the rib bones as vertical lines running away from you.

Step 2: Remove Excess Fat

Trim the thick exterior fat cap down to about 1/8 inch. Flanken ribs cook quickly, so you do not need as much fat as you would for English-cut. Remove any hard chunks of deckle fat between the bones.

Step 3: Mark Your First Cut

Flanken ribs are cut 1/2 inch thick as a standard. Use a ruler or simply eyeball the thickness — after a few cuts, you will develop muscle memory.

Place your knife blade flat against the meat surface, perpendicular to the bones. Make a shallow scoring cut to mark your line. This cut should go across all the bones horizontally.

Step 4: Slice Through

For 1/2-inch flanken ribs, a sharp 10-inch chef's knife or cleaver can slice through in one firm, decisive motion. Press down with your full body weight behind the knife, rocking slightly if needed. The bones will cut cleanly if your knife is sharp and the meat is cold.

If the bones are too thick to cut with a knife, use a band saw. Position the plate section so you are cutting horizontally across all the bones at once, producing a flat strip with 3-4 bone cross-sections.

Step 5: Repeat for Remaining Slices

Continue slicing at 1/2-inch intervals until you have cut through the entire plate section. Each slice should have:

• 3 to 4 rib bone cross-sections visible
• Thin strips of meat connecting the bones
• Uniform 1/2-inch thickness throughout
• Minimal fat on the edges

Step 6: Final Trim

Inspect each flanken rib. Trim away any loose flaps of meat or fat hanging off the edges. The goal is a clean, flat piece that will lie flush on a grill grate.

Troubleshooting Common Mistakes

English-Cut Ribs Cook Unevenly

Cause: Inconsistent meat thickness across portions. One rib has 2.5 inches of meat, another has 1.5 inches.

Fix: Trim all portions to the same thickness before cooking. Use the thinnest piece as your reference and trim the others to match.

Flanken-Cut Ribs Turn Out Tough

Cause: Cut too thick (more than 1/2 inch). The meat does not have time to break down during quick grilling.

Fix: Flanken ribs must be 1/2 inch or thinner. Use a ruler the first few times until you develop an eye for it.

Bones Splinter When Cutting

Cause: Dull saw blade or forcing the cut too quickly.

Fix: Sharpen your saw blade. Use smooth, even strokes and let the saw do the work. Do not force it.

Meat Tears Instead of Cutting Cleanly

Cause: Warm meat or dull knife.

Fix: Keep the meat refrigerated until right before cutting. Sharpen your knife. A sharp blade slices cleanly through cold muscle fibers.

Storage and Freezing

Once cut, short ribs can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 6 months. For refrigerator storage, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or butcher paper. For freezing, vacuum-seal individual portions or wrap in plastic followed by aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.

When freezing, label each package with the cut style (English or flanken), the date, and the weight. This makes meal planning easier — you will know exactly what you have and how to cook it.

Choosing the Right Cut for Your Recipe

Not sure which style to cut? Here is a quick decision guide:

• Braising (red wine, beer, stock): English-cut, 2-3 inch bone length. The thick meat breaks down over 3-4 hours and absorbs braising liquid.
• Smoking (Texas-style BBQ): English-cut, 3-4 inch bone length. Smoke penetrates the thick meat gradually, and the bone adds flavor.
• Grilling (Korean BBQ, direct heat): Flanken-cut, 1/2 inch thick. High heat caramelizes the surface in 3-4 minutes per side.
• Pressure cooking or Instant Pot: English-cut, 2 inch bone length. The thick meat holds up to high-pressure cooking without disintegrating.
• Stir-frying: Flanken-cut, 1/3 inch thick, bones removed after cooking. The thin meat cooks fast and can be sliced off the bone for wok cooking.

Author's Note

In my years teaching butchery workshops across three continents, I have found that short ribs are where students begin to understand that butchery is not just knife skills — it is decision-making. The same piece of meat becomes two entirely different dishes based on how you choose to cut it. English-cut short ribs braised in red wine for 4 hours are fork-tender, rich, and deeply savory. Flanken-cut short ribs grilled over charcoal for 3 minutes per side are charred, chewy in the best way, and bursting with caramelized crust. Both are correct. Both come from the same bones. The butcher's job is to understand the destination before making the first cut.