Beef Short Plate: Skirt, Short Ribs, and Bold Flavor

The short plate is one of the most flavorful and underrated sections of the steer. It sits low on the belly and does real work, so its cuts are coarse-grained and richly beefy rather than tender, and they reward the right technique with big flavor at a low price. From here come skirt steak, meaty plate short ribs, and rib tips, cuts that grill hard or braise long into some of the most satisfying beef you can cook.

Where it comes from

The short plate is the lower portion of the beef plate, the belly below the rib primal. It is a well-exercised, fatty area with a coarse grain and deep flavor. Its main cuts are the skirt steak, the diaphragm muscle, the meaty plate short ribs from the lower rib bones, and the rib tips and trim that go into ground beef and sausage.

What it tastes like

Boldly beefy and rich, with a coarse, open grain and plenty of fat. The skirt is intensely flavored and chewy unless cooked and sliced right. The plate short ribs are fatty and deeply savory, turning meltingly tender after a long braise. This is a section for people who prize flavor and richness over the fine tenderness of the loin, and it delivers both in abundance.

How to cook the short plate

It splits between two methods. The skirt wants a blazing-hot, fast sear or grill, cooked to medium-rare and sliced thin against the grain. The plate short ribs want the opposite: browned hard, then braised low and slow until the collagen melts and the meat pulls from the bone, or smoked barbecue style. Thin flanken-cut short ribs from this area grill fast for Korean barbecue. Match the method to the cut and the short plate never disappoints. We grill over fire or sear in cast iron, and braise in enameled cast iron, never plastic. Our grilling, braising, and smoking guides all apply.

The rule of thumb: thin cuts like skirt and flanken short ribs go hot and fast, while thick English-cut short ribs go low and slow. Both reward bold seasoning and both are forgiving of a marinade.

Classic dishes to make

Skirt steak becomes fajitas and carne asada. Plate short ribs braise into rich, wine-dark dinners over polenta or star in Korean galbi grilled over fire. Smoked plate short ribs, the so-called beef ribs of Texas barbecue, are enormous and spectacular. The trim and rib tips make excellent ground beef and sausage. The short plate is the home of some of the most sociable, flavor-forward beef there is.

Common mistakes

Slicing skirt with the grain leaves it chewy, so always cut thin across it. Overcooking the skirt past medium-rare toughens it, so keep it fast and rosy. Rushing the thick short ribs leaves them tough, since the collagen needs hours. And skipping a marinade on the skirt misses an easy chance to season this open-grained cut.

How to buy it

For skirt, look for the outside skirt if you can, thicker and more tender. For braising, choose meaty plate short ribs with good marbling, English-cut for thick chunks or flanken-cut across the bones for Korean dishes. Grass-fed beef is leaner and wants care with the skirt. Ask your butcher or use our Find a Farmer directory.

Good substitutes

Flank steak stands in for skirt in fajitas and stir-fries. Chuck short ribs braise like plate short ribs with a bit less fat. A flat iron or hanger gives similar bold, affordable grilling flavor. All want the same treatment as their short-plate counterparts, hot and fast or low and slow.

Storage and leftovers

Keep raw short plate cuts well wrapped in the coldest part of the fridge and cook within three to five days, or freeze for several months. Cooked skirt is best eaten fresh, then sliced cold into tacos, while braised short ribs reheat beautifully in their sauce and often taste better the next day. Both freeze well, the short ribs in their braising liquid.

Nutrition

The short plate cuts are high in protein and fatty, with bold flavor and iron, zinc, and B vitamins. The skirt is leaner than the short ribs, which are rich. Grilling lets fat drip from the skirt, and skimming a short rib braise cuts the richness. Because the flavor is so bold, modest portions with sharp, fresh sides keep the plate balanced.

Frequently asked questions

What cuts come from the short plate?

Skirt steak, plate short ribs, rib tips, and trim for grinding. It is a source of both quick-grilling and slow-braising cuts.

Are plate short ribs different from chuck short ribs?

Yes. Plate short ribs are larger and fattier, the big beef ribs of Texas barbecue. Chuck short ribs are a bit leaner and smaller.

What is the short plate best for?

Skirt for fajitas and carne asada, and short ribs for braising or barbecue. Both bold, flavorful, and affordable.

Can I grill short ribs from the plate?

Thin flanken-cut short ribs grill fast, as in Korean barbecue. Thick English-cut short ribs are better braised low and slow.

What to serve with it

Skirt wants tortillas, salsa, and grilled peppers and onions. Braised or smoked short ribs suit polenta, mashed potatoes, or slaw and pickles barbecue style. Something bright and acidic cuts the richness, and a bold red or a cold beer suits the deep flavor.

A note on beef plate ribs

The thick short ribs from the short plate are the giants of the barbecue world, the enormous three-bone racks sometimes called dinosaur ribs or beef plate ribs. Cut from the lower rib bones here, they carry an incredible amount of rich, marbled meat on top of each bone, and smoked low and slow for many hours they become the beefy, tender showpiece of Texas barbecue. They are treated almost exactly like a brisket: seasoned simply with salt and pepper, smoked at around 250F until a probe slides in with no resistance, and rested before slicing between the bones. If you see plate ribs at a good butcher, they are worth the splurge and the long cook.

Learn more

Back to the beef plate guide and the Beef Meat Wiki. For the fajita steak, see the skirt steak, or find good beef through Find a Farmer.