Soft & Juicy Top of the Rib

A budget-friendly and delicious cut of meat! Cook this top of the rib low and slow with some onions, spices, red wine, and broth. It will be soft, succulent, and flavorful – everything you want in a piece of meat.

What is top of the rib?

The top of the rib is in the brisket family. It has more fat than a first-cut brisket but less fat than a second-cut brisket. This makes it a great option for somebody who wants a medium amount of fat on their meat.

How it came about…

Did you ever have to invent a recipe out of sheer necessity? Well, that is what happened here. Normally I would have baked this dish in the oven low and slow until it was soft and falling apart. I would dump everything into a baking dish and let the oven do the work. The problem was I had two big baking sheets filled with vegetables that were roasting and taking up my entire oven. I didn’t calculate that I would have no room left in there. Plus I ran out of baking dishes and aluminum pans as well.

Classic, right? 🙂

So I decided to try the humble stovetop method. And it worked! With just a couple of extra steps, the meat came out as soft and flavorful as it did in the oven. I had planned to transfer the meat to the oven once the vegetables came out but I didn’t even end up doing that because the meat was cooking so beautifully.

Make sure to use a high-quality pot like a stainless steel one or a Dutch oven. If it’s oven-proof that’ll be helpful if you plan to transfer the meat to the oven at any point. I used my Cuisinart stock pot that I’m really happy with. If you’re in the market for a pot you can check it out here.

Simple & Easy Ingredient List:

• Olive oil
• Onions
• Garlic
• Red wine
• Broth
• Meat
• Salt & Pepper
• Mustard (or ketchup, BBQ sauce, etc.)

The steps are simple:

• Sear the meat for some extra flavor.
• Sauté the onions and garlic.
• Let the wine reduce.
• Add the meat and let it cook.

Oven Method:

You can of course make this in the oven if you prefer. Just add all the ingredients to a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for around four hours or at 250 degrees for around eight hours. Check on it and adjust the cooking time to your preference.

Make it in advance:

You can marinate the meat overnight before cooking it or even prepare it when you buy it and freeze it for later. Place it in a zip lock bag or aluminum pan together with all of the other ingredients and pop it into the refrigerator.

Serving suggestions:

There are so many delicious ways to eat this meat. Here are some good options:

• Orzo and vegetable kugel.
• Yellow rice and roasted Brussels sprouts.
• Roasted sweet potatoes and apple-pear crisp.

Leftover options:

For leftovers chop up the meat into bite-sized pieces and add them to a salad. Top with a creamy dressing.

You can also put it in a wrap with some vegetables or add it to fried rice. There are so many endless ways to use it, but you can also freeze it for a later time.

Print Recipe

Soft and Juicy Top of the Rib

A budget-friendly and delicious cut of meat! Cook this low and slow with some onions, spices, red wine, and broth. It will be soft, succulent, and flavorful – everything you want in a piece of meat.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Total Time3 hours hrs

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Jewish

Keyword: Stovetop, Meat, Succulent

Servings: 8

Calories: 400kcal

Ingredients

• 4 pounds top of the rib
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 onion, cut into circles
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard (BBQ sauce or ketchup will work too)
• 2 cups red wine
• 3 cups beef broth
• 2 cups water

Instructions

• Season the meat generously with salt and pepper and smear mustard (or whatever you are using instead) all over the meat.
  
• Heat oil in a big pot over medium-high heat and add the meat once it is hot. Sear it until it is browned (around five minutes per side). Use tongs or a big fork to flip it but lower the heat when flipping so the oil doesn't splatter everywhere.
  
• Remove the meat and add the onions to the pot. Sauté them for about 10 minutes or until they are soft and translucent.
  
• Add the garlic and sauté for about a minute, mixing everything well.
• Add the broth and red wine and bring to a slight boil. Let it boil for about 10 minutes to let the wine reduce a bit.
  
• Add the meat to the pot, lower the heat, and let it cook for at least four hours. Check on the meat to see if it's soft enough to slice easily with a knife and if not keep on cooking until it is falling apart.
• Once it is finished cooking make sure to save some of the sauce as gravy and pour it over the meat when you are serving it.
  

Notes

You can cook the meat halfway and continue cooking it the next day. 

You can also transfer it to the oven at any time and cook it low and slow for a few hours. 

To refrigerate:

Cover the pot or baking dish tightly with foil and the meat will stay fresh for around three days.

To reheat:

Place the gravy and the meat in the oven on 250 degrees for around 15 minutes or until it’s heated all the way through. Once it’s hot, pour the gravy over the meat and serve. 

Enjoy!