Short ribs are part of the rib cage of a steer. They lie along the side of the animal, between the spare ribs (that run along the belly) and the rib roast (that runs along the back).

This means short rib meat is pretty flavorful and a little tough since the muscles in that area help support the ribs and the internal organs. At the same time they’re just a little bit away from prime rib, one of the premium cuts of beef, making short ribs a great buy -- for a fraction of the price of rib roast you are getting meat that’s of very similar quality.