🇪🇹 Ethiopian · Beef & Lamb Dishes
🍖 Ethiopian Spiced Beef Ribs
ጐድን ወጥ — Godn Wat
Ethiopian Godn Wat — beef short ribs slow-cooked in a Key Wat-style berbere sauce for 2 hours until the meat is falling off the bone and the bone marrow has enriched the sauce. The rib version of the celebration wat — the most gelatinous and richest of all the beef wats.
Beef rib wat is made for special occasions when the bones are as important as the meat — the marrow and collagen from the ribs create the richest, most deeply flavoured berbere sauce of any Ethiopian wat. Served with the ribs still in the sauce, to be eaten bone-in.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large heavy pot
- 1.2 kg beef short ribs — cut between the bones
- 3 onions — finely diced
- 4 tbsp kibbeh
- 5 tbsp berbere
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp ginger
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1.5 cups water
- 2 tsp salt
Method
- Dry caramelise onions — 20 minutes.
- Add kibbeh and berbere. Toast 4 minutes.
- Add garlic, ginger, tomato paste.
- Add ribs. Coat in sauce.
- Add water. Simmer covered 100—120 minutes.
- The meat should fall off the bone. Sauce should be very thick.
- Season.
Chef Tips
- 2 hours minimum — the ribs release their collagen slowly.
- The marrow enriches the sauce — do not remove the bones.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Insufficient cooking time.
- Removing bones before serving.
The Science
Beef short ribs contain a high proportion of collagen and bone marrow. The marrow (primarily fat and stem cells) dissolves into the sauce at 90°C, enriching it significantly. The collagen converts to gelatin over 2 hours, producing the characteristically thick, coating sauce.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Very high protein.
- Collagen and gelatin from bones.
- Bone marrow is nutrient-dense.
Cultural Note
Beef rib wat is the wat that Ethiopians make when they want to feed their guests from their very best — the ribs are expensive, the preparation is long, and the result is the most luxurious of all Ethiopian beef dishes.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate 5 days.
Reheating: Gently.
Serve with: Injera (ETH001), Ayib (ETH096)