Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs Recipe
Tender braised short ribs in a rich and flavorful sauce, served over creamy mashed potatoes—it’s the perfect one-pot meal to make on the weekends and is the ultimate winter comfort dish!
This time of the year, I fall into soup season with open arms. It doesn’t matter what kind—turkey chili, red beans and rice, tomato soup—I love them all. To me, there’s nothing better than a warm, home-cooked meal on a cold winter’s night, and these red wine-braised short ribs are the perfect recipe to fit the bill!
What is Braising?
Braising is a technique that uses a combination of cooking methods, most of the time searing and simmering. First, we’ll brown a cut of meat (in this case, the short ribs) to create a flavorful exterior crust, then we’ll slow-cook it in a flavored liquid. This method is ideal for both tough and tender foods—in this recipe, the low-and-slow simmering will help break down the tissue in the short ribs while also keeping it tender and moist.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Short ribs. Personally, I think bone-in short ribs are better than boneless—they’ll get you optimal flavor and even cooking. If you use boneless short ribs, though, be careful not to overcook them.
- Salt and pepper.
- Neutral oil. A neutral vegetable or canola oil is best for this recipe, since it has a high smoke point to get a dark crust on the short-ribs.
- Yellow onion. Along with the carrots and celery, the yellow onion will thicken the braising liquid and form the base of the sauce.
- Carrots.
- Celery.
- Garlic.
- Tomato paste. To add caramelized and sweet notes to the ribs.
- All-purpose flour. To thicken the sauce and add body.
- Dry red wine. A dry and full-bodied red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Merlot will work well—it doesn’t need to be the most expensive wine on the shelf, just something that’s good enough to drink.
- Beef broth.
- Balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce. This is optional, but I think the balsamic and Worcestershire add a hint of depth and umami to the short ribs.
- Brown sugar. To balance the sauce.
- Bay leaf.
- Fresh thyme and rosemary.
How to Make Braised Short Ribs
Despite their fancy name, braised short ribs aren’t that hard to make—they just need time. Here’s what you need to do:
- Sear the short ribs. Searing the ribs over high heat gives them a flavorful crust and forms a fond on the bottom of the pan for the onions to absorb.
- Cook the mirepoix, tomato paste, and flour. The onions, carrot, and celery will get sautéed until soft—by adding tomato paste for flavor and flour for thickening ability, we’ll form the flavorful base of the sauce.
- Deglaze the pan. At this point, you add the red wine. It’s important to let it simmer for a few minutes to mellow out the alcohol, then you’ll add the aromatics and broth.
- Braise. Add the ribs back to the pot, then cover and let them braise in the oven for a few hours. Once the meat is fork tender, remove it from the oven and serve warm with any side dishes.
Tips for the Best Braised Short Ribs
- Sear the short ribs well. More color equals more flavor (unless it’s burnt), so don’t be afraid to get a good sear! For the best results, use a high heat and don’t touch the ribs once you put them in the pan.
- Don’t overcook the short ribs. Though braising is a forgiving cooking method, you also don’t want to overdo it—just cook the ribs until fork tender, or around 203°F.
- Freezing instructions. Once cooked, cool the short ribs completely and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, defrost the container in the fridge overnight and reheat over the stove or in the oven at 300-325°F, until warmed through.
Happy cooking—if you give this recipe a try, drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram (@gourmae.cafe)!
Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs Recipe
Tender braised short ribs in a rich and flavorful sauce, served over creamy mashed potatoes—it's the perfect one-pot meal to make on the weekends and is the ultimate winter comfort dish!
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Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 4 pounds short ribs
- Salt and pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1½ to 2 cups)
- 2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dry red wine*
- 1-2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce or both, optional
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, optional
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 300℉.
- Remove any excess fat or silver skin from the short ribs and generously season them with salt and pepper all over. Heat a tablespoon of neutral oil in a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Working in batches, place the short ribs into the pot, giving them enough room to sear without moving for around 3 minutes, until golden brown on one side. Flip them over to sear the other side, then take the ribs out of the pot and set aside. Repeat with the remaining short ribs, adding more oil if necessary.
- Pour off any excess fat from the pot (you should reserve around one to two tablespoons) and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the yellow onion, carrot, and celery to the pot with a pinch of salt, cooking until the onion is soft and translucent (around 5 minutes).
- Add in the fresh garlic and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes, until fragrant but not burned. Add in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 more minutes until the tomato has caramelized and turned a darker color.
- Add the flour to the pot and stir for around 1 minute, until completely absorbed. Stirring continuously to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, pour in the red wine. Let the wine simmer for a few minutes to reduce, then add in 1 cup of beef broth, the balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce (if using), bay leaf, thyme, and fresh rosemary. Increase the heat and bring everything to a rapid boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and add the reserved short ribs and any of their juices back into the pot. At this point, you may need to add more broth; add enough to submerge the short ribs about halfway to three-fourths up the sides.
- Cover the pot with a lid and transfer into the oven to cook for 3-4 hours, until fork tender and pulling away from the bone.
- Remove the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf from the pot and skim off any fat from the surface of the braising liquid. If desired, you may strain the sauce and discard the cooked vegetables for a smoother consistency. If the braising liquid is too thin, remove the ribs from the pot and let the sauce simmer on the stove for around 10-15 minutes or until the desired thickness is reached.
- Remove the bones from the ribs and taste the sauce to check for seasoning. Shred the meat or serve whole on top of mashed potatoes, risotto, or polenta with the braising sauce.
Notes
*A dry and full-bodied red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Merlot will work well—it doesn’t need to be the most expensive wine on the shelf, just something that’s good enough to drink.
