Braised Short Ribs Recipe

Imagine a dish so deeply comforting, it feels like a warm embrace on a chilly evening. That’s the magic of braised short ribs, a meal that transforms humble ingredients into something truly extraordinary with a little patience and a lot of love.

Why This Dish Feels Like Home

There’s something almost ceremonial about preparing short ribs. It’s not a rushed weeknight meal; it’s a weekend project, a labor of love that rewards you with meltingly tender meat and a sauce so rich, you’ll want to savor every last drop. The process itself is a joy, filling your home with an aroma that promises something wonderful is coming.

Ingredients Needed for the Recipe

• 4 pounds boneless short ribs, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2⅓ cups red wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 large carrots, sliced ½-inch-thick diagonally

Choosing Your Short Ribs: Bone-In or Boneless?

While this recipe calls for boneless short ribs, you can absolutely use bone-in if that’s what you find. Just grab about six to seven pounds, as the bone adds weight. The bone-in version will give you an incredibly rich, gelatinous sauce, and the meat will slip right off the bone after its long, slow cook. It’s a matter of preference, really, and both paths lead to a delicious destination.

How to make Braised Short Ribs?

Getting Started: Heat and Season

First things first, get your oven ready—position a rack in the lower-middle and preheat to 325°F. Now, pat those short ribs completely dry with a paper towel; this is the secret to a perfect sear. Generously season them all over with the salt and pepper, don’t be shy here, this is your foundation of flavor.

The All-Important Sear

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a heavy Dutch oven until it shimmers. Working in two batches, place half the short ribs in the pot and let them cook, without moving them, for a solid 3 to 5 minutes. You’re looking for a deep, brown crust on just one side, which honestly, does the job beautifully and saves a bit of time. Transfer the seared meat to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and ribs.

Building the Flavor Base

After searing, you’ll be left with glorious browned bits in the pot. Pour off all but one tablespoon of the fat, then set the pot back over medium-low heat. Toss in your diced onions and cook them, stirring now and then, until they’re soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. If they start to darken too quickly, just add a splash of water to slow them down.

Introducing the Aromatics

Stir in the chopped garlic and let it cook for another 2 minutes, until fragrant. Then, add the tomato paste and cook for a full minute, stirring constantly—this little step deepens its flavor, taking away any raw taste. Now, sprinkle the flour over everything and cook, stirring, for another minute until it’s fully absorbed. This is what will thicken your sauce into a velvety masterpiece.

Creating the Braising Liquid

Now for the fun part: deglazing. Pour in the red wine and beef broth, then add the sugar, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs. Crank the heat up to high and bring it all to a boil, using your spoon to scrape up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pot. They’re packed with flavor, and you want every last one.

Into the Oven They Go

Place the seared short ribs and any juices from the plate back into the pot. Let it return to a boil, then cover it tightly with a lid. Carefully transfer your Dutch oven into the preheated oven and let the magic happen for 2 hours. Walk away, read a book, just enjoy the incredible smell wafting from your kitchen.

The Final Stretch

After two hours, carefully remove the pot from the oven—it will be hot! Stir in the sliced carrots, which will cook and sweeten in the savory sauce. Cover the pot again and slide it back into the oven for another 45 to 60 minutes, until both the meat and carrots are perfectly fork-tender.

The Grand Finale

Once out of the oven, fish out the bay leaf and the spent thyme sprigs. If there’s any fat floating on the surface, you can skim it off with a spoon. Give the sauce a taste and adjust the seasoning if it needs it. Then, all that’s left is to spoon the incredibly tender short ribs and that luxurious sauce over your favorite base and dig in.

What’s the Best Wine for Braising?

You don’t need to break the bank, but you should use a wine you’d actually enjoy drinking. A dry, medium-bodied red like a Pinot Noir or a Merlot in the eight to twelve-dollar range is perfect. It will provide enough acidity and fruitiness to balance the richness of the meat without overpowering it. Just, please, avoid any bottle labeled “cooking wine”—the high sodium content can really throw off the delicate balance of your dish.

Tips

Trimming the short ribs thoroughly is non-negotiable. You must remove all the thick, external fat and the silvery membrane (called silver skin), otherwise your beautiful sauce will end up unpleasantly greasy. Leave the marbling inside the meat alone, though; that’s what keeps it moist and flavorful.

Don’t rush the sear. Let the meat sit undisturbed in the hot oil to develop a deep, brown crust. This Maillard reaction isn’t just for looks; it builds a foundational layer of flavor that permeates the entire dish.

This is a fantastic make-ahead meal. In fact, it often tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had more time to meld. Let it cool completely and store it in a covered container in the fridge for up to two days, or freeze it for up to three months.

Perfect Partners: What to Serve With Your Short Ribs

You’ve created this incredible, saucy masterpiece, so you need the perfect canvas to soak it all up. Creamy, buttery mashed potatoes are a classic and heavenly choice. For something a little different, try soft, creamy polenta or a simple bed of wide egg noodles. A crisp green salad or some roasted green beans on the side will provide a refreshing contrast to the rich, decadent meat.

How to Store and Reheat for Maximum Enjoyment

Let the short ribs cool to room temperature before transferring them, with all their sauce, into an airtight container. They’ll keep in the fridge for up to two days. To reheat, place them in a pot, cover, and warm them gently over medium-low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. You can also reheat them, covered, in a 325°F oven until bubbly. If the sauce seems too thick, just add a splash of beef broth to loosen it up.

Print Recipe

Braised Short Ribs Recipe

Author: Kelsey Perez Cooking Method: Braising Cuisine: American Courses: Dinner, Lunch

Difficulty: medium Prep Time 30 mins Cook Time 180 mins Rest Time 10 mins Total Time 3 hrs 40 mins

Cooking Temp: 165  C Servings: 6 Estimated Cost: $ moderate Calories: 820

Best Season: Winter, Fall

Description

Rich, tender, and slow-cooked in a flavorful red wine sauce, braised short ribs are the ultimate comfort food. Perfect for chilly nights or special occasions, this dish fills your kitchen with an irresistible aroma and delivers fall-apart tender beef in every bite. Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or creamy polenta for a truly satisfying meal.

ingredients

Servings

• 4 pounds boneless beef short ribs (trimmed of excess fat and silver skin, cut into 3-inch chunks)
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions (diced)
• 6 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
• 1.5 tbsp tomato paste
• 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
• 2.33 cups red wine (such as Pinot Noir or Merlot)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 large carrots (sliced ½-inch thick diagonally)

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
2. Season short ribs all over with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear half the ribs, undisturbed, until well browned (3–5 minutes). Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining oil and ribs.
3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute more. Stir in flour and cook until absorbed, about 1 minute.
5. Pour in red wine, beef broth, and sugar. Add bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
6. Return seared short ribs and any juices to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2 hours.
7. Remove pot from oven and stir in carrots. Cover and return to oven for 45–60 minutes, or until meat and carrots are fork-tender.
8. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Skim excess fat if needed. Adjust seasoning and serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or polenta.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 820kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 47g73%

Saturated Fat 18g90%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 165mg56%

Sodium 980mg41%

Potassium 980mg29%

Total Carbohydrate 18g6%

Dietary Fiber 2g8%

Sugars 8g

Protein 68g136%

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Calcium 60 mg

Iron 7 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

• Trim carefully: Remove excess fat and silver skin to avoid a greasy sauce—but keep the marbling for flavor and tenderness.
• Make ahead: These taste even better the next day! Store covered in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Wine tip: Use a dry, drinkable red wine like Pinot Noir or Merlot—avoid “cooking wine.”
• Serving suggestion: Pair with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or creamy polenta to soak up the rich sauce.

Keywords: braised short ribs, red wine short ribs, beef short ribs recipe, comfort food, slow-cooked beef