Red wine braised short ribs recipe
This recipe for red wine braised short ribs is perfect for chilly evenings when you crave a comforting meal. Cooked low and slow in the oven, these soft and flavorful short ribs fall right off the bone. Serve them over buttery mashed potatoes with plenty of red wine sauce.
I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.
You may also be interested in my cider braised short ribs and my porcini-crusted beef tenderloin recipes. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my beef recipes in one place.
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Why you should make this recipe
Short ribs are a cut of beef that benefit from long, slow cooking. If you are craving an incredibly delicious meal and you don’t mind puttering away in the kitchen for a bit, this is a recipe for you.
- Make ahead – You can absolutely make these red wine braised short ribs ahead of time. I’ll give you options for this below.
- Hands off cooking – The majority of the cooking time is hands off time. Sure, you have to do a few minutes of light work, but the bulk of the cooking is done in the oven.
- Great for gatherings – This recipe feeds 6, but you could easily adjust to feed more.
Red wine braised short ribs recipe
This recipe is so full of flavor! If you’ve never made braised short ribs before, you are in for a treat. They are well marbled, which means the meat will be incredibly tender and succulent.
It is not a difficult recipe, but it does require a bit of time, so this is the kind of meal that you want to reserve for a weekend day, like coq au vin.
Braises are perfect for cooler weather, although I enjoy them all year! It’s a long, slow process. Usually comfort food, it is easy, mostly hands off cooking. Many braises are one-pot meals, which means you aren’t left with a bunch of dirty dishes, something I can really appreciate.
Ingredients
Aside from the short ribs and the wine, the rest of the ingredient list is pantry basics that you likely have in your kitchen.
- Short ribs – I use bone-in short ribs.
- Red wine – Look for a dry red wine, something that you would drink. You will taste the wine in your sauce, so make sure it is a wine you like.
- Flour – A light dusting helps to thicken the sauce. Omit to make the recipe gluten-free.
- Beef stock – This will give the sauce a deep, “beefy” flavor. I prefer to go with low sodium options so I can control the amount of salt in the dish.
- Mirepoix – Onions, celery and carrots are known as “mirepoix”. They are base for many soups, stews and braises.
- Tomato paste – Tomato paste will add richness to the sauce, and a touch of sweetness.
- Garlic – Adjust to your personal preferences. My preference is a lot.
- Herbs – I’ve used fresh thyme and bay leaves. Rosemary is also delicious with short ribs.
How to make
Here’s a quick summary of how to make this red wine braised short ribs recipe. Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
First, you’ll lightly dust the short ribs in flour before browning them. This flour will help to thicken the sauce as it cooks. After the shorts ribs are browned all over, add in the vegetables and the tomato paste.
Add the liquid and let it simmer for a few minutes, then nestle the short ribs into the pot, and slide it into the oven for the next three hours. If you have a few ribs that are on top of the liquid, flip them so the bone side is facing up. That will keep most of the meat submerged in the cooking liquid.
When the braised short ribs are fall apart tender, remove them from the pot and strain the sauce.
Save some of the vegetables to blend into the sauce if you like. Skim the fat from the red wine sauce, then blend it up and serve with the braised short ribs.
To strain the sauce, use a slotted spoon to remove most of the vegetables. Place them in a strainer set over a bowl, then pour the remaining sauce through the strainer. Reserve some of the vegetables for blending into the sauce.
To skim the fat from the sauce: you can use a gravy separator, or you can chill the strained sauce until the fat solidifies, then simply lift it off and discard.
When you have finished the sauce, you can return it to the pot with the short ribs, or you can serve the short ribs separately, with the sauce on the side.
Red wine braised short ribs FAQ’s
In its most basic definition, it’s cooking something (usually meat) in a liquid (usually stock, wine or a combination thereof) for a long period of time on a low heat.
Most often, braises are tough cuts of meat that benefit from long, slow cooking turning them into the most succulent and flavorful of meals.
Yes. You can cook the shorts ribs the day before, then reheat before serving.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Variations and substitutions
To make these short ribs without wine, omit the wine and substitute with the same amount of additional beef broth and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce.
If you prefer a thicker gravy, purée half of the vegetables with your sauce to give it more body.
Swap out thyme for rosemary, or your favorite hearty herbs. I do not suggest using delicate herbs here, because they will not hold up to the long cooking time.
Serving suggestions
I really love this with mashed potatoes or mashed rutabaga to soak up all of the delicious sauce.
- Pear, gorgonzola and candied pecan salad
- Sautéed broccolini with citrus vinaigrette
- Apple cider bourbon cocktail
- Caramel apple cupcakes with apple cider buttercream
Helpful tools and equipment
- Cutting board – This is a large cutting board that can go in the dishwasher to be sanitized.
- Kitchen tongs – One of the most used tools in my kitchen. I reach for tongs nearly every time I’m at the stove.
- Chef’s knife – This is the same knife I’ve been using for 20 years. It is a workhorse.
- Dutch oven – A large, enameled cast iron Dutch oven is the perfect pot for braises, stews, chili, etc. Take care of them and they will last a lifetime.
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Red wine braised short ribs
Ingredients
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
- 5 lbs. beef short ribs // 2.3kg
- 2 yellow onions chopped // about 14 oz. // .4kg
- 5 carrots peeled and cut into 2″ pieces // about 1 lb. // .5kg
- 8 – 10 cloves of garlic peeled and smashed
- 4 ribs celery cut into 2″ pieces // about 9 oz. // .25kg
- 4 tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 cups red wine // 480ml
- 2 cups beef stock // 480ml
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme about 1 tbsp. leaves or 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/4 cup canola oil // 60ml
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour or Wondra // 120ml
- 2 tsp. kosher salt + more to taste
- 1 tsp. pepper + more to taste
Instructions
- In a heavy ovenproof pot, add oil and heat over medium high heat.
- Pat short ribs dry with paper towels and season with half of the salt and pepper.
- Put flour on a plate and add remaining salt and pepper to it, mix it with your fingers and dredge the short ribs in the flour. Shake off the excess flour and set aside.
- When the oil is hot, carefully add the ribs to the pot and brown on all sides. You will have to do this in batches; you don’t want to crowd them or they won’t brown properly.
- Remove the ribs from the oil and set on a plate lined with paper towel. (This can be done a day ahead if you are pressed for time; cover and refrigerate until ready to braise)
- Preheat the oven to 275°F // 140°C // Gas mark 1.
- Pour out all but 1 tbsp. of oil and add the onions. Sauté on medium heat until softened, about 8 minutes.
- Add a pinch of salt and a few turns of the pepper grinder and stir. Then, add the carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, stirring to coat vegetables and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Pour in the red wine, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot as you are deglazing. Add the beef stock and stir to combine. Bring it up to a simmer and let it cook for 2 – 3 minutes.
- Using tongs, gently put the ribs back into the pot, along with any juices that have accumulated. Make sure ribs are submerged, or flipped over so the meaty side is down. Add the bay leaves and thyme. Season with a pinch of salt and a few more turns of the pepper grinder. Cover and slide into the oven for 3 – 3 1/2 hours.
- Remove the pot from the oven and allow the ribs to cool slightly, uncovered. Remove the ribs and set aside. Remove bay leaves and thyme and discard.
- Skim the fat from the surface (see note!), then purée the braising liquid with 1/4 of the vegetables to make a gravy.
- Serve short ribs with gravy on the side. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Thanks for stopping by! Have a delicious day 🙂
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Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Originally published October 14, 2018.
Tastes so good.
Thank you!
For the rutabaga , the directions says to add a potato and carrot to the boiling rutabaga, yet they’re not included in the recipe ingredients. Sounds good. I like to serve over parmesan polenta.
I fixed it 🙂 I had originally added potato to the rutabaga, but changed it when I updated it. Thanks for catching that!