Braised Beef Short Ribs

Name: Braised Beef Short Ribs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 h 20 min
Total time: 3 h 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 5 bone-in beef short ribs, 300-400g each; 1.5 tsp kosher salt; 1.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil; 3 garlic cloves, crushed with flat knife; 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped; 2 celery ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 cup dry red wine, like Cabernet or Merlot; 2 cup beef stock or broth; 2 fresh thyme sprigs; 2 bay leaves

Wine-Braised Short Ribs with Rich Pan Sauce

These meaty short ribs become ridiculously tender after a slow oven braise in red wine and aromatics. The cooking liquid transforms into a glossy, concentrated sauce that's worth every minute of the three-hour wait.

AmericanDinnerComfort FoodOne PotSlow CookerBraisingBeefFallWinter

Prep20 min

Cook3 hrs 20 min

Total3 hrs 40 min

Servings6

Difficultymedium

Ingredients

5 bone-in beef short ribs, 300-400g each
1½ tspkosher salt
1½ tspfreshly ground black pepper
2 tbspolive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed with flat knife
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 celery ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tbsptomato paste
2 cupdry red wine, like Cabernet or Merlot
2 cupbeef stock or broth
2 fresh thyme sprigs(optional)
2 bay leaves

Instructions

Set your oven to 160°C/325°F. This low temperature will slowly break down the tough connective tissue in the ribs without drying out the meat.
Pat the short ribs completely dry with paper towels, then season generously on all sides with the salt and pepper. Don't be shy — these big pieces of meat need bold seasoning.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy, ovenproof Dutch oven over high heat until it's shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear half the ribs on all sides until deeply browned — about 7 minutes total. The browning creates flavor that'll enrich the entire braise.
⏱ 7 min
Transfer the first batch to a plate and brown the remaining ribs the same way, turning to develop color on every surface. Remove these to the plate as well.
⏱ 7 min
Lower the heat to medium and add the onion and garlic to the rendered fat. Let them sizzle and soften for about 2 minutes — you want the onion to start turning translucent.
⏱ 2 min
Stir in the carrots and celery, cooking them for 5 minutes until the carrots just begin to soften at the edges. They'll finish cooking during the long braise.
⏱ 5 min
Push the vegetables to one side and add the tomato paste to the cleared space. Let it cook and darken for a full minute — this concentrates its flavor and removes any raw taste.
⏱ 1 min
Pour in the wine and beef stock, then add the thyme and bay leaves. Stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot — those are pure flavor. The tomato paste should dissolve completely into the liquid.
Nestle the seared ribs back into the pot bone-side up. The liquid should come at least halfway up the sides of the meat — add more stock if needed to reach this level.
Cover tightly with the lid and slide into the oven. Braise for 3 hours, checking once halfway through. The meat is ready when it pulls apart easily with a fork but still clings to the bone.
⏱ 3 hrs
Using tongs and a large spoon for support, carefully lift each rib from the braising liquid and arrange on a serving platter. Cover with foil to keep them warm while you finish the sauce.
Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing the solids with the back of a spoon to extract every bit of flavor. Discard the solids and return the liquid to the pot.
Bring the strained liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat. If it seems thin, let it reduce by about a third to concentrate the flavors. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Spoon the glossy sauce generously over the ribs before serving. The meat should be tender enough to cut with a fork, and the sauce rich enough to coat the back of a spoon.