Go Back
–+ servings
overhead shot of red wine braised short ribs, topped with parsley and ready to be served.
Print Recipe
5 from 10 votes

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

It’s the classic template for slow n’low red wine braised short ribs but I’ve added few minor tweaks to create the very best recipe ever!!! Enjoy this cozy, decadent, elegant, and comforting red meat dish!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Course: Entree, Meat
Cuisine: American, Californian
Servings: 6
Author: Daniela Gerson

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds beef short ribs cut into 2-inch pieces
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon vegetable or other high smoking point oil just enough to coat bottom of your pot
  • 2 large heads of garlic halved crosswise
  • 4 celery ribs chopped
  • 2 large carrots chopped
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups dry red wine
  • 2 cups ruby port wine
  • 2 cups of beef stock or bone broth
  • 2 cups good-quality brown beef stock brown chicken stock, white chicken stock, or store-bought chicken stock (see note)
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon fish sace add more to taste
  • parsley or chives optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
  • Dry short ribs with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible. Season them with salt and pepper.
  • Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches so all the short ribs fit in a single (not too crowded layer), sear on all sides, about 4-8 minutes per side, until a nice brown crust has formed.
  • Transfer browned short ribs to a platter and repeat with remaining short rib until all done.
  • You’ll have some good browned bits left behind in your Dutch oven (we want ‘em!). Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, cut side down, and cook, undisturbed, 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Add onion, celery and carrots; season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat veggies with the oil left behind from the short tibs and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 6-10minutes. Add tomato paste, stir to coat and prevent any scorching; cook until tomato paste has started to caramelize at the edges, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add dry red wine and port, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom and sides of pot. Let simmer for 3-5 minutes.
  • Add stock, return short ribs to pot along with any accumulated juices, meat side down, nestling them so that they’re submerged in the braising liquid. Add thyme and bay leaves, bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to oven.
  • Cook, undisturbed, until short ribs are meltingly fall of the bone tender, 2 ½ -3 ½ hours (exact timing will depend on how thick you’re short ribs are).
  • Using tongs, carefully remove short ribs from pot and transfer to a plate.
  • Stain braising liquid through a strainer set on over a large, heatproof bowl, (the vegies have turned mushy and we’ve used all their flavor), extracting as much braising liquid as possible.
  • Return braising liquid back to Dutch oven (may want to wipe it clean – personal preference), add brown sugar and fish sauce and bring to a gentle simmer.
  • Simmer until braising liquid is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 40 minutes.
  • Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Return short ribs to Dutch oven, spooning the sauce all over and around them to glaze and rewarm.
  • Top with fresh herbs such as parsley and chives (optional) and serve.

Video

Notes

  • Buy bone-in short ribs. Non-negotiable.
  • When possible, buy organic and grass fed short ribs.
  • Either English style Flanken short ribs can be used, I’ve always gone for English style for this classic braised.
  • For best results, get thicker and meatier short ribs. Ask the butcher to cut them into 2-inch pieces for you.
  • If you don’t have a Dutch oven, use a large oven safe pot.
  • Either beef stock or bone broth can work or these can be subbed for chicken or even veggie stock if in a pinch (even a beef boillion dissolved in water can work)
  • Exact braising time will depend on the thickness and style of your short ribs, start checking after 2 ½ hours. We’re going for fork tender.
  • Braise meat side down/bone side up.
  • If refrigerating short ribs overnight, let the ribs sit in the sauce and cool to room temperature. Scrape away the hardened layer of fat from the top before re-heating.
  • Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.