Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs

5 from 1 vote

Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs

These red wine braised beef short ribs cook low and slow in a Dutch oven until they're tender, succulent, and full of rich flavor! Topped with a red wine sauce, they're perfectly pared with creamy mashed potatoes.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword beef short ribs, braised beef short ribs, red wine braised beef short ribs

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3 20

Total Time 3 35

Servings people

Calories 583kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

5-6 lbs. beef short ribs
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 carrots peeled and sliced diagonally ½-inch thick
3 stalks celery chopped
2 large onions chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
3 cups dry red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Burgundy or Cotes du Rhone)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons brown sugar
4 cups beef broth or beef stock

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Season short ribs all over with salt and pepper.
In a large cast iron Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook ribs in batches until browned on all sides. Remove to a plate or tray. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pot.
Add carrots, celery, and onions to the drippings in the pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned (about 5 minutes). Add flour, tomato paste, and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until completely combined, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the red wine and the short ribs, along with any accumulated juices from the plate. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until the wine is reduced by about half.
Add the thyme, rosemary, parsley, bay leaves, brown sugar, and beef broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover with the lid, and transfer to the oven.
Cook until the short ribs are tender, about 2–2½ hours.
Transfer short ribs to a plate. Strain cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Serve short ribs on top of mashed potatoes. Spoon or pour the sauce over the ribs and potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

Straining the sauce at the end of the cooking time is optional. Since the veggies are mushy and broken down, I prefer to discard them for a smoother sauce. You can also simmer the sauce on the stovetop to reduce and thicken the consistency, if desired.
For a non-alcoholic option, replace the red wine with 1 additional cup of beef broth or stock, 2 cups of water, and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce.
Slow Cooker Method: instead of a Dutch oven, cook the short ribs in a Crock Pot. To do so, sear the ribs in a skillet, cook the vegetables as instructed, add the flour, tomato paste and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the red wine and simmer to reduce by half. Transfer everything to the slow cooker, along with the ribs, thyme, rosemary, parsley, bay leaves, brown sugar and beef broth. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 5 hours.
Brown the meat. This is an extra step, but it's worth the effort. The caramelized surface gives the beef extra flavor, while the browned bits and drippings in the pot add even more flavor to the sauce.
To make the short ribs tender, it's important to cook the beef long enough to break down the tough connective tissue and fibers. If your meat is still tough after about 2–2½ hours, return it to the oven for a little bit longer. When it's done, the rib meat should be fall-apart tender when pulled with two forks.
Use a dry red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Burgundy or Cotes du Rhone. Nothing too sweet!
Keep the Dutch oven covered while braising in order to trap moisture in the pot. You should end up with a lovely, rich sauce at the end. If you find that the strained sauce is too thin, just transfer to a saucepan and simmer until reduced and thickened.
Mom's recipe is originally adapted from Bon Appetit.

Nutrition