Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
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Savor the fork-tender goodness of braised short ribs—the ultimate comfort food for a chilly evening.
Searching for that perfect comforting dish for chilly winter nights or festive gatherings? Look no further than these wine-braised short ribs. Similar in technique and flavor to my ever-popular beef stew, this dish starts by searing the short ribs before slow-braising them to fork-tender perfection in a rich, flavorful red wine sauce. Just a little heads-up—short ribs require a few hours in the oven to reach that melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, so be sure to plan ahead. Serve them over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or creamy polenta for a meal guaranteed to fill your home with warmth and bring smiles to everyone at your table.
Table of Contents
“Easily one of the best beef meals I’ve had in ages.”
What You’ll Need To Make Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
- Boneless short ribs: The star of the dish, these ribs become incredibly tender and flavorful after slow braising. If you can’t find boneless ribs, you can substitute 6 to 7 pounds of bone-in short ribs—the meat will fall off the bone as it cooks.
- Onions and garlic: These aromatics that add depth and complexity to the sauce.
- Tomato paste: Concentrates the sauce’s flavor, adding richness and a hint of sweetness.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the braising liquid to make a velvety sauce.
- Red wine: Adds robust, complex flavors to the braising liquid.
- Beef broth: Adds savory depth to the braising liquid and enhances the meaty flavors of the dish.
- Bay leaf and fresh thyme: These herbs add layers of flavor to the sauce.
- Carrots: Add a touch of sweetness and color.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by trimming all excess fat off of the exterior of the short ribs (although leave the marbling that goes throughout the meat alone), otherwise, your sauce will be greasy. It’s also a good idea to remove any silver skin, which is the thin, white/silvery membrane on the surface of the meat.
Season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the short ribs and cook, without moving, until well browned on one side only, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the beef to a large plate. Repeat with the remaining tablespoon of oil and short ribs.
Browning the beef adds flavor. It may seem strange to brown one side only, but it saves a lot of time and does the job just as well.
Pour off all but one tablespoon of fat, return the pot to the stove, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. (If the onions begin to darken too quickly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to the pan.)
Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes more.
Add the tomato paste.
Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Add the flour.
Cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed by the onion-tomato mixture, about 1 minute.
Add the wine, broth, sugar, bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits.
Add the short ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot and return to a boil.
Cover the pot with a lid, transfer to the oven, and cook for 2 hours. Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Stir in the carrots.
Cover and return the pot to the oven and cook 45 to 60 minutes more, or until the carrots and meat are tender. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Skim any grease off the surface of the sauce, if necessary. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Spoon the short ribs and sauce into bowls over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or creamy polenta.
Frequently Asked Questions
When cooking with wine, I recommend using a bottle that’s inexpensive but still good enough to drink. A Pinot Noir or Merlot in the $8 to $12 range is ideal.
Yes, making the short ribs a day or two ahead can actually enhance their flavor. After cooking and cooling, store the short ribs in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat, covered, over medium-low heat on the stovetop or in a 325°F-oven until warmed through.
Yes, they freeze exceptionally well. After cooking and cooling, transfer the ribs and their sauce into airtight freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat slowly on the stove or in the oven, covered, until heated through.
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Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Savor the fork-tender goodness of braised short ribs—the ultimate comfort food for a chilly evening.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless short ribs, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin, cut into 3-in chunks (see note)
- 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 (see note)
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 large carrots, sliced ½-in-thick diagonally
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 325°F. Season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the short ribs and cook, without moving, until well browned on one side only, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the beef to a large plate. Repeat with the remaining tablespoon of oil and short ribs. (Note: Browning the beef adds flavor. It might seem odd to brown on one side only but I find that it saves time and does the job just as well.)
- Pour off all but one tablespoon of fat, return the pot to the stove, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. (If the onions begin to darken too quickly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to the pan.) Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes more. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed by the onion-tomato mixture, about 1 minute.
- Add the wine, broth, sugar, bay leaf and thyme sprigs; increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits. Add the short ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot and return to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, transfer to the oven, and cook for 2 hours.
- Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Stir in the carrots. Cover and return the pot to the oven and cook 45 to 60 minutes more, or until the carrots and meat are tender. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Skim any grease off the surface of the sauce, if necessary. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Spoon the short ribs and sauce into bowls over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or creamy polenta.
- Note: It's very important to trim all excess fat off of the exterior of the short ribs (although leave the marbling that goes throughout the meat alone), otherwise your sauce will be greasy. It's also a good idea to remove any silver skin, which is the thin, white/silvery membrane on the surface of the meat.
- Note: In selecting wine for this recipe, look for an inexpensive bottle that's still good enough to drink: a Pinot Noir or Merlot in the $8 - $12 range would be ideal.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The short ribs can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Reheat, covered, over medium-low heat on the stovetop or in a 325°F oven.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The short ribs can be frozen for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then reheat, covered, over medium-low heat on the stovetop or in a 325°F oven.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 680
- Fat: 47 g
- Saturated fat: 19 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Sodium: 740 mg
- Cholesterol: 166 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi, have made a bunch of your recipes and they are always a hit! Was wondering if I could use stew meat instead of short ribs? My grocery store seems to not carry short ribs unfortunately.
Thanks!!
That would work, Alison, but if you’re going to use that cut, I’d just recommend using my beef stew recipe – it’s very similar to this recipe, just with a different cut. If you do that though, I’d stay away from anything labeled “stew meat” as it can be tough. Instead, I’d buy, boneless beef chuck, which is readily available in grocery stores. Hope that helps and that you enjoy the stew if you make it!
I think I will omit the sugar next time. But this recipe is wonderful, and my family loved it. Thank you!
This was so, so good! Like others, I added more carrots, and I made it in the slow cooker (after browning meat, cooking onions/garlic etc) the day before serving, skimmed off the fat, and then reheated. Served with roasted carrots, broccolini, and mashed potatoes. Delicious—the 4 pounds of short ribs cooked down to just enough for 4 people. I would next time cook 6 pounds, as there were no leftovers!
Hi any substitute for red wine that wouldn’t impact flavor too much. We don’t drink alcohol
Thank you
Hi Se, Unfortunately, with wine being such a significant component of the recipe, I don’t think this will work without it – I’m sorry! You may want to give this other short rib recipe of mine a try – it’s also delicious!
Outstanding and easy! Served with polenta to make it a GF meal. As good as any high-end restaurant meal.
OMG!! These are SO good. The meat just fell off the bones and it had a very rich flavor. ‘It’s a keeper.
Hi Jen, Thanks for the recipe! Will country-style ribs work for this recipe? What would you do differently with them? Thanks!
Hi Nika, Yes, pork country style ribs should work fine here. Cooking time will be about the same, but taste to be sure they are getting tender after 2 1/2 hours before you remove the cover. If not, cook another 30 minutes and check them again. Hope you enjoy!
I made this the other day for a few guest and it was a huge hit. The only thing I did differently was make it in my Instant Pot. Instead of it taking three hours it was done in 45 minutes. I made it the day before so the fat on top could solidify which made it easier to scrape off. I made polenta and noodles to give people a choice. The polenta was a bigger hit. Thank you Jenn for answering my question about cheese choice so quickly. This is a definite keeper.
I have prepared many recipes from your website and cookbook and have loved them all, but this is by far the best. I followed the directions exactly and served it over creamy mashed potatoes. My family absolutely loved it, I will definitely be making this again. The layers of flavor in the dish are amazing.
I made this last night for me and my husband, and it was VERY good. I added some more carrots, since I didn’t think 2 was enough, and I would recommend add a bit more salt than instructed. But other than that, it was great! Made for plenty of leftover too!
I made this today for the first time and it’s absolutely delicious. My family says it’s the best beef dish I’ve ever made. The short ribs are moist and tender and the sauce is amazing. This recipe is spot-on, as is every recipe I’ve tried from Jenn’s website.
I made this last night for New Years Eve dinner. Big hit. My small town stores didn’t have boneless short ribs, but bone-in turned out fine. I choose your recipe because I didn’t want to strain the sauce of veggies. I used 4 carrots and 8 oz of sautéed mushrooms.
I spooned off most of the fat and we loved every bite. Thanks Jenn! Another winner! For some reason I can’t give it 5 stars, but would like to.
My family loved it, the sauce turned out perfect. I will definitely be making this one again.
Made this for the first time for Christmas dinner. Followed the recipe exactly. WOW!!!! It was a hit!!! Everyone raved and couldn’t believe I had risked making something for the first time for such a big dinner. Well, I normally don’t do that – unless it’s from once upon a chef! Jenn, I have told friends and family about your great website and cookbook. Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful recipes!!
I made this for Christmas dinner with mashed potatoes and fresh peas and more carrots, everyone practically licked the bowl, I should have made more!
I made the ribs 2 days before and heated them up on the stove. I used bone -in shortribs, bought 6 1/2 pounds instead of 4 pounds of boneless. The bones literally fell out of the ribs so they were served boneless.
Thanks for another fabulous recipe Jenn and Happy New Year!
I made this recipe for Christmas dinner today! It was delicious. Thanks for another great recipe. I will definitely make it again,
Great recipe and will be added to my “Best for Entertaining” and “Best for Family” recipe lists. Easy to prepare, incredible smell fills the home… Awesome flavor. I made this with Jenn’s Parmesan Smashed Potatoes which are also amazing by themself, and incredible with the gravy from this short rib recipe. Make this!!!
Hi Jen I just realized I do not have beef broth. Can I substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth instead? Am preparing the dish tonight in time for our Christmas Eve dinner.
Thanks for your help.
Hi Elvie, I’d go with chicken broth. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn! Can I use a Cabernet Sauvignon instead of a Pinot Noir or merlot for this recipe? I’m so excited to make this tonight!
Sure, Mali – any dry red will work. Enjoy!
Hi Jenny – do you think the short ribs taste best the day you make them or after sitting in the wine gravy for a day or 2? Thank you
Hi April, Honestly they are delicious both ways – it doesn’t matter.
Is the Red Wine Braised Short Ribs recipe included in your new cookbook?
No, Cynthia, that one is not in the cookbook.
I adore this recipe! It is everything you want in an elegant, comfort dish. I called my daughter, who lives a few hours away and told her about this recipe. She made it and said her family raved about it, as well. Thank you for another great recipe!
Hi Jen!
I’m looking to make this lower carb ( we do keto). Is it safe to sub out sugar with stevia and perhaps almond flour for the regular? Thanks
Hi Robin, Almond flour should work here. And I’ve never worked with a sugar substitute like Stevia, but the recipe requires such a small amount, that it should be fine. Hope you enjoy!
I’ll admit that I’m addicted to my Instant Pot. However, when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to get out my Le Creuset Dutch Oven and go to work. This recipe is simple, simple, simple but oh so flavorful! I used boneless short ribs and served it over cheesy polenta with lots of the rich gravy. Needless to say, I didn’t miss the “instant” part of the recipe, and the house smelled incredible. My family thinks I’m a genius. Thanks, Jenn, for another fabulous recipe!
I made this last night for my husband & son and they LOVED it!!! So easy to make, and so, so delicious. The short ribs were melt in your mouth and the flavours out of this world.
Excellent! Followed the recipe except cooked in the slow cooker. Served with buttered egg noodles and parsley. I’ll be making this again soon!
I am looking forward to making this- sounds yummy. Quick question: If I used a slow cooker, what temperature and how long? Thanks!!!
Hi Tanya, You can use a slow cooker but you’ll still need to sear the beef and cook the onion mixture on the stovetop. I’d make the recipe up to the point that it goes into the oven, then transfer the contents of the pot (and the carrots) to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the meat is tender. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Absolutely delicious! Best to make a day early to enhance flavors. It also allows you to remove lots of fat which congeals on top when it sits in the refrigerator over night. I used more carrots.
Made a very hearty meal. The kitchen smelled delicious all day long. The meat fell apart under a fork- no knife needed! My only mistake was using thyme that was too small to remove from the final dish so it made the thyme flavor a tad strong. But the sauce it made was to die for- Happy men in my house!
This recipe would be perfect for Christmas Eve. My guests loved the braised short ribs and couldn’t get enough. I used a crockpot and it turned out perfect.
This looks delicious! I’m planning to make it for Christmas Eve dinner, but prepare it the day before. How long would you recommend reheating it on 325?
Hi Meredith, you’ll need to keep it in there just until it’s heated through (I would guesstimate about 40 minutes or so). Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn — How would you make this non-alcoholic? I know the flavor would be a little different but would like to keep it as close as possible. LOVE your recipes. They are always a home run. Thanks so much!
Hi Wendy, Glad you like the recipes! Unfortunately, with wine being such a significant component of the recipe, I don’t think this will work without it – I’m sorry! You may want to give this other short rib recipe of mine a try – it’s also delicious!
I made this for my husband and I. It was delicious! It made a lot! I plan on freezing some of the short ribs to eat later. Thanks, Jenn, for another wonderful recipe!
WOW! This recipe might be in my top 5 recipes ever! So easy (but seems super fancy), and unbelievably delicious! Thank you for an incredible recipe!
Another winner . Thank you
If making a half recioe, would one reduce the cooking time? Thank you.
Hi Michael, I’m guessing it will be 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 hrs, so just a little less. I’d add the carrots after 1-3/4 hrs — and be sure to use a smaller pot so the meat is submerged in the cooking liquid.
Hi Jenn, I am going to make this for my “foodie” brother for Christmas using boneless beef ribs (yumm-oooo). What is the difference between this recipe and Beef bourguignon ? Is the difference that one uses bones (short ribs)? Also, could you use pearl onions and if so, how much? Thanks so much. Feels good to give a gift from the heart. Happy Holidays!
Hi Cathy, It’s very similar to beef bourguignon. The primary differences are the quantities of the ingredients and the cut of meat used (beef bourguignon calls for chuck). You can definitely add pearl onions to this is you’d like – I’d recommend about a cup. Hope he enjoys!
Fabulous! Searing on one side was perfect and a great time saver. The gravy is wonderful on – well, anything! My husband said “add this to our top 5 list for winter” and my toddler ate everything on his plate! Thanks for another winner, Jenn!
Hello Jenn😃.
Is there anything I should add to the egg noodles (ex: olive oil?) when making them with the short ribs?
I love cooking for my family. I have truly enjoyed all your recipes and your cookbook. I always look forward to your next recipe(s). Keep up the excellent work❣️
Hi Kelly, No need to add anything other than a little butter (and salt to the cooking water) as the sauce from the ribs will add plenty of flavor. Feel free to season with salt and pepper to taste at the table though. And so glad you enjoy the recipes! 🙂
Hi jenn, would bone-in have the same cooking time as boneless?
Yep – hope you enjoy!
I can only get bone in . So silly question but does this mean I cook them whole rather than chunks ?
Yep 🙂
I just made this last night and it was amazing! Jenn you are a genius! How is it that every single one of your recipes is a winner…. Thank you for sharing your magic.
I made this as a trial run for Christmas dinner last night and it was truly delicious. I can’t wait to make it again!
Absolutely delicious. I had an open bottle of white wine in the fridge but decided to not substitute it for the red… I followed the recipe to the tee except I used bone-in. Wonderful!! Thank you, Jenn
Can I use white wine instead of red?
Hi Jill, White wine will work but the flavor will be different so I can’t guarantee that the seasoning will be perfect. I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it.
Hi Jenn,
I just purchased a slow cooker and was wondering if I cook make this recipe in it. By the way, I love your cookbook and bought one for my daughter for Xmas.
Hi Debra, You can use a slow cooker but you’ll still need to sear the beef and cook the onion mixture on the stovetop. I’d make the recipe up to the point that it goes into the oven, then transfer the contents of the pot (and the carrots) to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the meat is tender. Hope that helps – and happy to hear you love the book! ☺️
Hi Jenn. Could I cook this in the crockpot? If so, please advise with recipe adjustments. My fingers are crossed that my husband remembers that your cookbook is on my Christmas list.
Hi Kathy, You can use a slow cooker but you’ll still need to sear the beef and cook the onion mixture on the stovetop, so not sure it’s worth it. But if you’d like to try it, I’d make the recipe up to the point that it goes into the oven, then transfer the contents of the pot (and the carrots) to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the meat is tender. Happy holidays!
Thinking of making this for Christmas dinner. Could it be easily doubled? Perhaps need to use 2 dutch ovens?
Yes and yes 🙂
If using a slow cooker, rather than a Dutch Oven, how long should I cook the beef & wine sauce on low heat?
Hi Jamie, 6 to 8 hours on low should do it, but you’ll still need to start everything on the stovetop. Enjoy!
What gluten/grain free flour or thickener would you recommend?
Hi Barbara, I’d go with cornstarch at the end.
This recipe ks great! I have an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Once the ribs are back in the braising liquid, can you suggest how long to set the cooker for at pressure?
Hi Shelah, I am not an experienced Instant Pot user so I can’t say for sure but I looked up a few recipes and they recommend high pressure for 45 minutes plus 15 minutes natural release. I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it that way. I’m sure others will have the same question.
Shelah and Jenn — I just made this recipe with the Instant Pot. I think it turned out very well and was delicious! As Jenn recommended, once you’ve gotten the short ribs back into the braising liquid, 45 minutes at high pressure and then a 15 minute natural release worked well.
Your recipes always turn out, Jenn! Love your blog so much!
So good to know this works in the Instant Pot, JoAnn. Thank you for letting us know – and so glad you love the recipes! ❤️
Made this in my instant pot and it was soooooooooo good. Like you said, cook at 45 high pressure. Then natural release x15 min. Then place the carrots and high pressure cook for 6 minutes, fast release (best to put a towel over the valve to prevent steam and splashing.) perfect flavoring. Could even add more short ribs for larger guests. Another winner, Jenn!