Braised Short Ribs
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When you want something cozy and a little special, these short ribs really deliver. They take their time in the oven, but the end result is so tender and flavorful, it feels like a restaurant-style dinner made right at home.
Looking for a cozy dish to warm up winter nights or wow at holiday dinners? These braised short ribs are just the thing. Similar to my beef stew and goulash, the recipe starts with a good sear on the short ribs, then a slow braise in a rich red wine sauce until they’re fall-apart tender.
Heads-up: short ribs do need a few hours in the oven, so plan ahead—but the payoff is worth it. Serve them overegg noodles, mashed potatoes, or creamy polenta, and enjoy the incredible aroma that fills your kitchen while they cook.
“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: This cut becomes incredibly tender and flavorful after slow braising. If you can’t find boneless, substitute 6 to 7 pounds of bone-in short ribs — the meat will fall right off the bone as it cooks.
- Onions, garlic: These aromatics create the flavorful base of the sauce.
- Tomato paste: Adds concentrated flavor and a subtle sweetness.
- Flour: A light coating thickens the braising liquid into a silky, velvety sauce.
- Red wine & beef broth: Together they form the backbone of the braising liquid. For the wine, use a bottle that’s inexpensive but still good enough to drink; a Pinot Noir or Merlot in the $8 to $12 range is ideal.
- Bay leaf & fresh thyme: These herbs infuse the sauce with warm, aromatic layers.
- Carrots: Simmering with the ribs, they add natural sweetness to balance the richness of the meat and sauce.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Season the meat. Begin by seasoning the short ribs all over with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Sear the meat. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add half of the short ribs and let them cook, without moving them, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer the seared short ribs to a large plate, then repeat with the remaining oil and short ribs.
Step 3: Cook the aromatics. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat and set the pot back over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until they’re soft and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and let it cook for another 2 minutes, then add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more to deepen the flavor.
Step 4: Add the flour. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until the flour is fully absorbed by the onion-tomato mixture—it should take about 1 minute.
Step 5: Add the cooking liquid and herbs. Pour in the wine, broth, and sugar, then toss in the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Turn the heat up to high and bring everything to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot as you go to loosen all those flavorful browned bits.
Step 6: Add the short ribs. Place the seared short ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot and return to a boil.
Step 7: Simmer and add carrots. Cover the pot and slide it into the oven. Let the short ribs braise for 2 hours, then carefully take the pot out and stir in the carrots.
Step 8: Finish cooking. Cover the pot again and return it to the oven. Cook for another 45 to 60 minutes, or until the meat and carrots are fork-tender. You can serve the short ribs right away, or let them cool and store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days. They also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.
Short Ribs Recipe Video Tutorial
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Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless short ribs, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin, cut into 3-in (8-cm) 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
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 large carrots, sliced ½-in (13-mm)-thick diagonally
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). 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.
Notes
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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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Made this with wagyu boneless short ribs, wow. The kids went nuts. My daughter thought it was better than the capital grill. I served it with Asiago grits and 2 loaves of fresh home baked bread to dip up the incredible sauce.
I love this recipe’s deep rich flavors. I add a bit more flour for a thicker sauce, bone in ribs (the bones fall off during cooking), I brown all sides of ribs, and add more carrots because they are so good. A luxurious meal! Thanks for sharing!
This meal will please anybody. I made it with chuck roast and it came out perfect.
Hi Jen – I don’t cook much meat but I have so much faith in your recipes I felt I could give this a shot. I couldn’t believe I made something so delicious! Thank you so much for sharing!
This was absolutely incredible – I think one of the best things my husband and I have ever cooked! We used Pinot Noir, and it was delicious. Can’t wait to make it again!
Hi Jenn,
This looks so delicious! What type of beef would work best? Would boneless beef chuck short ribs work? Thanks so much!
Sure, Terri, they should work. Hope you enjoy!
Five stars all around! This was delicious with a wonderful dark brown gravy. I made it for Sunday dinner and will use it again for company.
I was planning to make this tonight but divide the recipe in half. My grocery store only had bone-in so I bought two pounds, but now I see you recommend between 6-7 pounds for bone-in. This means I should have purchased three pounds, but alas, I did not! Is it still okay to halve the liquid or do I need to use even less than what I would have?
Hi Michelle, You can halve the liquid; it will be just fine. 🙂
If I don’t have a Dutch oven what could I use for the oven? Could I cook the short ribs on the stove?
Hi Jill, You can cook it entirely on the stove — just give it a stir periodically so the bottom doesn’t scorch while simmering. Hope you enjoy!
We just love your recipes!!! Can I add potatoes to this recipe? If so, do I need to adjust liquids? thank you!!
Hi Linda, Sure, I think you could add potatoes here. I’d probably add about 1 more cup of beef broth. Or you could just use my beef stew recipe which is very similar to this but contains potaotes. Hope you enjoy whatever you make!
Another amazing recipe that has changed my life, Jenn. The first time I made these short ribs I was cooking for guests but I felt totally confident because it was one of *your* recipes. I followed it exactly and my dinner guests were blown away. Thank you for making me look good!