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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Hi Jen – I used pork country ribs because that’s what I had in the fridge. I also didn’t have pasta on hand and instead thinly sliced a potato and added it with the carrot. It is scrumptious!
Would it be wise to cut this recipe in half?
Hi Jamie, These shrink a decent amount when cooking so I’d just go ahead and make the full recipe. If you have leftovers, they freeze well. (See the bottom of the recipe for freezer-friendly instructions.) Hope you enjoy!
Been cooking a lot and came across this site. Made this for dinner the other night and it might be my favorite thing I’ve ever made. It was absolutely amazing and the recipe was lined out perfectly and easy to do. Thank you!!
How do I save them If I made them it advance?
Do they have to be inside the same stock In the fridge?
When I heat them how long should they have to be in the oven at 325?
Thank you!
Yes, I’d refrigerate them in the sauce. And when you reheat them, I would guess they’d take about 30 minutes, but you’ll need to check to make sure they’re heated through. Enjoy!
This was my first time cooking short ribs and my husband proclaimed it the best ever! I followed your recipe exactly as written and it was perfect. We will definitely make this again soon!
I have bone in short ribs. How much longer would your recommend cooking ? Thank you
Hi Marsha, They should take about the same amount of time. Hope you enjoy!
Hi, Jenn;
Correction: ince I opened the package i realized the ribs were more normal sized. The way the butcher had packed them they looked like 4 single ribs but broke apart upon opening. Still… they are larger or cut differently than I’ve seen before. There are 11 ribs totaling 8 lbs. So, I doubled the sauce to ensure there would be enough to cover. I am guessing now the original 3 hour total cook time should work.
Hi Jen, Sorry I’m just seeing both of your comments. Good call to double the sauce; they may take a bit longer to cook, so I’d just keep checking til they’re fork tender.
Hi, Jenn;
HELP… I need advice ASAP! I ordered 7 lbs of ‘bone-in’ short ribs from a butcher about 45 minutes away. I am planning to make this dish today for a very dear and longtime friend of my husband. I didn’t realize until we got the ribs home that the butcher literally left them in whole form. There are 4 ribs in the package, each weighing about 2 lbs. I planned on braising these but will now have to simmer in a large stockpot on the stovetop. Am I going to need to significantly increase the cook time? If so, how will I know when they are done?
Thank you,
Jen R
P.S. The dear friend has been staying with us for the last 4 days and has had the opportunity to enjoy many of your recipes while staying with us. Thank you so much for sharing and helping us to serve such delicious and elegant dishes!
My husband bought boneless short ribs instead of sirloin tips by mistake and I wasn’t sure what to do with them as I’ve never cooked short ribs before. I cooked them yesterday using your recipe. When I first put it into the oven I was concerned about how thin the gravy/sauce was, but I just let it cook and waited to see the results. MAGIC – this dish was magic. So delicious, the ribs were amazing, everything came together wonderfully! I didn’t strain or reduce the gravy, just poured some of it over the ribs straight from the pan and it was gravy perfection. The four of us at the table didn’t say much during the meal, except “wow”, “mmm”, you get the idea. I served it with buttered wide noodles and a side salad. Leftovers will go in mac n cheese. Thank you for a great recipe, this one will be going in the rotation!
Hi! This looks wonderful If I make it the night before and want to reheat in a 325 oven, how long does it take to thoroughly reheat? Thanks! Karen
Hi Karen, I would guesstimate it’ll take about 40 minutes give or take. Hope you enjoy!