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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Made this with bone in short ribs and braised all sides for all over browned pieces of meat. Otherwise followed the recipe exactly and it was wonderful! So much less complicated than other wine braised short rib recipes that I have followed in the past, and with an even better result! Served over mashed potatoes. Absolutely yummy!
We’ve become short rib fans after trying your recipe. Thank you for easy to follow instructions and delicious meals.
This is my favorite recipe on this site (and I’ve made many!). The meat is super-soft and the sauce is silky and delicious. My kids are away at school so I cut the recipe in half (use half of the ingredients but the same cooking time as the full recipe) for the two of us and it still made enough for two meals. I’ve made it for company as well, and it’s restaurant-quality.
I have tried several short rib recipes and this one is absolutely perfect! When reading the recipe, I could actually taste it and after making the first time, I consider it one of my all-time favorites! I’ve served it with both egg noodles and mashed potatoes. I have taken dinner to 2 neighbor couples and they gave rave reviews. I have used Pinot Noir every time. Rich and perfect. Every one of your recipes that I try is delicious!
How do I modify my comment?
Hi Ann, Unfortunately, there’s no way to modify a comment, but I can delete your first comment if you’d like; just let me know. 🙂
Recently made this and all I can say is it blew my mind. It was just that good. Perhaps one of the best dishes I’ve ever cooked in my life. I will be making this again soon.
I’ve made this recipe several times now with no changes. One of my husbands favorites
I have made this recipe several times with no changes, it is by far a great go to recipe for entertaining or a nice holiday meal. I usually serve it with mashed potatoes and a spinach salad.
I love this recipe! Any time I see short ribs on sale, I get super excited and pull out this recipe! Only change I made was I use bone in short ribs because I think the meat is a little more flavorful.
This is my favorite meal! I use boneless short ribs from Costco and although a little thinner than ideal, they always come out great.
Absolutely delicious!!! I followed the recipe to a T and everything came out perfectly. Short ribs have become one of my favorite meals because of this recipe. I now buy them every time the are on sale at whole foods.
This recipe was insanely delicious and super easy to make! I used bone in short ribs and they came out great. I did have to add a little extra flour because I wanted the sauce to be fairly thick, but didn’t change anything else otherwise!
I’m pretty much a cooking newbie. I followed the recipe step by step and this dish is as easy to make as it was delicious. Everyone in my family had seconds and they already asked me to make it again. Thank you!
Hi there – recipe sounds great, although I like my short ribs with a red wine demi glace sauce – if I made one on the side to dribble over the meat, would it be too much for this recipe?
Hi Mark, I do think it would be a bit of overkill and don’t think you’ll need it. Hope that helps!
If I use a chuck roast in its place. How many pounds? The same as boundless ribs?
Yes, I’d use the same amount. Please let me know how it turns out!
Jenn- I made this on Sunday and it was a HUGE hit. The meat was so tender you could cut with your fork. I served with both egg noodles and fried sliced polenta and a rustic French bread. It was just amazing.
Thank you for sharing your delicious meals with all of us. You never disappoint, ever!
Made this for dinner tonight and served over polenta. Easy to make and flavour was rich and delicious. And leftovers for another meal! Perfect. Thanks.
Hi Jenn,
I can only get bone in short ribs and your recipe calls for 4 pounds boneless. How many pounds of bone in should I buy? Can’t wait to make this as it sounds amazing! Thanks!
For bone-in ribs, I’d recommend 6 to 7 pounds. Hope you enjoy!
Hi! If I plan to cook this entirely on the stove, how does the cook time change? Simmer? Medium heat?
Hi Agnes, the cook time will be the same, but I’d cook it over low heat. Give it a stir periodically so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom. Hope you enjoy!
Just made this yesterday and OMG it was absolutely delicious. The flavor was wonderful. I will make this again!!
Hi Jenn,
Love all your recipes but wonder about addition of sugar. What does it do? And how different would taste be?
Hi Maryann, the sugar helps to balance out the more savory-flavored ingredients and the acidity of the tomato paste. Feel free to cut it back to 1 teaspoon if you’d prefer. Hope that helps!
I made these for Christmas dinner and they were incredible. Relatively simple to make, and the flavor is amazing. I made them 2 days in advance and re-heated on the stovetop, and I think that always makes such a big difference with braised meat dishes like this to allow the flavors to really develop (it also makes skimming the hardened fat off the top much easier). I have only made bone-in short-ribs in the past, and I loved that the boneless short ribs are much less fatty. 10/10! (like all of your recipes)
So glad I made this for Christmas dinner. It was outstanding. Thanks for earlier post and response on the chuck roast. My butcher was out of short ribs and the roast was a good substitution.
Had today for Christmas dinner. Was excellent! Garlic mashed potatoes, brown butter carrots, and a nice cabernet.
I made this yesterday for today’s dinner, using boned ribs. OMG, what a hit this meal was! Another home run from Once Upon a Chef recipes. Thanks,Jenn
Great recipe! The meat was so tender. My family loved it. Thank you!
Love it!!!
Made this last night and it was SO good. My local grocery store only had bone-in short ribs which I agree are so fatty, so I used chuck under blade steak instead, trimmed and cut into 2×4 pieces. I otherwise followed the recipe exactly. The flavors were incredible, and the meat was so tender. I served over mashed potatoes—the sauce was great with the potatoes. My house smelled amazing. Thank you, Jenn!
This recipe is the “bomb!” I’ve made it several times and it’s always a hit. I buy the prime boneless short ribs from Costco, brown the meat in a pan then transfer the meat, sauce and carrots into a crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. We have it with mash potatoes or rice!
DELISH!
Hi Jen,
Can the short ribs be replaced with beef cheek? If this is possible, do we keep to the same cooking time and temperature?
Thanks.
Hi Joyce, I haven’t ever cooked with beef cheeks so I can’t say from experience, but have read online that beef cheeks could be a suitable substitute for boneless short ribs without adjustments to time or temperature. If you can get beef chuck, I’d go with that. Just make sure either the chuck or the cheeks are cut into pieces that are about 2 inches wide by 4 inches long. Please LMK how it turns out!
Tried this for the first time today and so glad I did. It is OUTSTANDING!! Everyone loved it. I was not able to find boneless short ribs, so I just bought more than 4 lbs and cut the bone off myself, trimming away the silver skin and extra fat. It was an easy process. Followed the recipe exactly – wouldn’t change a thing. This will be a family favorite Sunday dinner, and it is nice enough to serve to guests. Paired it with mashed potatoes. Thank you Jen for a wonderful recipe.
I had this same dish at a place called Big Cedar Lodge and have always wanted to make it ever since. Their version had peas in it. If I wanted to incorporate peas, I’m thinking a cup of frozen peas, thrown in during the last five minutes of cooking. Would that work here?
Yep, that should work nicely. Hope you enjoy!
This was way too bland for my taste. If I make it again I’ll have to come up with additional seasonings to give it more flavor. I added many more carrots as I wanted more vegetables with my meat. I served with garlic mashed potatoes. So not the best.
Hi Jean! My short ribs are currently in their last few minutes of cooking, so we’ll see how it goes, but I’m confident because I’ve made Jenn’s BBQ short ribs and they were amazing. I’m no sure how much cooking you’ve done in the past but I truly believe in “seasoning as you go.” Every time I introduce a new ingredient, I add salt & pepper. If you wait to the end and never add seasoning, 99.9% of recipes will be bland. I taste as I go and season as I go. Some may object and think “you’ll add too much salt!” but I don’t find this to be true. I add far less salt than if I happen to forget and need to add it at the end. It’s best to layer the flavors and cook the seasoning in as you go. I also use Kosher Sea Salt and even though my husband has a history of high blood pressure, I’ve done research and sodium from processed foods is far more likely to impact HBP than kosher sea salt added by cooking homemade meals. I hope that helps. Try it! Taste and season as you go – this is my number 1 tip for new cooks! It makes ALL the difference. No more bland food.
Hi Jenn! I was looking for a good braided in red wine short rib recipe to serve at a nice dinner party. I checked here first since I trust your recipes and this looks perfect. BUT I am intrigued by the bbq short ribs you have on your site as well. I’ve never seen or tried short ribs cooked this way! Honest opinion….which would you recommend for my party of 12??! Thank you so much!
Hi Julie, They are both delish, but this one is more elegant. I’d stick with this recipe for a dinner party. Hope everyone enjoys!
That’s what I was leaning toward but I really wanted your opinion, so thank you for responding so quickly!!
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!
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!