There is nothing better than fall-off-the-bone scrumptious, mouthwateringly tender, and flavor-packed Red Wine Braised Short Ribs. A ton of flavor-forward ingredients are cooked patiently in the oven to create these meaty short ribs. What a satisfyingly intimate dinner that is right on target! Instructions for slow cookers and stovetops are given.
Gosh, everyone. I like to refer to this as cozy season, and it’s officially here. This is when we switch gears from summer to fall and everything in between. For a variety of reasons, this season is my all-time favorite. More precisely, this time of year is my favorite for cooking—I flourish here and my soul rejoices! I usually think about the food, hehe! In your opinion?
Speaking of cozy, I make a lot of braised foods, soups and stews, and everything in between in my Dutch oven. Hear me out: braised short ribs are the best! They are among my all-time favorite beef meals. They’re such a delight, and I make them very frequently. They just never get old. I would strongly advise you to try this dish if you’re looking for a classic fall recipe.
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Folks, it’s time to get down to business! The main ingredient in this dish is slow-cooked, flavorful beef short ribs that are simmered down in a thick liquid foundation. The main ingredient that contributes to the rich, robust flavor that these short ribs braise in is red wine. The short ribs soften over a few hours and become quite tender—to put it mildly—however wonderful!
Braising produces an unrivaled degre of delectable enchantment as the meat’s connective fibers soften and break down while absorbing the flavors from the pot. Because they simmer more slowly, homemade red wine braised short ribs do require many hours to prepare, but the wait is well worth it.
Ingredients
- Beef short ribs: Friends, this is the top honcho of beef short ribs! Nice and meaty English style/cut bone-in beef short ribs are required. Distinct from its slimmer relative, Flanken style/cut, which is frequently used in Korean BBQ and other dishes. Because English short ribs are sliced parallel to the bone rather than across from it, the portions are often thick and fat rather than thin and long. This short ribs’ intensely meaty deliciousness is everything!
- Butter & olive oil: Short ribs were seared and browned in butter and olive oil.
- Onion, celery, and carrot: Carrot, celery, and onion make a traditional mirepoix for braising.
- Flour: A small amount of flour will help the braising liquid thicken.
- Tomato paste: To achieve a strong tomato taste, tomato paste is essential.
- Worcestershire: A bottled condiment that’s a pantry staple that adds flavor to a wide range of foods, including stews and soups. Its distinct taste combination comes from a variety of components. It functions something as an umami flavor bomb as well.
- Brown sugar: This contributes to bringing some harmony to the stronger tastes.
- Spices: We’re using chipotle powder, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and bay leaves as spices. Each one is flawless, and the addition of chipotle powder creates a little spice to create a contrast in taste.
- Beef broth: The short ribs need to be submerged in liquid. I want that real beef flavor to permeate every bite of these red wine braised short ribs! Beef broth!
- Red wine: I take it that we’re cooking short ribs cooked in red wine? I frequently use a cabernet sauvignon or classic merlot. But you can use any red wine that is dry and readily available to you. Red wine adds a beautiful, rich intensity.
- Garlic: One complete head of garlic, kissed by the chef.
- Fresh herbs: Herbs are essential for braising. Sage, rosemary, and other fresh herbs provide a delicious burst that will make you drool.
How To Make Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
- Season and set aside the short ribs: Dredge the short ribs well in salt and pepper. Give the short ribs at least 30 minutes to rest and acclimate to room temperature. Next, turn the oven on to 325°F.
- To brown the short ribs, use the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven. Once heated, carefully add a few short ribs to the pot in stages, being cautious not to pack it too full. The short ribs should be seared for two to three minutes on each side, or until a deep brown crust forms. After that, turn down the heat to medium and set the browned short ribs aside.
- Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot to the saucepan and sauté the mirepoix. Add salt and pepper to taste after sautéing the mixture. Keep cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and aromatic.
- Combining the flavors: After dusting the mirepoix mixture with flour, swirl to coat. Tomato paste should be added. Add the paste and stir to coat with the mirepoix. Next, include the Worcestershire sauce and remove any residue from the pot’s bottom. Stir to thoroughly mix in the chipotle powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and brown sugar.
- Re-add the browned short ribs to the pot to complete the braise. Add the red wine and beef broth. Place the fresh herbs, garlic head, and bay leaves into the saucepan and gently swirl to mix them all together. Turn the heat up to medium-high and simmer the saucepan. Next, take it off the heat.
- Raise those baby ribs: Place a cover on the saucepan and place it into the oven. The short ribs should be covered and left to braise for three to three and a half hours, or until they are soft and coming off the bone (oh no! 👅).
- As necessary, adjust the braising liquid: Take the saucepan out of the oven and remove the garlic head, bay leaves, and stems from the herbs. If necessary, skim any fat from the liquid’s surface. To thicken, you may alternatively put it over a stovetop burner.
- Serve these short ribs with a red wine braison right away. Have fun!
Let’s Talk About Short Ribs
Although English-style beef short ribs have previously been covered, let’s now speak about choosing the greatest short ribs overall. You want to get beef short ribs that are juicy and well-marbled. These ribs also have an excellent meat-to-fat ratio and very little fat on them. To be honest, I try to choose my short ribs by hand from the case at my neighborhood butcher. For this dish of red wine braised short ribs, it’s all about the succulent meat! Some portions are more fatty than others.
What is the origin of short ribs? 🤍 Beef short ribs are cut from the shoulders and front plate of cow. Cuts from the plate, chuck, and rib portions are also possible. The front plate is the steer’s lower rib cage. But the finest slices are said to come from the cattle’s chuck region. In summary, strive for English-style, bone-in short ribs.
Back to Basics: Braised Short Ribs
The simplicity of this dish combined with its restaurant-caliber presentation is one of my favorite things about red wine braised short ribs, friends! It may appear daunting, but it’s essentially a hands-off approach.Let’s dissect this scenario:
- Sear and season: Lightly season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Once the short ribs have come to room temperature, sear them well to bring out a lot of flavor, also known as the Maillard reaction!
- Here’s where you’ll sauté the onion, celery, and carrot mixture for the mirepoix until it’s soft and the flavors come together. Add the flour and toss to absorb the grease. Tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, oregano, paprika, and chipotle powder are the flavorings to add. Red wine, bay leaves, garlic, fresh herbs, and beef broth come next. Finally, whisk to thoroughly mix.
- Salute, salute, salute The job is already done; just relax and let the oven finish. You’ll get very tasty, succulent, and tender short ribs in a few of hours. And just like that, she was done!
Tips + Tricks For Recipe Success
- Ribs at room temperature. First off, cold protein straight out of the refrigerator browns less well than protein that is close to room temperature. The recipe card recommends letting the ribs lie for a while to allow them to absorb the salt and pepper and reach room temperature for the ideal sear.
- Employ a big Dutch oven. I frequently use high-quality Dutch ovens, such as Staub or Le Creuset models, as you can see in my photos. They make good cookware for almost anything, but braising is one of their specialties. But, any oven-safe, sizable (at least 5-quarts) Dutch oven would suffice for these red wine braised short ribs, so you don’t even need to buy these brands!
Alternative Cooking Methods For Your Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs
Although I personally like braising short ribs in the oven, you can get the same results on the stovetop or in a slow cooker as well. That’s how:
- Easy braise on a stovetop: Proceed as directed in the recipe card found below. After simmering, when you get to step #6, simply leave the pot on medium-low or low heat. Steps 7-8 of the recipe should be followed after letting the short ribs braise, covered, on the stovetop for three to three and a half hours.
- Slow cooker/crockpot braising: Use the same directions (steps 1–5) as listed in the recipe card below for this approach. After that, gently pour everything into the slow cooker pot and stir occasionally. Cook for seven to eight hours on low or four to five hours on high. *Note: If your slow cooker has a sear or browning feature, you may use it to sear the mirepoix and brown the ribs (steps 2-4).
Is a pressure cooker safe to use? In theory, you certainly can. On the other hand, friends, a proper braise calls for cooking the meal low and slow. The whole point of pressure cookers is quick results. Therefore, I suggest braising in the oven, on the stovetop, or in a slow cooker for the greatest braised beef short ribs ♡
More Recipes You Might Like
- Pomegranate Braised Lamb Shanks
- Cheesy One Pot Beef
- Lebanese Baked Chicken
- Classic French Chicken Stew
- Chicken Fricassée
- Mushroom and Brie Baked Eggs
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 4 lbs about 8 pieces bone-in beef short ribs, english-cut
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more as needed
- 1 large white onion chopped
- 3 celery hearts chopped
- 3 medium carrots chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine such as merlot or cabernet sauvignon
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 small bundle of fresh thyme rosemary, and sage (about 2 sprigs each, aka poultry blend of herbs)
- 1 head of garlic top cut off to expose cloves
Instructions
- Season and set aside the short ribs: Place the short ribs on a big platter or dish and liberally season both sides with salt and pepper. Give the short ribs at least 30 minutes to rest and acclimate to room temperature. Then, set the oven temperature to 325°F.
- Brown the short ribs:To brown the short ribs, place the butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven (at least five quarts in size and oven-safe) and heat it over medium-high heat. When the mixture begins to shimmer, carefully rotate the pot to coat the bottom equally. Working in batches, add a few short ribs to the pot being cautious not to overcrowd. The short ribs should be seared for two to three minutes on each side, or until a deep brown crust forms. Once all of the short ribs are browned, transfer them to a clean plate or small baking sheet and continue cooking, adding a little extra oil to the saucepan only as needed. After that, turn down the heat to medium and set the browned short ribs aside.
- Sauté the mirepoix: Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot to the saucepan and sauté the mirepoix. The mixture should be sautéed, stirring occasionally. To taste, add salt or pepper to the mirepoix. Cook the vegetables for a further 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are soft, aromatic, and golden brown. Again, just add additional oil to the saucepan as needed if the mirepoix seems dry during sautéing.
- Combining the flavors: After dusting the mirepoix mixture with flour, swirl to coat. Cook for one to two minutes, or until the flour disappears and starts to get a light brown color. Make a little indentation in the middle of the saucepan and pour in the tomato paste. After about two minutes, stir in the paste and mirepoix to coat. Next, include the Worcestershire sauce and utilize a wooden spoon to remove any caramelized residue from the pot's bottom. Stir to thoroughly mix in the chipotle powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and brown sugar.
- Put together the braise: Put the short ribs that have browned back into the saucepan, along with any remaining liquids that have accumulated. Pour in the red wine and beef broth until the ribs are nearly fully covered. Place the fresh herbs, garlic head, and bay leaves into the saucepan and whisk everything together with care. After turning the heat up to medium-high and simmering the pot for about ten minutes, remove from the burner.
- Braise the short ribs: To braise the short ribs, put a cover on the saucepan and place it in the oven. Cover and braise the short ribs for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until they are falling off the bone tender.
- Adjust braising liquid, if needed: If necessary, adjust the braising liquid. Carefully remove the saucepan from the oven. Take out the garlic head, herb stems, and bay leaves from the saucepan. If necessary, skim any fat from the liquid's surface. If you want to thicken the braising liquid, heat the pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Cook for a little while, stirring gently, until the liquid achieves the consistency you want. After that, taste and add extra salt or pepper to suit.
- Serve these short ribs with a red wine braison right away. I enjoy placing these short ribs in shallow bowls and covering them with a small amount of the braising sauce and creamy mashed potatoes. Have fun!
Notes
- For best recipe success, please read the blog post & notes in its entirety with video tutorial before beginning; stovetop + slow cooker instructions provided in blog post.
Sounds awesome.I will be doing this.