Beef Short Ribs — Red Wine Braise
Tender beef short ribs, slow-braised in red wine until fall-off-the-bone perfection. A comforting and elegant dish that's surprisingly easy to make.
25 min active, minimal dishes
Beef Short Ribs — Red Wine Braise
Tender beef short ribs, slow-braised in red wine until fall-off-the-bone perfection. A comforting and elegant dish that's surprisingly easy to make.
25 min active, minimal dishes
Key move
Sear the short ribs deeply on all sides to develop a rich, flavorful fond in the pot, which will form the base of the braising sauce.
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The Setup
- Dutch Oven6-quart
- Cutting Board
- Knife
The Mise en Place
5 of 13Your prep station before cooking begins
The Protein (0/3)
The Aromatics (0/3)
Short ribs are not browning properly.
Ensure the pan is hot enough and don't overcrowd the pot. Sear in batches to achieve a deep brown crust.
Braising liquid is reducing too quickly.
Lower the oven temperature slightly or add a bit more beef broth to maintain the liquid level.
Chef's Notes
Sear ribs on all sides until deeply browned for maximum flavor. Don't overcrowd the pan.
Low and slow is key. A gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, ensures tender, fall-off-the-bone meat.
Ribs taste even better made a day ahead. Skim fat from the chilled braising liquid before reheating.
Serve over creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles to soak up the rich sauce.
Watch the Technique
Video source: YouTube
The Method
PREHEAT
Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
Cold spots: Ensure the rack is fully locked in the center grooves to prevent uneven browning of the ribs.
Oven is preheated to the correct temperature.
SEASON
Pat the beef short ribs (1800 g) dry with paper towels and season generously with salt (1 tsp) and pepper.
Poor browning: Moisture on the surface prevents the Maillard reaction, resulting in grey meat instead of a deep crust.
Short ribs are patted dry and evenly seasoned.
SEAR
Heat olive oil (2 tbsp) in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pot, until deeply browned on all sides. This will take about 3-4 minutes per side.
Steaming instead of searing: Overcrowding the pot lowers the temperature, causing the meat to steam in its own juices rather than developing a crust.
Short ribs have a deep brown crust on all sides.
REMOVE
Remove the short ribs from the Dutch oven and set aside.
Fond preservation: Do not scrub the bottom of the pot; the browned bits are essential for the final sauce flavor.
All seared short ribs are removed from the pot.
ADD
Add the chopped onion, carrots (2 whole), and celery to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
Scorched fond: If the bottom of the pot turns black rather than dark brown, reduce heat and add a splash of liquid.
Vegetables are softened.
ADD
Add the minced garlic (4 cloves) and tomato paste (2 tbsp) and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
Burnt garlic: Garlic burns rapidly; if it smells acrid, it has overcooked and will ruin the sauce flavor.
Garlic and tomato paste are fragrant and slightly darkened.
DEGLAZE
Pour in the red wine and deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Incomplete deglazing: Leaving fond stuck to the bottom can lead to bitter, burnt flavors during the long braise.
All browned bits are scraped from the bottom of the pot.
ADD
Add the beef broth (2 cups), thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer.
Liquid levels: If the liquid is too low, the meat will steam rather than braise, resulting in tough, dry edges.
Braising liquid is simmering.
RETURN
Return the short ribs to the Dutch oven, ensuring they are mostly submerged in the liquid.
Uneven cooking: Ensure ribs are not stacked too high; they should be mostly submerged to braise evenly.
Short ribs are back in the pot and mostly submerged.
COVER
Cover the Dutch oven and transfer to the preheated oven.
Steam escape: An improperly sealed lid will cause the liquid to evaporate too quickly, risking scorched meat.
Dutch oven is covered and in the oven.
BRAISE
Time-sensitiveBraise for 3-3.5 hours, or until the short ribs are fork-tender and easily pull apart.
Liquid evaporation: If the liquid level drops too low, the bottom may scorch. Check occasionally and add a splash of stock if needed.
Short ribs are fork-tender and easily pull apart.
REMOVE
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let the short ribs rest in the braising liquid for 15 minutes before serving.
Over-resting: Do not exceed the resting time significantly, as the residual heat may cause the meat to become stringy.
Short ribs have rested for 15 minutes.
SERVE
Serve the beef short ribs (1800 g) with the braising sauce spooned over the top. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.
Sauce separation: If the sauce looks oily, whisk in a splash of warm water or stock to emulsify before plating.
Short ribs are plated and sauced.
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