Oven Braised Beef Short Ribs (Printable Version)
Beef short ribs slow-braised in red wine with herbs and vegetables until fork-tender and deeply flavorful.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 4 lbs beef short ribs, bone-in
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 medium carrots, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
06 - 1 cup dry red wine
07 - 2 cups beef broth (gluten-free if needed)
08 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
→ Herbs & Seasonings
09 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
10 - 3 sprigs fresh thyme
11 - 2 bay leaves
12 - 1 tsp salt, plus more for seasoning
13 - 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more for seasoning
→ Oils
14 - 2 tbsp olive oil
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F.
02 - Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels and season all sides generously with salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear short ribs in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer the seared ribs to a plate and set aside.
04 - Add diced carrots, celery, and onion to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour in the dry red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil and let the liquid reduce by half, about 5 minutes.
06 - Return the seared short ribs to the pot. Add beef broth, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. The liquid should almost cover the meat. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and falling off the bone.
07 - Carefully remove the ribs and vegetables from the pot. Skim excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid. Discard the spent herb sprigs and bay leaves.
08 - Serve the braised short ribs hot with the reduced sauce spooned generously over the top.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The meat becomes so tender that you can cut it with a spoon, and the sauce basically builds itself while everything braises in the oven.
- It looks like you spent all day cooking something fancy, but the oven does almost everything after the first twenty minutes.
02 -
- Do not rush the sear because that deep brown crust is where a huge portion of the final flavor comes from, and pale ribs will taste noticeably flat.
- Resist the urge to peek by lifting the lid during braising because every time you open it you lose trapped heat and extend the cooking time significantly.
03 -
- For the deepest flavor you can imagine, marinate the raw ribs in red wine with the herbs overnight in the refrigerator before patting them dry and proceeding with the recipe.
- If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, replace the wine with an equal amount of additional beef broth and add one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar for depth and acidity.