These red wine braised short ribs are slow cooked on the stove to create the ultimate fall-off-the-bone, tender, and meaty, comfort food meal.
Like my grandma’s Baked Country Style BBQ Spare Ribs recipe, beef short ribs are the ultimate fall-off-the-bone, lazy day Sunday dinner comfort food. Beef short ribs are known for their savory decadence and deliciousness, glam enough for company, but homey enough for an easy dinner in. But because this cut is best cooked low and slow, they can also have a reputation for their disappearing act, where the meat shrinks to the bone.
This recipe remedies that notion by using two different cuts of beef short ribs braised in a lush, red-wined, rosemary, and tomato-saucy situation. By using Korean-cut short ribs, as well as American-cut beef short ribs, the meat doesn’t shrink as much, but the beef-on-the-bone flavor is still very much present, making plenty of tender meat for forkfuls of bites that are perfectly sauced.
The Best Short Ribs for Braising
I use two different styles of beef short ribs for this recipe, the Korean cut and the American cut. I more or less stumbled upon my discovery because the butcher didn’t have enough American-style cut short ribs to make this recipe. So, because they’re the same thing just a different cut, she said it would be fine to use the Korean cut.
The result was less meat shrinkage and more meat yield, with loads of flavor. Cooking with bone-in meats always creates more flavor.
Korean-style, or flanken cut short ribs are cut across the rib bones for a thinner, longer cut that usually cooks quicker.
American-style short ribs are a blocky, thicker cut that’s a cross between flanken and the English-style cut where a thick cut of meat sits on top of the bone. With fat and connective tissue, this cut requires a long slow braise to tenderize the meat.
What’s In Braised Short Ribs
- Bone-in beef short ribs. I use a combination of American cut and Korean cut.
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Garlic
- Tomato paste
- Canned whole tomatoes
- Beef broth
- Red wine. Choose a brand you’d enjoy drinking
- Fresh rosemary
- Fresh or dried thyme
- Bay leaves
How to Cook Beef Short Ribs
Use a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan with a lid. Sturdy, heavy-bottomed braisers or Dutch ovens are important for long braises. My favorite pan for this recipe and others like my Tuscan Beef Stew or Beef Bourguignon, is one like this.
Season the meat, then sear. Always start with generously seasoned meat. It’s where the flavor begins. Cook the meat in two batches and don’t overcrowd the pan. Cooking the meat too tight will create steam and a soft exterior instead of a browned, crisp crust. Brown on all sides then set aside.
Add Vegetables and Tomato Paste for Umami
Add the vegetables and cook to soften. Keep just 1 tablespoon of the fat rendered from the short ribs to cook the vegetables in. This adds another layer of flavor.
Cook the tomato paste with the vegetables. Instead of adding the tomato paste to the liquid, cooking it with the vegetables removes its raw flavor, and adds that deeper, umami flavor.
Finish It Off with Wine, Broth and Herbs
Add the beef broth, wine, and herbs, then let ‘er simmer. Add the meat back to the pot along with the rest of the ingredients, and simmer away.
Choose a red wine for this recipe that you’d like to drink. Merlot, syrah, or cabernet all work well in this recipe. I keep a box of red wine in my cupboard just for cooking so super high quality isn’t required, but don’t cheap out on the dollar bin either.
How Long Do You Cook Short Ribs
Plan on 3 hours of cooking time while you do other fun stuff. Cook for the first 1 ½ hours with the lid on, then remove the lid and simmer for another 1 ½ hours for the sauce to reduce.
Brighten the flavors before serving. The best chefs add herbs at the beginning of the recipe, and again at the end. Sprinkle the dish with more fresh rosemary and thyme leaves before serving so the herbal notes come to the forefront and cut through the robust flavors of the dish.
Make It Ahead
This recipe is the ideal candidate for a no-stress, weekday company dinner. Make it on the weekend, then refrigerate for up to 3 days before serving. To reheat, set at room temperature for an hour or so, then reheat on the stove on medium-low until warmed through. Top with fresh herbs and your guests will think it was made that very day.
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef short ribs
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped carrot
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 15 ounce can whole tomatoes
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced rosemary divided
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Season the short ribs with kosher salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Sear half of the ribs on all sides until well browned, 5-7 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the rest of the ribs. Wipe out any burned bits and drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pot.
- Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes for the tomato paste to lose its raw taste. Use your fingers to crush the whole tomatoes straight into the pot, along with the liquid from the can. Add the red wine, beef broth, 1 ½ tablespoons rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Add the short ribs back to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 1 ½ hours, then uncover and simmer for another 1 ½ hours. The liquid will have reduced and thickened, and the meat should fall off the bone.
- Spoon off any extra fat from the sauce, and serve with mashed potatoes, polenta, or pasta.
Notes
- This recipe can be cooked 1-2 days before serving. To serve, reheat over medium-low heat, covered, until warmed through.
