Description
This Braised Beef Short Ribs recipe features tender, fall-apart meat cooked slowly in a rich red wine and tomato sauce with aromatic vegetables and herbs. Perfect for a comforting meal, these ribs are seared to develop deep flavor and then braised low and slow in the oven until melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Serve with creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or pasta for a hearty dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Short Ribs
- 5 pounds meaty bone-in short ribs (1 ½ inches or thicker)
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 6 medium carrots, chopped (about 3 cups)
- 4 ribs celery, chopped (about 3 cups)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
Liquids and Seasonings
- 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (Chianti, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Cotes de Rhone)
- 4 cups beef stock or chicken stock, plus more as needed
- 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied into a bundle
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
For Serving
- Cooked pappardelle pasta, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, or creamy polenta
Instructions
- Preheat and Sear: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Pat the short ribs dry and season them generously with 5 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat without adding oil, and sear the short ribs in batches until they develop a deep brown crust on all sides. Transfer seared ribs to a baking dish and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Remove excess fat from the Dutch oven, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Reduce heat to medium and add the chopped carrots, celery, onion, along with the remaining salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and caramelized, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add Tomato Paste and Garlic: Push the sautéed vegetables to the side of the pot, add the tomato paste, and stir it for about 30 seconds to deepen its flavor. Then add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze with Wine: Pour in the dry red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits. Let the wine simmer and reduce by half, concentrating the flavors.
- Add Broth and Seasonings: Stir in the beef or chicken stock, fire-roasted diced tomatoes (including their juice), Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, the thyme bundle, and dried oregano. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
- Braise Short Ribs: Nestle the seared short ribs into the pot so they are partially submerged in the liquid. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stovetop, then cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour covered. After one hour, remove the lid and continue baking for an additional hour until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Remove Short Ribs and Thyme: Carefully transfer the short ribs to a serving plate. Remove and discard any loose bones and the thyme bundle from the braising liquid.
- Reduce Sauce: Place the Dutch oven back on the stovetop over medium heat and simmer the braising liquid for 15 minutes to thicken the sauce. Skim off any excess fat from the surface.
- Combine and Serve: Return the short ribs to the sauce and heat through gently. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley for a burst of color and flavor. Serve the ribs hot alongside cooked pappardelle pasta, mashed or roasted potatoes, or creamy polenta for a complete meal.
Notes
- For deeper flavor, sear the ribs well on all sides without overcrowding the pan.
- If you prefer, use only beef stock to enhance the beefy taste rather than chicken stock.
- Make sure to tie the thyme sprigs together for easy removal after braising.
- Removing the lid for the second hour of cooking allows the sauce to thicken and concentrate.
- Skimming fat after braising helps achieve a cleaner, less greasy sauce.
- This dish can be prepared a day in advance; flavors deepen after resting overnight in the refrigerator.
- Adjust salt seasoning at the end since the ribs and broth already contain salt.
