Beef short ribs braised in a succulent red wine sauce, along with aromatic herbs and vegetables make for some heavenly comfort food!
Wine Braised Short Ribs
Some of the best comfort food you can make are these Wine Braised Short Ribs. Cooked slowly in a rich red wine sauce transforms them in to fall-off-the-bone tender chunks of beef. Serve them over mashed potatoes for a comforting meal worthy of company.
We use a cooking method called braising for this dish. Braising is a two fold cooking method that starts with searing (browning quickly) the meat and then slow cooking it in a liquid. This gives you a deep levels of flavor and buttery tender meat along with a rich sauce. You can braise all cuts of meat, even chicken, but tougher cuts really benefit from this technique.
To flavor the meat and the sauce even more I use the addition of vegetables (Matignon) such as onion, celery, and carrots along with some herbs. In some braises the solids are strained out of the sauce at the end of cooking. In this method, called Braising a' la Matignon, you keep the vegetables in the sauce and they become part of the finished dish. It's soooo good!
I hope you are not intimidated by this cooking method. It really is a simple and easy way to cook and it's perfect for those you love one-pot meals. This is the perfect dish to make on a leisurely Sunday when using the oven or you could make this during the week using an Instant Pot. Directions for both cooking methods are provided for you below.
Enjoy!
What Ingredients do I need?
- boneless or bone-in beef short ribs (English cut)
- carrots, celery, and onion
- red wine - choose a wine that you would drink. Merlot, pinot noir, cabernet, or even a red blend are good choices.
- Cornstarch (optional for thickening)
Substitutions and Variations
- Lamb shanks, veal shanks, beef cheeks, and pork shoulder all make solid substitutions here
Kitchen Tips and Notes
How long does it take to braise beef short ribs?
Oven – 3 hours at 325 degrees Fahrenheit
Stove – 2.5 hours
Pressure Cooker – 50 minutes with a 10 minutes natural release
Slow cooker – 8 hours on low, 5 hours on high
How to Braise Meat in 3 Simple Steps
1. Start by browning the meat you’d like to braise. In a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, drizzle enough butter or olive oil, to coat the bottom of the pan, then sear each side of the seasoned meat until golden brown. Remove from the pan, and set aside.
2. Add your aromatics (onion, shallots, garlic, and spices), and then deglaze with stock, wine, beer, or even water. (The amount of liquid you use is up to you: as long as the meat is partially submerged you can always rotate during the cooking time.) Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all those brown bits—that’s called the fond and it will provide the delicious foundation for all the flavor you’re about to build—and stir into the braising liquid.
3. Season to taste, and bring to a boil until slightly reduced. Add the meat back into the pot, slap on a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer away in a 325°F oven (the more consistent bet) or over a low flame on the stove for up to an hour.
Two cuts of short ribs
- Flanken: In the flanken style of short rib, this thin cut, which is about 1/2 inch thick, goes across the bones so that each slice contains a few pieces of bone. This is a popular way to cut the short ribs if you’re going for a Korean barbecue kalbi-style result. Unless you’re shopping at an Asian grocery store, you most likely have to ask your butcher to cut these to order for you.
- English Cut: The English style of short rib cuts between the ribs to separate them, leaving a thick piece of meat sitting on top of one piece of bone. These ribs can be left as is in one long piece or cut into smaller, approximately 2-inch long pieces. Boneless short ribs can sometimes be found, which mean that the meat is cut off the bones of an English-cut short rib.
More braised recipes:
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Wine Braised Short Ribs
serves 4-6
8 boneless beef short ribs (or bone-in English cut, for more flavor)
kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 large carrots, peeled and small diced
3 ribs of celery, small diced
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and small diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups red wine
2 cups beef broth (low sodium)
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
7 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
Cornstarch
Instant Pot Method:
Turn on the "sauté" setting on the instant pot to heat up. Place the flour on a large plate. Pat your short ribs with a paper towel to dry them. Season all sides with salt & pepper, then dredge them lightly in the flour on both sides. Shake off any excess flour. Reserve the rest of the flour for later use.
Tie the fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs in to a bundle with some kitchen twine. Set aside.
In the Instant pot that is on "sauté" add the olive oil and allow to heat. When oil is hot sear the beef on both sides until well browned. Remove to a a baking sheet. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the instant pot and add in the carrots, celery, and onion. Season with salt & pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are turning brown. About 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir together and cook for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle 1 1/2 Tablespoons of the remaining flour over the vegetables and cook 1-2 minutes stirring constantly.
Add the red wine, stirring to scrape up any brown bits that have accumulated on the bottom. Add in the beef broth, bay leaves, rosemary/thyme bundle, and the beef short ribs. Hit the "cancel" button. Place the lid on and turn the knob to "sealing". Hit the "pressure cook" button and adjust set the time to 50 minutes. Once the cooking has finished allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes then move the valve to venting to release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid. If the sauce is too liquid for your liking turn on the "sauté" setting, remove some of the liquid (1/2 - 1 cup) to a glass measuring cup and add 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch, whisking to combine. Then add the mixture back to the pot and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove the herb bundle and serve over mashed potatoes.
Oven Method:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a Dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat, add in the olive oil. Place the flour on a large plate. Pat your short ribs with a paper towel to dry them. Season all sides with salt & pepper, then dredge them lightly in the flour on both sides. Shake off any excess flour. Reserve the rest of the flour for later use.
Tie the fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs in to a bundle with some kitchen twine. Set aside.
Sear the beef on both sides until well browned. Remove to a a baking sheet. Add another tablespoon of olive oil and add in the carrots, celery, and onion. Season with salt & pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are turning brown. About 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir together and cook for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle 1 1/2 Tablespoons of the remaining flour over the vegetables and cook 1-2 minutes stirring constantly.
Add the red wine, stirring to scrape up any brown bits that have accumulated on the bottom. Add in the beef broth, bay leaves, rosemary/thyme bundle, and the beef short ribs. Place the lid on tightly and place in the oven. Cook for 3 hours. Remove from the oven and remove the herb bundle. If the sauce is too liquid for your liking remove some of the liquid (1/2 - 1 cup) to a glass measuring cup and add 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch, whisking to combine. Then add the mixture back to the pot and simmer on the stovetop for about 5-10 minutes until thickened. Serve over mashed potatoes.
