Red wine braised short ribs always hit the spot for an ultra-comforting meal. After an easy sear and braise (with some veggies, broth, and of course a little red wine), you’ll enjoy the most succulent, tender, fall-of-the-bone meat.
The Best Braised Beef Short Ribs
A bite of super tender short ribs with creamy mashed potatoes dabbled in meaty juices is, well, heavenly. And while it may sound like a luxurious meal served up at a 5-star restaurant, it’s actually incredibly easy to make in your own home kitchen.
I talk about the simple art of braising below (it’s just a combination of dry heat and moist heat), so if you’ve never done it before don’t worry. It’s super easy. Plus, it has a magical way of turning basic short ribs into the tastiest chunks of meat you’ve ever had!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The best part about this recipe is that you only need a handful of ingredients to create an insane amount of flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Beef Short Ribs: I buy English-cut beef short ribs fresh from the butcher, but packaged ones will work as well. Just look out for thick, meaty pieces that have good marbling. If they’re too lean, they’ll end up tough and dry.
- Bacon: I love to cook in bacon grease as it imparts awesome flavor into the ribs. Plus, the crispy bacon gets added back into the rich sauce.
- Onion, Carrots and Garlic: Diced onions, carrots, and garlic simmer in the broth to give it a layered, slightly sweet flavor.
- Red Wine: Feel free to choose your favorite red wine, though I personally recommend a bold red wine like cabernet sauvignon to enhance the rich flavor of the braised beef. And there’s no need to buy a fancy bottle, just a drinkable one!
- Tomato Paste: Just two tablespoons are needed to give the sauce a bit more depth in flavor.
- Beef Broth: Low-sodium beef broth makes up the bulk of the braising liquid.
- Fresh Herbs: A combination of fresh thyme, rosemary, and parsley works wonders for this recipe.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
What Does Braising Mean?
If you’re all about “set it and forget it” types of meals, braising is your best friend. It’s a two-step method that starts with pan searing, followed by cooking low and slow in a liquid. This process helps to break down the meat’s connective tissue and collagen, giving you ridiculously tender results.
Plus, it helps to create an even richer broth to spoon over your short ribs at the end. So yes, I think it’s time to start braising your favorite chunks of meat, especially the tougher ones like beef chuck roast and short ribs!
How To Make Braised Short Ribs
This braised short rib recipe really only needs 20 minutes of your undivided attention. Once everything is in the pot, the remaining 2 1/2 hours is pretty much on autopilot, where the braising process work its magic.
Prep the ribs. Make sure your ribs are at room temperature. Then pat them dry and season with salt and pepper.
It all starts with bacon! In your pot over medium-low heat, cook the bacon until it’s perfectly crispy. Then remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a small bowl, but leave the grease as you’ll cook the ribs in this.
Sear the ribs. Increase the heat to medium-high and sear the ribs on each side for about 1 to 2 minutes, until they’re beautifully golden brown. Then transfer them to a plate.
Cook the veggies. Sauté the onions and carrots until softened, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste until everything is perfectly combined.
In goes the wine! Pour in the wine and let it simmer for 5 minutes uncovered, reducing the wine by about half.
Let the braising begin. Place the ribs back in the pot and add the beef broth, bacon, and herbs. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. When the time is up, you’ll have the most tender short ribs ever!
A Few Questions Answered
If you’re avoiding alcohol or don’t have any on hand, you can substitute it with more beef broth.
In my opinion, yes! The key with braised short ribs is to brown them on all sides so they’re golden before you simmer. This adds so much flavor to the meat and sauce, and helps keeps the ribs juicy and tender on the inside as they slowly cook in your pot or Dutch oven.Â
If you don’t have a large enough pot, you can use a slow cooker for braising. First, sear the short ribs in a large skillet and then transfer them to the slow cooker. Follow the rest of the recipe (in your skillet or small pot) up until you reduce the red wine. Once it’s reduced, transfer everything into the slow cooker and let it cook for 6 to 8 hours.
How To Serve Short Ribs
Round out your short ribs recipe with comforting side dishes and vibrant vegetables!
- Pile the short ribs on a layer of mashed veggies. Mashed potatoes are a classic comfort food pairing as they help to soak up all that delicious sauce. But if you’re going for something a bit lighter try mashed cauliflower.
- Serve with vegetable side dishes. Add some hearty and colorful veggies to your plate, such as roasted carrots, roasted potatoes, roasted broccoli, or roasted Brussels sprouts. Either way, don’t forget to drizzle some braising liquid over it.
Storage Tips
Good news, braising liquid tastes even better over time! So when you’re enjoying leftovers, whether it’s a week, or even a month from now, the short ribs will taste just as good (if not better) than when you first made them. Who doesn’t love that? Here’s a few ways to store them.
- To store: Add the ribs and some of the braising liquid into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: You can store the ribs and liquid in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. But if you’re wanting to save the rest of the braising liquid for other recipes, pour them into Souper Cubes! They’ll make for a great soup base or sauce to pour over meats and veggies.
- For reheating: To reheat, you can either microwave the ribs or warm them up on the stovetop.Â
More Succulent, Slow Cooked Meats
If you’ve fallen in love slow cooked meals, I’ve got lots more for you to choose from. Here’s a few tasty ideas!
These braised short ribs will have everyone’s satisfaction levels through the roof. So once you make them, I’d love to hear what you, your friends, and family think of this recipe in a comment below!
Description
Video
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 5 pounds beef short rib
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups red wine
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 2 rosemary sprig
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Let the short ribs come to room temperature. Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel, then season all sides with the salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Slice the bacon into 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces. Heat a large pot on medium-low heat and add the bacon. Cook, stirring frequently, until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a bowl, and leave the grease in the pot.
- Increase the heat to medium-high, then add the short ribs and cook each side for 1 to 2 minutes, until browned all over. Transfer the short ribs to a plate and set aside.
- Add the onions and carrots to the pot and cook in the remaining bacon grease for 3 to 4 minutes or until the vegetables become softened.
- Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir together for another minute.
- Add the red wine and simmer for 5 minutes, to reduce the wine by about half.
- Place the ribs back in the pot. Add the beef broth, crispy bacon, and herbs. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 to 2 ½ hours, until the meat is very tender and falling apart. If it's not falling apart, cook them a bit longer.
- Remove the pot from the heat, use tongs to remove the sprigs of herbs, and skim off any fat that has accumulated on the surface.
- Enjoy the short ribs over a plate of mashed potatoes (more serving ideas listed above) with a spoonful of sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally posted March 2016, but updated to include new photos and information.
I made these for a Sunday dinner, and everyone liked them. I plan on using the leftover broth for another recipe. The broth was excellent. I might be a more critical reviewer, as ribs aren’t really my jam, but my husband and son like to order them at restaurants, so I thought I would give it a try. That being said, if ribs are a go-to meal for you, I say try this recipe! I watched the video and found it extremely helpful. I purchased the same wine (at least the same brand) she used in the video, and it was delicious, so although I might not make the short ribs again, I will be buying that wine with the duck on the label. LOL I would not make again, because they were expensive and took a while to cook, and for me the taste was just okay (but remember I don’t really eat ribs). I appreciate the simple ingredients and extensive instructions on how to prepare. Thanks Lisa!
We’ve cooked this several times and each time it is delicious! We LOVE it and are making it for our Christmas Eve dinner this year. It is easy to prepare and so delicious.
Hi Nelly – Thrilled to hear these short ribs have been a hit every time! Hope you and your family enjoys this for Christmas Eve.
I’ve made similar short ribs recipes
Looking forward to make this one with BACON. We are BACON fanatics. Which we get from the Amish. Making for my son and his 3sons.
Have a blessed Christmas
Hi David – I hope you enjoyed this short rib recipe! Do let us know how it turned out.
Question..ordered from Whole Foods today to make this awesome looking recipe but they sent me flanken short ribs, will this still work?
Hi Penny – I would say that flanken short ribs are better for grilling or pan frying.
Hi there! Excited to try this recipe for Christmas this year! One of our guests does not eat pork. Do you have any ideas about what to use instead or just leave out the bacon and use another oil ? Thanks so much!
Hi Kristen – you can just use a different oil instead!
Thank you!
This was heaven! Â I’ve been cooking something for your site or cookbook every night for the past 2 weeks and I have loved it all. Â You have made eating healthy easy and delicious!
Oh yay, I’m so happy to hear you’re enjoying all my recipes Jessica!
So delicious! My husband kept raving about these short ribs even hours after dinner.Â
Yay, love to hear that!
Hi Lisa! I’m looking forward to trying this! To sub for red wine (making this for some who don’t drink alcohol) you suggest more broth. Is there an acid like red wine vinegar, or …. or a juice like pomegranate or cherry that would also work to tenderize the meet and impart flavor? Thank you for your yummy recipes!
You can sub it with more beef broth instead!
I love this recipe… so delicious! The only thing I added was mushrooms with the carrots and onions.
Thank you Lisa for your beautiful, easy to make yummy recipes! I’m looking forward to receiving your new cookbook from amazon.
Big Hugs,Â
Marie
Aw, thanks so much Marie! I’m so happy you love these braised short ribs. And sounds delish with your additions as well! x
How would I prepare this recipe using an instant pot?Â
Thank you for all your great recipes. Nice variety.
Thanks Margie!
If i do not have bacon i can use pork grease to sear and have the special taste for vegetables or meat and it’s cheaper. (in farnce)
Can this same method be used for a chuck roast? If so any changes to the recipe needed?
I haven’t tried, but I’m thinking it could work with the recipe as is. As long as the same amount of meat is used.
What time and hi or low heat would you recommend doing this in a crockpot (the braising aspect of this of course)?
This was a great dish! People asked for the recipe :) I did not do the onions ahead of time because I read that will develop the onion flavour and it could be too strong. I did wonder what the best way of serving it is – I got all the meat and a good amount of sauce into a serving dish but still had lots of leftover broth. I’m thinking if I should have served the giant crockpot and a ladle and made it more family style to make better use of the broth?
Yep, that could definitely be a way to make the most of the broth!
You could freeze the broth and make some soup with it!
I’m thinking of prepping the carrots and onions the night before so I can brown the meat and put it in the slow-cooker tomorrow morning and cook it 8 hours before guests come – any reason I should not prep in advance? Will carrots /onions lose flavour?
You can prep them ahead of time!
Hi Lisa, would you suggest making this recipe with boneless or bone-in short ribs? Thanks!
Hi David – I recommend bone-in short ribs. :)
So delicious! I made half the recipe and cooked for about 2h45m. Served it with roasted carrots, potatoes, parsnips and sun chokes. This is one of many recipes of Lisa’s that I’ve tried and they’re all so so good!
Thrilled to hear you’re loving these short ribs Sandra!
This is my new favorite way to eat ribs. So delicious 😋
Has anyone tried making this in an instant pot? Looking for info on cooking time and if I need to reduce the liquids (broth & wine)Â
Just bought some short ribs and bacon and will make tonight for dinner! Could I add mushrooms to this?
I would cook the mushrooms separately as they might get too soft from cooking for so long.
Made these tonight and they smelled so good! But mine were chewy. Lisa, if I let them cook longer would they have become soft? I cooked for 2.5 hrs. They were marbled.Â
Yes, if you cook them a bit longer they’ll get even more tender. Sometimes it’s just another 10 to 15 minutes to allow the fibers in the meat to break down a bit more.
I’ve always been nervous to try short ribs, but I’m going to try this. My husband has been asking for years!
Good luck with your first try at short ribs and that both you and your husband enjoy this recipe :)
I wonder, is the nutrition per serving or per 100g?
The nutritional information will always be per serving :)
I just made these ribs and they were excellent. The juice had a fantastic taste and ribs fell off right in my pan. Definitely will make again.
They certainly are fall-off-the-bone-goodness! Happy to hear you’re loving this recipe Vicky.
Easy to prep, easy to cook. Fab taste. Even tastes better the day after. Thanks Lisa.
Happy to hear you loved these braised short ribs Ronn! Leftovers of this are definitely the best.
This is very similar to beef burgundy, except no mushrooms or pearl onions.
The recipe is somewhat similar to beef burgundy!
Could this be transferred to a slow cooker to finish off?
Yes, you can use a slow cooker to continue the braising process!
Can we add potatoes to this? TIA? :))
Yes, no problem! Just add the potatoes about 30 minutes before it’s done.
For individuals that have an instant pot, I have made these in it, they ate wonderful!
Heavenly, was the feeling I had.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the braised short ribs Carol!
Hi. Carol. Â You are the perfect person for my questions. What is the setting and time to cook these in instant pot ? Thanks!! Â
Looks delicious. I have diet restrictions that prevent me from having tomatoes. Would it substantially alter the recipe if I left out the tomato paste?
Hi Lauren – I think it would be fine without the tomato paste. There’s still plenty of flavor in the broth!
Do you think this would work with flank steak also? Â Just wondering :)
Flank steak might need a different cooking time – haven’t tried yet though!
The veggie mash sounds so good – thank you! Do you think it could be frozen in individual portions?
Hi Marianne – yes, absolutely!
Such a rich, deep flavor. Delicious!
This look amazing and I love the idea of using avocado oil. I have some short ribs in the freezer so this is perfect. Thanks for the idea!
What a great dish for a party. I attend the huge conferences and know exactly how you feel about exhaustion.
Oh my. Those ribs look so delicious. I have some leftover red wine, it’s not Cabernet, but I am certain it will work. :)
That will definitely work! Hope you enjoy the recipe :)
Wow, what an elegant looking dish. The short ribs sound so delicious. And the root veggies mash, oh my! Cant wait to taste this.
Hi Andrea- This is such a great recipe for anytime you’re looking for a more delicate short rib meal :)
This recipes sounds great. Could the Cabernet Wine be substituted for something else since I don’t use alchol of any kind.
You could try an unsweetened grape juice. :)
How about using red vinegar in place of wine?
That wouldn’t work as a substitution. Instead, you can just use more beef broth if you’re looking to avoid using wine.
The expo sounds overwhelming in the best way possible :) And love this recipe! Perfect warming, nourishing meal.
Overwhelming but with lots of goodies (ie – chocolate!) that made up for it! Lol. :) x
Can this be done in the slow cooker or do you think it cooks better in the pot?Â
You can finish cooking process in a slow cooker if you’d like!