These mouthwatering short ribs are pan-seared until caramelized and then braised in a savory red wine sauce. The meat is rich, succulent and fall-off-the-bone tender. Cozy enough for a relaxing Sunday dinner, yet special enough for entertaining.
Beef short ribs come from the chuck (shoulder), plate rib (lower belly) or brisket (chest/breast) section of a cow. The term “short” comes from the fact that the cut of meat is a shorter portion of the longer beef rib. The meat on the bones varies in thickness and, thanks to marbling and tough connective tissue, short ribs are ideal for slow cooking. Why? As the ribs cook, the fat and connective tissue (collagen) melt, creating meat that is ultra-juicy and fall-apart tender.
What to look for when buying short ribs
I prefer bone-in short ribs
for this recipe because the bones add incredible depth of flavor while keeping the meat moist. There’s simply no comparison when it comes to the rich, umami essence beef bones add to the final product (if you’ve ever compared regular beef broth to beef bone broth, you’ll understand). If desired, you may choose boneless short ribs; the cooking instructions will not change.
As far as how many ribs you should buy, plan for two to three ribs per person, or about 4 pounds of uncooked meat. When shopping, look for meaty bones with beef that is nicely marbled (not too fatty) and bright red, not turning grey. Pro tip: Beef short ribs can be sold as a rack or as pre-cut pieces. If you purchase a rack for this recipe, cut between the bones to create individual beef short ribs before seasoning and cooking.
A short ingredient list and 3 cooking methods to choose from
The ingredient list for these braised short ribs includes a handful of easy-to-find ingredients. Short ribs can be pricey, but the dish can be budget-friendly if you wait until short ribs are on sale or if you have a grocery coupon. When it comes to cooking, if you’d rather not fire up your oven (for almost 3 hours), I’ve provided instructions for the slow cooker and Instant Pot as well.
Ingredients needed for these braised short ribs:
Olive oil. Olive oil is used to sauté the vegetables and to brown the short ribs. Use good quality olive oil for the best flavor.
Aromatic vegetables. The base of the braising liquid is scented with onion, carrots and garlic. You may use white, yellow or red onion. If desired, you may substitute turnips for carrots. While pre-minced garlic is a great time saver, nothing beats the essence of fresh garlic cloves. If pre-minced, jarred garlic is all you have, use 2 teaspoons.
Beef short ribs. See notes above about shopping for short ribs. The amount of meat on short ribs varies — if the ribs are meaty, two per person will suffice. If the ribs are less meaty, you may need three ribs per person. Plan on about 4 to 4 ½ pounds of bone-in ribs for four people. When purchasing boneless short ribs, you’ll need about 2 to 2 ½ pounds.
Flour. All-purpose flour is used to coat the ribs before searing. Once seared, the flour loses its raw taste and adheres to the meat. Then, during braising, the flour acts as a thickener to turn the wine and broth into a satiny sauce.
Wine. Wine adds complex, tangy richness to the sauce, but note: There’s no need to use a pricy variety. Dry red wine works best and great choices include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Côte du Rhone and Pinot Noir. Again, you do not need an expensive bottle of wine for this recipe. If you prefer to make the dish without alcohol, replace the 2 cups of wine with 1 cup of beef broth, 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce.
Broth. Beef broth is used (with the wine) as the braising liquid for the ribs. You may use beef broth, stock or bone broth.
Tomato paste. Tomato paste helps thicken the sauce while adding tangy sweetness.
Seasoning. Since the short ribs add tremendous flavor, very little extra seasoning is needed. We use salt and black pepper to season the meat and thyme and bay leaves to season the braising liquid. Pro tip: Remember to remove the bay leaves before serving.
Braised short ribs
Once cooled completely, transfer the ribs and vegetables to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. To reheat, transfer the ribs and vegetables to a large saucepan and reheat over low heat until hot all the way through, adding a little beef broth if needed to keep the ribs moist. You may also reheat the ribs and vegetables in the microwave in a covered dish, checking and stirring often to prevent overcooking.
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 beef short ribs, preferably bone-in
- Salt and black pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dry red wine, such Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Côte du Rhone or Pinot Noir
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot with a lid over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and carrots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Transfer the vegetables to a plate.
- Season the ribs all over with salt and pepper. Coat the ribs with the flour. Shake off excess flour.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same pot over medium-high heat.
- Working in batches to prevent crowding, add ribs to the pan and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer the ribs to the plate with the vegetables.
- Add the wine to the pan and bring to a simmer while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the beef broth and tomato paste and return to a simmer. Return the ribs to the pan with the vegetables, thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Cover the pan with the lid and transfer to the oven.
- Cook at 350 degrees for 2 hours. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Cook for 30 to 45 more minutes, until the ribs are very tender (the meat will be nearly falling off the bone). Remove the pan from oven and let the ribs rest (in the pan with the lid on) for 20 minutes.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves. Transfer the ribs and vegetables to a serving platter. If desired, drizzle some of the pan sauce over the meat and vegetables and serve.
How to make braised short ribs in the slow cooker
- Follow steps 2 through 12 above.
- Transfer the deglazed wine to your slow cooker. Add the beef broth, tomato paste, thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Add the seared ribs and vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the ribs are very tender (the meat will be nearly falling off the bone).
- Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving.
How to make braised short ribs in an Instant Pot
- Set your Instant Pot to the Sauté setting.
- Complete steps 2 through 14 in the Instant Pot.
- Cover and cook on Manual/High Pressure for 45 minutes. Allow the pressure to release for 15 minutes before removing the lid.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving.
Questions or comments? Email the culinary team at cooking@azcentral.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Braised short ribs are an easy-to-make restaurant-style indulgence
