Beef short ribs are the absolute best cut of beef for slow cooking! The most tender and succulent fall apart beef you will ever have, you’d pay top dollar at fine dining restaurants for a plate of these Braised Beef Short Ribs.
Cooked long and slow in a rich red wine sauce, these beef ribs are easy enough for midweek, and most definitely impressive enough for company. (And after you’d tried these, try the BBQ Beef Ribs next!)
Braised Beef Short Ribs – easy and luscious!
It looks like a lump of coal. Or, as one RecipeTin Family member said, hot chocolate fudge cake. 😩
Photograph challenges aside, this is one of the most luscious slow cooked recipes that I know. The sort of food you will find at fine dining restaurants and quality steakhouses (albeit served alot more elegantly than the “rustic” approach I take 😂).
They’ll charge you top dollar for a single plate of Beef Short Ribs when you can make it at home for a fraction of the cost – and it’s very straight forward.
The red wine sauce in this recipe is amazing. The depth of flavour and the richness you can achieve with so few ingredients is incredible!
Introducing – Beef Short Ribs
But before we dive into how to make it, I just want to show you beef short ribs because it’s a cut of beef that’s not as widely known as others.
Beef Short Ribs are the beef equivalent of pork ribs – but way meatier. They’re called “short ribs” in reference to the part of the cow they are taken from, not because they are “short” (though they certainly are far shorter than full length beef ribs!).
What are beef short ribs used for?
Beef short ribs are a prized cut for slow cooking. Cooking them slowly breaks down the tough connective tissues and the meat becomes fall apart tender. And because they are beautifully marbled with fat, they are more succulent and juicy than other slow cooking cuts of beef such as chuck and brisket.
In Asian cuisine, beef short ribs are sliced thinly so they can be cooked quickly rather than long and slow. Korean beef ribs is a popular example – – marinated thinly sliced beef rib meat cooked on tabletop grills. Any fans of Korean BBQ here? 🙂
Beef short ribs are usually cut into rectangle blocks, as pictured, though sometimes they are more square depending on the width of the bone.
They are also sometimes sold as a rack rather than pre cut individual pieces. In that situation, just cut between the bones to make individual beef short ribs.
How to make Braised Beef Short Ribs with Red Wine Sauce
1. Brown – As with most slow cooked dishes like Beef Stew and Pot Roast, we start by aggressively browning the beef short ribs. This is where we get a ton of flavour on both the beef and in the sauce (from the brown stuff – fond – left on the base of the pot).
2. Soffrito – After that, we slowly sauté garlic, onion, carrot and celery. The longer you take here, the better the flavour base! This is called a soffrito.
Then add tomato paste (to thicken the sauce + a touch of sour) and cook that off for a bit to take the raw edge off.
3. Braising liquid – then add the beef broth/stock, red wine, thyme (optional) and bay leaves (essential).
4. Add ribs – Carefully return the ribs into the pot. Arrange them so they are fully submerged as best you can. If some bits stick out, don’t worry – they will cook just fine too, and the steam keeps those bits nice and juicy.
5. Slow cook – Plonk the lid on and then either slow cook in the oven (my favourite), stove, slow cooker or pressure cooker!
6. After cooking – The liquid will be reduced and the meat should be extremely tender. Check with two forks to ensure it is fall apart. Then carefully remove using a slotted spoon, keeping the meat as attached to the bone as you can (but it will not be attached because if the meat is fall apart, this means the ligaments holding the meat to the bone must be melted).
7. Strain the sauce & adjust – this is optional, to take out the chunks and make the sauce super smooth and glossy, like you get at fine dining restaurants. Strain it back into the pot, then reduce to thicken if needed, and adjust the salt and pepper
8. Transfer ribs onto serving plates, spoon over sauce and serve!
Cheap or expensive wine?
I do not use expensive wines for SLOW cooking. I do not believe you can tell the difference if you made this with a discount end-of-bin $5 bottle or a $50 bottle – and the New York Times agrees…. 🙂
Maybe you could tell the difference using a $100 bottle. But that’s not within my budget!
Non alcoholic sub?
Added to the notes – involves a combination of water, Worcestershire sauce and a bit more beef broth. 🙂
How long does it take to braise beef short ribs?
The time it takes for the beef to become fall apart tender varies depending on what cooking method you use:
Oven – 3 hours at 160C/325F
Stove – 2.5 hours
Pressure Cooker – 1 hour on high
Slow cooker – 8 hours on low, 5 hours on high
My favourite method is to braise using the oven because you get extra flavour from the beef and surface of the sauce caramelising in the oven, even though it’s cooked covered the whole time.
You’ll see in the video when I take the lid off after it comes out of the oven – it looks like a big pot with lumps of coal swimming in a pool of tar that is impossible to photograph nicely.😩
As unattractive as it might look, it’s a big pot of serious deliciousness. Just touch it with a fork, and THIS is what you see ↓↓↓
That’s my dinner right there. Literally my dinner – I made it this afternoon and I’m eating it tonight. Can’t wait!! – Nagi x
Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs
Watch how to make it
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Braised Beef Short Ribs in Red Wine Sauce
Ingredients
- 5 – 6 beef short ribs , 300-400g/10-14oz each (Note 1)
- 1.5 tsp each salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves , crushed
- 1 large onion , chopped (brown, yellow or white)
- 2 celery ribs , chopped
- 2 carrots , chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups (500ml) dry red wine (Note 2)
- 2 cups (500ml) beef stock/broth, low sodium
- 2 sprigs thyme (optional)
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F.
- Sprinkle beef all over with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large ovenproof pot over high heat. Add half the ribs and brown aggressively all over (~5 – 7 min in total). Remove and repeat with remaining ribs, then remove.
- Turn heat down to medium. Add onion and garlic into the same pot and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add carrot and celery, cook for 5 minutes until carrot is softened and sweet.
- Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add wine, broth, thyme and bay leaves. Stir until tomato paste is dissolved.
- Return beef into liquid, arranging them so they are submerged (Note 3).
- Cover with lid and transfer to oven for 3 hours, or until the meat can easily be pried apart with forks. (Note 4 Other cook methods)
- Remove beef carefully, keeping the meat on the bone. (Note 4) Cover to keep warm.
- Strain all liquid in the pot, pressing juices out of the onion, carrot etc. (Optional – can skip if you don't mind chunky sauce) Return sauce into pot, bring to simmer and stir. Adjust as necessary – simmer to reduce/thicken, add water to thin, season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Place beef on serving plate, spoon over sauce. Serve!
Recipe Notes:
- Stove – 2.5 hours on low simmer, lid on
- Slow cooker – 8 hours on low, 5 hours on high. Sear beef and sauté vegetables in a skillet, add the liquid, bring to simmer then tip it all into a slow cooker. When beef is fork tender, strain liquid into a large skillet and simmer liquid rapidly for 10 minutes or until it reduces down to a syrup consistency. Optional: spray beef lightly with oil and grill/broil on high for 5 minutes to brown.
- Pressure cooker – 1 hour on high, follow slow cooker directions above. Depressurise naturally for 10 minutes, then release valve.
- Instant Pot – Follow slow cooker directions above but do the searing in your Instant Pot. Cook using slow cooker or pressure cooker function using above times.
– Sauce: reduces by half so should be thickened to syrup consistency. If not, simmer on stove for a bit.
– Sauce excess fat: If the sauce is too fatty for your taste, pour it into a jug and leave for a bit so the fat rises to the surface, then scoop it off.
– Bone attachment: In order for the meat to be fork tender, it needs to be cooked far enough so that the connective tissue holding the meat to the bone becomes tender. So the meat is not really attached. But if you handle it carefully, it stays together.
– Remove bone: At some fine dining restaurants, beef short ribs are served without the bone. The bone is removed, the fatty bit on the underside of the meat that was attached to the bone is cut off and the meat is served by itself. It looks quite posh! 6. Nutrition assumes all sauce is consumed which it probably will not be. Does not take into account any fat discarded from sauce.
Nutrition Information:
More slow cooked fall-apart meat
I’m a big fan of slow cooked meats!!
- BBQ Beef Ribs – slow cooked ribs in a sticky sweet BBQ sauce!
- Beef Stew and Irish Guinness Stew
- Beef Pot Roast with Gravy
- Shredded Beef Ragu
- Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce or Port Braised
- Slow Roasted Lamb Leg or Lamb Shoulder
- Beef Bourguignon
- Osso Buco – traditional Italian slow cooked veal
- Browse the Winter Comfort Food collection!
Life of Dozer
I returned home from grocery shopping to howling coming from the bedroom – the wind had slammed the door shut and trapped him in there (for a whole 30 minutes, max).
He was very relieved to be rescued – upon which I promptly shoved him back in there to re-enact it for this photo 😂
Made this for dinner tonight and the depth of flavour was amazing. Thank you for this delicious recipe.
I’m so glad you love it Jodie!
We really enjoy your recipes,thankyou.
You’re so welcome Susan! N x
Costco has started carrying a cannister of dried mushrooms. I soaked a handful in warm water, added the water to the sauce, and added the mushrooms back in for the sauce reduction. Consider adding pearl onions to it. Served it on homemade egg noodles. Good God!
OMG that’s genius!!! You really took it over the top!! N xx
Dozer’s bedroom incarceration…so funny. And, really great Brainiac photo!
(Yesterday (5th Feb) was national Golden Retriever Day held in Golden, Colorado. Good attendance of 1000+ Goldie’s.)
I cannot believe there is such a thing!! 😂
hi Nagi, I am just wondering if I can substitute the short rib with beef shank instead? The short rib cut in pieces is hard to find here.
YES! Let me pop that tip in the notes, any slow cooking meat will work really well here! N x
I’m literally drooling, this sounds so good. I’m going to make this next time my daughter visits! And you must have worked hard with a filter because the photos are beautiful!
No filter!! I wouldn’t even know where to start with filters! 🙂 Thank you for the compliment Brenda, I do make an effort with my photos. 🙂 N x
Looks like another winner, Nagi. Just wanted to say thank you for all your delicious recipes, I have tried many of them and all successfully. I love the new look site. I’m building my web site at the moment and hope to reference your site often. And by the way, I hope you continue to use as many !!!! as you see fit…it’s your website and a reflection of your utter passion for cooking. Excellent and well done you!!!! Here’s a high paw to Dozer.
Congrats Tricia! Welcome to the new online world, I look forward to seeing what you create! N x
Hi Nagi! Ooooo I am excited to do this dish!
I am sure Dozer only started howling when he heard you return 😂😂. Glad he’s okay though. And he’s still so cute😂
Have a great day! Hugs 😊🌺
That’s so true!! He was probably curled up snugly on his bed snoozing away and only got distressed when he couldn’t get to the front door!! 😂 N x
Hi Nagi l made almost this recipe a few nights ago in the slow cooker and added- because I read it so often on your site!-soy sauce. Depth of flavour just incredible. Thanks for another fantastic recipe
Yes! What a terrific idea!! N xx
Adding soy sauce, brilliant, idea. How much did you use?
Hi Jeanette
Only about 5 mls.
These are excellent cooked this way, and it works well, very similarly, for pot roasts, also. Thanks for a great meal idea–I was just heading to the store for provisions, so this will be on the menu this week too!
Yes! I was just thinking about whether to share a pot roast in a red wine sauce, it’s so good!! N x
Hi Nagi! Short ribs are one of my favorite cuts of beef, they have such a deep, rich flavor when brasied. They have gotten somewhat pricey, as have other cuts of “less desirable” meat. Here they cost about the same as rib eye steak! I’m going to have to splurge and find some!
They’re still cheap here, just a bit more expensive than chuck. Getting my fill while I can!!! 😂
OMG – am I happy that I have short ribs in the freezer! This looks amazing! TY! Love Dozer… seriously, he is another reason I read your blog posts!
Would love to know what you think if you try it Leslie! 🙂 N x
I’m drooling!! Poor Dozer, hope he got some short ribs for consolation!
No way! He doesn’t get ANY food like this – too good for him! 😂
I too could use a sub for the red wine. I am allergic to grapes. thanks,
Hi Holly! Just popped the sub into the notes – bit of extra beef broth, water and Worcestershire sauce 🙂 N x
Beef broth or a non-grape alcohol, perhaps.
thanks, i was hoping for something with a little more pizzaz than beef broth LOL. but that will have to do.
Hi Holly! Worcestershire sauce is the secret ingredient for a non alcoholic sub in this, I just popped the directions in the notes 🙂 N x
I feel for you! I have some moderate food, floral, and medicine sensitivities, and can only imagine how much more difficult actual allergies must complicate things!
😘 You rock Wynn! N x
LOL. i am GF and lactose intolerant too . not easy. thanks for all the thoughts tho.
OK don’t look at today’s new recipe 😌
I absolutely LOVE braised beef short ribs; I also make short-rib stew.
Nota bene: there are non-alcoholic wines available, which should work for this.
Totally forgot about that, thanks! just added it 🙂 N x
Thank you, but wynn you are right. the alcohol is not a problem but the grapes are. thank you both for trying. maybe the rice wine?
Hi Holly! I popped in quantities for a non alcoholic / non wine sub 🙂 N x
Not necessarily, since she’s allergic to the grapes, not the alcohol? Maybe a rice wine or some other non-grape wine or spirits?
Looks good! Is there a good alternative to thyme? I like most herbs, but there’s something about thyme that I don’t care for
Hi Lindsay! Just skip it 🙂 N x
I would probably look at rosemary as the substitute for thyme in this sort of red wine dish.
Ooh that’s a good idea! I love rosemary with this sort of sauce! N x
Coincidence: I cooked the beef ribs in my own recipe yesterday, must say my own recipe is almost like yours. Only I add dices of smoked bacon for extra flavour.
Nota bene: give this an extra hour in the oven, add a little water half way cooking time.
Oooh bacon…..
I really want to cook this but any chance you can recommend a substitute to red wine as I would like something non-alcoholic?
Hi Amanda! I’ll pop a note in for the non alcoholic sub (water + Worcestershire + bit more beef broth) N x
God that video just made me weak at the knees!
GOOD! 😂
Hi Nagi awesome short rib recipe..I get the ribs from the korean grocery pricey bit excellent beef. .perfect for now it’s -4c 😈😈.
I honestly believe that Dozer is related to Luca..he pushed the bathroom door shut himself in then frantically was cloying at the door to open it and made a big mess and actually scraped paint off the door..our dog walker came in to hear howling that scared the heck out of her😀🐕 💕 Gill
Ba ha ha!!! That’s so funny, Luca in a panic, ruining your door! Just like Dozer!!