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:
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Oven – 3 hours at 160C/325F
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Stove – 2.5 hours
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Pressure Cooker – 1 hour on high
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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!!
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BBQ Beef Ribs – slow cooked ribs in a sticky sweet BBQ sauce!
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Osso Buco – traditional Italian slow cooked veal
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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 😂
What do you suggest in re: to making day before. Reheating on stove
Hi Marla, I would reheat covered in the microwave – N x
Thanks- but what if you dont have a microwave for reheating would you just simmer low on the stove?
Hi, I’m not a fan of beef, can I substitute lamb short ribs?
Hi Kesh, Lamb short ribs are quite. bit smaller than beef – you could use them but you’d need to lessen the cook time – N x
This was an awesome recipe so good when my husband was finished or so I thought he said hold on I was just getting some bread to mop up the sauce.
I love everything about this!!
Hi Nagi! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes, I have become a total addict!
I was actually wondering what your absolute essential chasseur cookware items were (size/shape etc)?
I currently make these ribs in a slow cooker but want to invest in some chasseur cookware as it’s so much more versatile. I also like the idea of cutting down on the number of pots/pans/dishes I use!
Thanks in advace,
Danielle 🙂
Absolutely delicious! Taste even better the next day. I will make again soon. Thank you Nagi.
Perfect Mary Ann!
This recipe came across my FB newsfeed and I knew I had to make it and start following your page! Delicious and I can’t wait to make it again for company! So tender & flavorful.
That’s awesome to hear Joellen!
To make the short ribs for eight, I would like to cook about 10 ribs, do I need to increase the sauce x2?.
Thanks!
Hi Susan, you can scale the recipe up by clicking on the servings and sliding the scale. All the other ingredients will adjust automatically for you – N x
Nagi, would it be ok to blitz the liquid and veges at the end as in the beef cheeks. That was delicious.
What a delicious recipe! I made this for NYE dinner and it was simply stunning. Quick question. Could I reuse the remaining sauce to other dishes if I were to store it? Thank you!
I want to try this. Just wondering what you did with the veggies after straining? Did you serve them with the dish or discard?
Hi Laurie, I discard – N x
Thank you!
Looks yam i am going to try this receipe
Enjoy Rita!
Will doubling or tripling this recipe effect cook time?
Hi Rebecca, it shouldn’t affect the cook time when in the oven, but may take slightly longer to brown all the ribs – N x
I’ve never commented on recipes I’ve tried before but thought this one deserved recognition. This is definitely a restaurant worthy recipe. I used the oven method and it turned out superb? The meat was tender, not dry and the sauce/gravy had so much flavour I wanted to back for 2nd’s but saved it for the next day. I will definitely make this one again. I’v already put the short ribs on the next grocery list. Great Job Nagi!!
I made the braised beef ribs for four, and they were amazing. I am having 12 guests for dinner on Sunday, Can I make them a day in advance and reheat the following day.
Thanks
Sure can Claire, they reheat great – N x
I plan on cooking these this weekend in the slower cooker because I don’t have a dutch oven big enough. Almost 8lbs or 16 pieces, do you think packing them in the slow cooker will be a problem? Also thinking I might have to triple the recipe for the right amount of liquid…your thoughts?
It’s in the oven and I can’t wait to try it! It smells delicious. I have to tell you, I absolutely love your use of the word “aggressively” in terms of browning the meat. I keep thinking about it! 😀 I am 99.99999% sure my family will love this, but I’ll still try to come back with more compliments after we eat it.
I hope they were a hit Kim! – N x
So I am NOT a very experienced cook but I decided to tackle this one! I followed the recipe but added it all to a slow cooker for 5 hours on high instead of the oven. I ended up having to add water to cover my meat and then on the back end, my sauce would not reduce after 30 minutes of simmering. I finally had to add some cornstarch (a slurry as google taught me) and got it to a semi thick – no where near syrupy – consistency but it was doable. I don’t know if it’s because of the corn starch or the extra simmering but frankly it was lacking flavor. I skipped the thyme but added all the other ingredients as directed. Any suggestions on where I went wrong? Or how I can modify in the future?
Hi Carson, Sorry you found it lacking flavour, I imagine it’s because you watered the sauce down – You don’t need the meat fully submerged to cook in a slow cooker – N x
Ah you’re probably right! I intend to tackle this one again in a few weeks and will hopefully have better results. Otherwise – GREAT recipe and your writing makes it very easy to follow – even for a new cook like me!! I will certainly be trying more 🙂
I love having short rib in a restaurant. Today I tried it using your recipe “Best I have ever eaten “!
I make it for 2 persons but used the full recipe for the sauce. Loved it, my husband had never had short rib he said it was as good as steak. Delicious!
Wahoo! That’s awesome Colleen!
Do you have to strain the vegies out or is it fine just to leave them in the gravy?
You can leave them in if you prefer Jenny 🙂
Hi Nagi
First off I want to thank you for your wonder recipes…. I found your site about a year ago and I love your food! Lol
I have made lots of your recipes and each on have been delicious..even the one pot easy stuff…
I love to cook and you and I have the same taste in food apparently… lol
Have never had beef short ribs before…but they looked so yummy I had to try them… they we fantastic… not cheap to make her in Vancouver Canada… cost me $50 for the beef… but it was totally worth it… served over mashed potatoes and green beans …. that red wine sauce was amazing.
Keep the recipes coming…
Kisses for dozer…
I’m so glad you loved it Darlana, thanks so much for letting me know ❤️
Made exactly as directed and this recipe is beyond delicious. Will make over and over again, very easy!!
That’s awesome Susan, thanks so much for letting me know!