Valentina Ablaev
This short ribs recipe is the best way to prepare braised short ribs. Tender ribs, slow-cooked in a rich red wine sauce. As they cook, the beef becomes tender and the flavors deepen. With every bite, you’ll taste the layers of vegetables, beef stock, and juicy meat.
This braised short ribs recipe is the meal to make when you want something fancy, delicious, but most importantly, easy! This is one of those dishes that requires little hands-on effort yet yields a deep, flavorful result, just like a classic pot roast. Perfect for hosting or just a special dinner.
When cooking beef, slow cooking is the best approach. Whether you’re cooking shredded beef or making tender beef tips, slow cooking is what gives the dish all that flavor.
Crockpot Short Ribs?
These short ribs are slow-cooked in a Dutch oven, but you can easily prepare them in a slow cooker. Our crockpot short ribs are perfectly tender and flavorful.
Restaurant Quality Meal at Home
This easy short rib recipe boasts an incredible flavor that can only be achieved through hours of slow cooking. This dish is incredibly easy to make, yet it tastes like you’re dining at a 5-star restaurant!
Where to Get Short Ribs?
This cut of beef can be challenging to find. If you’re lucky you can find short ribs at your local grocery store, but you can also go to a local butcher shop. These are not the same as flanken style ribs or babyback ribs.
Ingredients for Short Ribs
- Short ribs – bone-in english cut ribs are what we used for this recipe.
- Seasoning – a combination of salt and pepper perfectly enhances the flavors of this dish.
- Flour – flour helps give the exterior of the meat a beautiful crust while also thickening up the gravy.
- Butter – gives the gravy a rich and deep flavor.
- Vegetables – a combination of onion, carrots, celery, and garlic cloves for a delicious taste. Cut them into thick pieces so it’s easier to remove from the meat.
- Tomato paste- adds a lot of flavor to the sauce.
- Red wine & broth – dry red wine gives the meat that notable flavor. We use beef broth to add as much flavor as possible to this dish.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Short Ribs in the Dutch Oven
The easiest step-by-step instructions on making short ribs in the oven.
- Season meat. Pat the ribs dry, season with salt and pepper, and toss with flour.
2. Sear the meat. Add oil to a dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat. Sear the meat on all sides until golden brown, then remove it from the pot.
3. Cook vegetables. Add butter to the dutch oven along with all the vegetables. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Deglaze. Add tomato paste and red wine to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits.
5. Braise. Add the broth to the pot along with the excess flour. Stir the liquid and bring to a light simmer.Return the ribs to the pot and cover dutch oven with the lid. Add the pot to the oven and bake at 375°F for 2 ½ to 3 hours.
6. Strain. Remove the meat from the pot and strain out the vegetables, reserving the sauce. Add the meat back into the gravy and serve.
How to Cook Braised Short Ribs on the Stovetop?
To make this beef on the stovetop, simply follow the normal steps until adding the Dutch oven to the oven. Instead, cook the pot on the stovetop over low heat for 2 ½ – 3 hours.
Expert Tips for Braised Short Ribs:
- Don’t skip searing. To make the perfect short ribs, we recommend searing the ribs on all sides. This helps deepen the flavor while also activating all the seasoning.
- Low and slow. Although you may be tempted to rush the cooking process, simmering the meat on low heat is the key to achieving tender, falling-apart meat.
- Deglaze like a pro. When searing the meat, you’ll see brown bits at the bottom of the pan. When adding red wine, scrape up those brown bits, as they contain a lot of flavor.
- Serve with sauce. Top the meat with all that rich gravy. The perfect flavor bomb!
How to Serve Short Ribs:
- Fancy dish: These short ribs must be served over easy mashed potatoes for a gourmet combination. The soft potatoes, rich gravy, and juicy meat make for an incredible bite!
- Side salad: Serve these short ribs with a creamy caesar salad.
Sunday meal: I like to make this recipe when I go to church, prep everything, and put it in the oven to cook. Come home to a ready lunch!
Recipe FAQs
A dry red wine is key for braising short ribs.
The main difference is that short ribs are beef, while baby back ribs are pork! Short ribs give you smaller pieces of meat, while baby back ribs or long and full ribs have rib meat. Babyback ribs taste incredible when cooked in the crockpot.
Cooking the ribs for an extended period is the best way to braise short ribs. There are several ways to do this, but the Dutch oven is the most effective method. You can braise the meat in the oven or on the stovetop.
Yes, when braising short ribs, it takes a long time to cook, but it’s well worth it!
Yes, when braising short ribs, searing them gives an incredible flavor.
To make this dish in advance, cook the short ribs up to 2 days in advance. Allow the meat to cool completely and store it in the fridge. When ready to serve, heat up the short ribs on the stovetop until the sauce is reheated and the meat is warmed through.
Store & Reheat
- Storage. Store leftover meat in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
- Reheat. Reheat the short ribs on a pan in plenty of sauce. Warm up until reheated throughout.
- Freeze. Add the cooled meat and gravy to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat: Thaw the meat in the fridge overnight before adding it to a pan. Heat over medium heat until warm throughout.
More Beef Recipes
If you enjoyed this short rib recipe, be sure to try our other easy beef recipes; here are some of our favorites:
If you tried this short ribs recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!
Beef Short Ribs Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 whole beef short ribs English cut
- 1 Tbsp salt or to taste, divided
- ½ tsp black pepper or to taste, divided
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour divided
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter cold
- 1 yellow onion cut into thick pieces
- 1 large carrot cut into thick pieces
- 2 stalks celery cut into thick pieces
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups red wine
- 32 oz beef stock
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel.
- Combine 2 tsp of salt with ¼ tsp of pepper and season the beef on all sides.
- Add the flour to a bowl and coat the ribs with it on all sides (don’t discard the remaining flour).
- Add the oil to a Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat. Sear the meat on all sides until browned, about 3–4 minutes, then remove it from the Dutch oven.
- Add the butter, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and red wine to the pot. Using a wooden spatula, scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook just until the liquids start to bubble.
- Add the broth to the remaining flour and stir until the flour is dissolved. Then, add this mixture to the Dutch oven.
- Return the short ribs to the Dutch oven.
- Close the lid and braise for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat is tender enough to pull apart.
- Remove the meat from the Dutch oven.
- Strain the vegetables and discard them.
- Return the meat to the gravy.
- Serve and enjoy, friends.
Notes
- Don’t skip searing. Searing the meat on all sides is crucial for achieving a delicious crust and developing flavor.
- Low and slow. Cooking the meat on low heat for an extended period is key to achieving tender beef.
- Deglaze like a pro. Adding wine to the pot allows you to scrape up the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. That is where a wealth of flavor lies!
- Serve with sauce. Serve the meat with a topping of the flavorful gravy.
- Refrigerate leftovers. Add leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm up on a skillet before serving.
