These Red Wine Braised Short Ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender and mind-blowingly delicious. Short ribs slowly simmer in a flavorful red wine and herb sauce until they melt-in-your-mouth.

If you’re looking for an elegant meal that’s even better than what you could order at a restaurant, this recipe is for you. As always, serving red wine braised short ribs over mashed potatoes results in the ultimate comforting meal!

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

Some form of braised short ribs have been on just about every menu of every restaurant I’ve worked in. It’s an absolutely iconic dish that people are just naturally drawn to! I am personally obsessed with this recipe and it’s a go-to for the cooler months!

The truth? Braised short ribs are impressive and elegant, but they’re actually so simple to make at home. Most of the cooking is hands-off and you’ll look like a total kitchen professional when you whip these out of the oven.

Braising is one of my favorite cooking techniques because it’s the base for so many of my favorite comfort foods. Dishes like cider braised pork and red wine braised beef served over mashed potatoes are truly my go-to comfort food recipes. Give me a braised meat and potatoes dinner and I am so, so happy.

If you’re looking to elevate your at-home dinner game for a dinner party, romantic dinner, or just a comforting meal, then you need these red wine braised short ribs in your life! They are truly special enough for a holiday dinner or just a cozy meal at home.

What is Braising?

While this may sound like an intimidating cooking term, it’s actually so straight forward and mostly hands-off! It’s a technique that I encourage everyone to learn because it produces truly the most delicious meals.

Braising is a combination cooking technique that features both wet and dry heat. First, you sear the short ribs in the pan for flavor and color and then you add liquid to the pot and transfer the covered pot to the oven. In the oven, the beef cooks slowly at a lower temperature.

The resulting meat is exceedingly tender. Braising is particularly effective for tough cuts of meat (brisket, chuck, pork shoulder, short ribs, etc). Cooking tough meats low and slow in liquid allows the muscle tissue and collagen to slowly break down.

How to Make Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

Red wine braised short ribs are not complicated to make and only require a handful of ingredients! I do recommend investing in a large dutch oven, like the one linked below. All my braises happen in large braisers or dutch ovens!

Tools Needed

• Dutch Oven
• Sharp Knife
• Cutting Board
• Measuring Cup

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Beef bone-in short ribs. Short ribs are such a treat and full of flavor. You could also use boneless short ribs, beef chuck, or even beef brisket with similar results.
• Mirepoix. The combination of onion, carrot, and celery is classic and builds the flavor for the braising liquid.
• Red Wine. Go for a bold red wine here. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive, but it should be something you’re willing to drink! I typically go for a decent Merlot or Bordeaux.
• Beef stock. I always recommend making your own or buying quality beef stock found frozen in some high-end grocery stores.
• Herbs. Fresh thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary add tons of flavor that just elevates this dish.
• Dijon. Adding a bit of dijon to the braising liquid adds extra savory notes.
• Flour. Just a bit of flour helps thicken the braising liquid so that you end up with a totally delectable sauce.
• Tomato paste. A bit of tomato paste adds incredible depth of flavor to the braise.

The Process

1. Sear the beef. Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel and season all over with salt and pepper. Add the oil to a dutch oven on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the beef on all sides until browned. You may need to do this in batches. Remove the beef from the pan.
2. Saute the veggies. Decrease the heat to medium and add the butter. Add the diced onions, celery, and carrots to the pot and saute for 6-8 minutes, while stirring occasionally. You really want the veggies to brown a bit. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Cook the tomato paste. Add the tomato paste to the veggies and stir well. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the tomato paste has darkened in color a bit. Sprinkle in the flour, stir, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Mix the braising liquid. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the red wine, dijon, and beef stock. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then pour it into the pot and stir well so that there aren’t any clumps of flour. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
5. Add the beef back to the pot. Nestle the short ribs into the pot. It should reach about 3/4 of the way up the short ribs. Tie the thyme and rosemary into a bundle with kitchen twine and nestle them in the middle of the meat. Tuck the bay leaves into the sauce around the short ribs. Cover and transfer to the oven.
6. Braise. Braise for 3 – 3 1/2 hours, until the beef is very tender. Remove from the oven and let it rest covered for 30 minutes. Discard the herbs and serve the red wine braised short ribs drizzled with the braising liquid over mashed potatoes, risotto, or polenta.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Don’t skip the sear. Really taking time to brown the short ribs is the first step in building layers of flavor in your braise. Don’t rush this step, and take care to not crowd the pot. You’re looking for the short ribs to be a nice, deep brown before moving on to the next step.

Season throughout. Good flavor doesn’t just happen! The best and most flavorful foods happen when you season throughout the cooking process, not just at the end. Be liberal when seasoning the short ribs and be sure to season the veggies as they cook down.

Caramelize the veggies. When you saute the mirepoix, you really want to let them caramelize! This also adds tons of flavor to the braising liquid. You don’t want them to just get soft, you really want to let them brown for a bit.

It takes as long as it takes. All cooking times that I provide are estimates. Everyone’s oven is different and meat behaves differently in different cooking settings. On average, short ribs take anywhere between 3 to 4 hours to braise, but they’re done when they’re tender and easily shredded.

What to look for When Buying Short Ribs

When it comes to buying beef short ribs for braising, there are a couple of things to keep in mind!

There are typically two different types of beef short ribs to choose from: English-cut beef short ribs (hearty pieces cut along the bone) & flanken beef short ribs (thinner pieces cut through the bone, think Korean BBQ).

For red wine braised short ribs, you’ll want to use English-cut short ribs. They’re readily available at most well-stocked grocery stores or specialty grocery stores. If you have the option to, visit your local butcher!

Look for beef short ribs that are well-marbled with some fat, but still have a significant amount of meat on the bone. Some short ribs are almost all fat and you’re left with very little meat after they’re done cooking. The bone adds great flavor to the braise, but if you can only find boneless short ribs, they’ll work just fine.

Alternate Cuts of Beef

Red wine braised short ribs are truly special, but sometimes short ribs can be expensive or hard to find. If this is the case, there are easy swaps you can make!

You want a cut that has enough fat and marbling to make it flavorful and keep it from drying out. Below are my favorites:

Beef Chuck – A humble and flavorful cut, beef chuck is so perfect for braising. A chuck roast is usually known as the cut your parents used for pot roast, a large triangular cut from the chuck of the cow. Its well marbled with fat, which prevents it from drying out during low-and-slow cooking. It’s economical and full of beefy flavor.

Brisket – Brisket is another one of my favorite cuts for braising! It’s also fairly cheap and economical and packed with flavor. The brisket is a long cut from the breast/chest of the cow and is sectioned into two parts: the flat and the point.

The flat has a layer of fat running across the top, but it is just that: a flat square piece of meat. It’s great for braising. The point is more pointed in shape and has a much higher fat content. Both work well, but if you’re using the point, plan to trim some of the excess fat away.

If you plan to use a cut different from short ribs, I recommend going with 3.5-4 lbs of meat. Cut the meat into 3-inch pieces before searing.

Stovetop, Slow Cooker, & Instant Pot Instructions

I often get requests for slow cooker and pressure cooker instructions for my braising recipes. Can you do it? Yes, but you absolutely lose some flavor. Cooking meat in the oven concentrates the flavor and you lose some of that with other cooking methods. That being said, here are my alternative cooking instructions:

Slow Cooker:  Use another pan or pot to sear the short ribs before adding them to the slow cooker. Seriously, don’t skip this step because it adds SO much flavor! Saute the veggies in the same pot and then add them to the slow cooker with the short ribs. Pour in the braising liquid and add the herbs. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the beef is tender.

Pressure cooker: Sear the short ribs in a separate pan or in your pressure cooker, using the saute function. Once the short ribs are browned, saute veggies. Add everything in and pressure cook on high for 70 minutes with a natural release. Remove the short ribs and simmer the braising liquid to thicken it a bit before serving.

Stovetop: Instead of transferring the short ribs to the oven to braise, simply simmer them covered on low heat for 90 minutes. Then, crack the lid and continue to simmer until the short ribs are tender, turning them every 20-30 minutes or so.

What to Serve with Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

If you’re throwing a dinner party or just want a nice dinner to enjoy, here are some of my favorite dishes to serve with red wine braised short ribs.

Leafy salad – I love starting a meal with a big leafy salad! My recipe for Kale Caesar Salad is one of my favorite salads ever and pairs so well with beef. You’re going to love the homemade caesar dressing! This loaded wedge salad is giving real steakhouse vibes and is so impressive.

Mashed potatoes – Who doesn’t love piling tender beef on a bed of mashed potatoes? If you want a classic version, try my Creme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes. If you want to try something new, my Caramelized Onion and Bacon Mashed Potatoes are a show stopper! Horseradish Mashed Potatoes are also a great option and balance the richness of the short ribs.

Dinner Rolls – I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for warm dinner rolls! I love sopping up any extra juices with a warm piece of bread. Try my foolproof Fluffy Dinner Rolls!

Dessert – No dinner party or gathering is complete without some dessert, am I right? Some of my favorite low effort/high reward desserts are my Almond Ricotta Cake, Skillet Apple Crisp, Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie, and this Apple Cider Donut Cake.

Storage Instructions

In the event that you have leftovers, red wine braised short ribs are easy to store and freeze!

To store: Let the beef and braising liquid cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container for 4-6 days in the fridge.

Freezing braised short ribs: You can very easily freeze short ribs! Let the beef and liquid cool to room temperature and then store in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Try to press most of the air out of the bag while sealing, this helps prevent freezer burn. Label and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.

Reheating: red wine braised short ribs are best reheated in a skillet or dutch oven. Add the short ribs and liquid to a dutch oven or skillet, adding a little extra broth or water as needed. Cover and simmer on low until the beef is tender and warmed through.

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When you need an elegant and comforting meal that won’t have you slaving over a hot stove all day. turn to these Red Wine Braised Short Ribs! They’re the perfect cozy meal to enjoy with family and friends. If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!

More Cozy Braises to Try

Coconut Braised Beef
Beer Braised Carnitas Tacos
Classic Pot Roast
Beer Braised Brisket

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