Red Wine Braised Short Ribs recipe (2024)

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My recipe for Red Wine Braised Short Ribs made in a Dutch oven is a gourmet-like meal that’s easy to make and full of savory flavor. Save this recipe today so you can make it this weekend or for any special occasion!

Years and years ago, before blogging and before children, I made Kevin a dinner that he called, “the best thing I’ve ever made.” It was a Red Wine Braised Short Ribs recipe. Since then we’ve only made short ribs once a season or so and I always wonder why. They’re incredibly delicious and so flavorful that it’s just one of those incredible meals that seems like it should be a staple. They feel gourmet enough to work as a holiday meal, but they’re also simple enough to make for a Sunday family dinner. Plus, while I know they can sound intimidating, they are actually really easy to make too!

What are short ribs?

Short ribs are a cut of meat that comes from the beef chuck section of the cow. There are usually 5 short ribs and while the quality of the meat is high, they’re usually too small to be used for steaks. Due to the location on the animal, short ribs have the marbling you would expect in a steak with the big beef flavor of a chuck roast, making them the perfect comfort food when braised.

Short ribs are cut in two ways. The first way is called English style and is more traditionally use. It’s what I have used here and what you see pictured. These come with 1 bone and square sections of meat.

The second way for cutting short ribs is called BBQ style or flanken style. This style cuts the ribs into strips with three bones and the beef cuts are nestled between.

No matter how they’re cut, short ribs do have a higher fat content than other cuts of meat. This is what makes braising them especially important.

Note:

Have the Butcher cut the short ribs for you. You can explain what you’re making, how many people you’re serving and they will cut them to size in the serving amount you need. I used about 2.5 Ibs for my recipe but pounds can be difficult to go by because you need to take into account the weight of the bone versus the meat itself.

What is braising?

I know the word braising can scare some people away but I promise, it is one of the most simple ways to cook! It produces amazing and delicious results each time and it really takes all your ingredients to the next level. Braising is the most common way of cooking short ribs to ensure the flavor is captured perfectly. It is a combination of dry and moist cooking methods where you sear the meat briefly and then bake it in a broth in a Dutch oven or large pot. The long, slow cooking of method of braising helps to retain moisture, flavor and can tenderize tougher pieces of meat.

You can also make these in a show cooker, but I prefer the Dutch oven because I personally believe the flavor is better.Red wine braised short ribs

My Red Wine Braised Short Ribs recipe

My recipe for Red Wine Braised Short Ribs combines garlic, shallot, carrots, onion and celery along with an array of fresh and dried herbs to really create an incredible flavor that makes them company worthy comfort food.

I’m a big fan of using a lot of herbs and seasoning in my dishes to create layers of flavor and the Red Wine Braised Short ribs are no exception. I start by seasoning the meat on all of it’s sides. This is a must and I use extra virgin olive oil and dried herbs that include sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, thyme and a little garlic salt.

To create the delectable broth that the shirt ribs are cooked in, I combine beef broth, fresh herbs, a little bit of tomato paste, all the veggies I mentioned above and of course, red wine. I prefer using a Cabernet Sauvignon for its robust flavor.

Cooking time for Braised Short Ribs

This is an easy recipe to make but not a fast recipe. I want to stress that because to really braise something well you cannot rush the process. The whole thing will take about 4 hours to make. Most of that time, the beef is braising in the oven. It’s really a lovely hands-off recipe that is a perfect Sunday meal or special occasion dish.

The short ribs themselves will need to braise for 3 hours and with the cutting of the vegetables plus the searing of the meat and making of the braising liquid, you’re looking at a total of about 4 hours. The hands on time will less than 1 hour. The long cooking time is really inactive time for you.

Tips for making my Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

• Use the highest quality of extra virgin olive oil you can find. This is the base for the recipe and helps to set the flavor stage.
• Make sure to use sea salt and don’t be afraid to salt the meat. I recommend using 1 tsp of sea salt per short rib and 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper per short rib. It might seem like a lot but the salt is what is going to draw out that beefy flavor.
• I tend not to use a lot of tomato paste in this recipe. You might find recipe that use a lot, but I prefer the wine and beef flavor to be stronger over the tomato flavor. My personal feeling is that a little goes a long way.
• Use dried herbs on the meat and fresh herbs in the pot. This helps to create an outstanding flavor and makes good use of the flavor benefits of dry and fresh herbs.
• Once the meat is seared, I recommend pouring the accumulated grease and fat out of the pot into a glass jar. I will also wipe out the pan lightly too to remove extra grease while making sure to leave the brown bits. Due to the cut of meat, you will have plenty of fat to flavor the dish. Removing all of this makes it less greasy.
• Some people like to strain the vegetables out of the broth at the end but I don’t. I prefer to have all those delicious veggies in my meal. I serve everything together over potatoes. I will remove the fresh herb stalks because by then the herbs themselves are incorporated into the dish. If you prefer it strained, feel free to do so.
• To make the Red Wine Braised Short Ribs you will need a large pot or a Dutch oven. I have this one {HERE} by Le Creuset and if you follow me, you know that it’s an investment pot that i use for pretty much everything.

Looking for other Sunday dinner or special occasion meals?

If you’re looking for some Sunday dinner or special occasion meal inspiration, check out these recipes too!

• White Wine Dijon Chicken {HERE}
• Beef Tenderloin in the oven {HERE}
• Delicious Prime Rib {HERE}
• Mussels in White Wine Sauce {HERE}
• Butter Herb Turkey {HERE}