This is the best braised short ribs recipe, and once you cook it I'm sure you'll agree. The beef short ribs are cooked in a delicious gravy until the meat is fork tender and falls away from the bone.

braised beef short rib served on top of a bowl of creamy polenta

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

I like cuts of meat that cook low and slow until tender. That's exactly what beef short ribs are. They are full of delicious marbling, making them the ideal cut for braising. Cook them low and slow, and the fat will render down, resulting in the tastiest gravy.

I like to make my red-wine-braised short ribs in the oven. They are the perfect dish for a lazy weekend, when you want something delicious but minimal prep. Similar to my oxtail recipe, these ribs are first seasoned with a delicious spice mixture, then cooked until fork-tender, and finished with a delicious gravy. This goes great over mashed potatoes or polenta.

Happy Cooking,

Tanya

What readers say about this recipe

Soooo tender and flavorful. Loved it.

- Jodi

Ingredients Needed

Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Beef short ribs - I use bone-in for the most flavor since the bone adds richness to the gravy, but boneless works too and cooks the same way. Look for ribs trimmed of excess fat and silver skin.
Seasoning - Brown sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper. The brown sugar helps the ribs develop a deep brown color and balances the savory gravy.
Vegetable oil - For browning the ribs and getting that flavorful sear. You could use any nuetral oil with a high smoke point, like canola, avocado, or olive oil.
Aromatics - Yellow onion, celery, carrot, and garlic cloves. This builds the base of the sauce.
For the sauce - Tomato paste, red wine, beef broth, red pepper flakes, and fresh rosemary. The red wine adds depth, but you can swap in more beef broth if you'd rather skip it.

braised beef short ribs recipe ingredients

How to make the Best Braised Short Ribs

a plate of raw beef short ribs seasoned with brown sugar, salt and black pepper

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit (135 degrees Celsius).

Step 2: Season the ribs with brown sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottom pot over medium heat and brown the short ribs on all sides for about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.

Dutch oven filled with sauteed onion, carrot, celery and garlic

Dutch oven with sauteed vegetables with tomato paste and red pepper flakes stirred through

Step 3: Add onions, celery, carrot, and garlic to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Now add the tomato paste and stir for an additional 30 seconds. Add red wine, beef broth, and red pepper flakes and stir.

Dutch oven with sauteed vegetables and red wine and beef broth added topped with springs of fresh rosemary

Dutch oven with sauteed vegetables topped with browned beef short ribs

Step 4: Place the sprigs of fresh rosemary into the pot, then return the browned short ribs to the pot and cover them with a lid. Place the pot into the preheated oven. Bake the short ribs, covered, until tender, about 3.5-4 hours.

Dutch oven filled with braised beef short ribs

close up image of braised beef short rib

Step 5: Remove the pot from the oven and serve.

Can I make these short ribs in an Instant Pot?

Yes. Use the sauté function to brown the ribs and soften the aromatics, then add your tomato paste, red wine, and beef broth. Return the ribs to the pot, seal, and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes with a natural release. Everything else stays the same.

Can I make these short ribs in a slow cooker?

Yes. Brown the ribs and sauté the aromatics on the stovetop first, then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Cook low and slow until tender. Depending on the size of your ribs, it can take anywhere from 6 to 8 hours on low.

Tanya's Top Tips

Trim off most of the excess fat from the short ribs to avoid a greasy sauce.
Sear the meat first to brown it, before braising, as this step will add so much flavor to the finished sauce.
When you add the red wine and beef broth, scrape any crispy bits off the bottom of the pot, as they add flavor to the finished sauce.
If time permits, prepare your short ribs a day in advance and refrigerate them in a sealed container. The fat from the short ribs will rise to the top (see photographs below). When ready to serve, remove the layer of fat, then reheat the ribs and sauce in a covered pot over low heat on the stovetop.
Nothing goes to waste in my kitchen, so freeze any leftover sauce to serve with another roast or steak dinner.

glass dish with cold braised short ribs and a thick layer of solid fat on top

a ladle with sold beef fat being spooned off the braised short ribs

Flavor variations

I've used onion, celery, carrot, and garlic to flavor the cooking liquor. You can add in any other veggies, for example, mushrooms, leeks, shallots, or red chili would work with the beef too.
Use sprigs of fresh thyme or parsley instead of rosemary.
If you prefer to make the braising liquor without red wine, leave it out and add a little more beef broth.

How to serve Braised Beef Short Ribs

Serve red wine-braised short ribs on top of a bowl of my creamy polenta, with a spoonful of the delicious sauce the beef was braised in.

You can serve this dish with potatoes too. Try it with my Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or for a great alternative to regular potatoes, try my Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

There's so much flavor in this dish that I keep any additional veggie sides simple. Try my Oven Roasted Broccoli, Fried Cabbage, Instant Pot Buttered Cabbage, or Southern Green Beans.

How to store

To refrigerate: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When ready to enjoy, reheat the ribs and sauce on the stove-top until piping hot.

To freeze: Once cooked and cooled, place the ribs and sauce in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating to piping hot.

fork tender braised short ribs served on top of a bowl of creamy polenta

If you have tried this Braised Short Ribs recipe, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!

Tanya Harris

Braised Beef Short Ribs

4.62 from 13 votes

This is the best braised short ribs recipe, the ribs are cooked in a delicious gravy until the meat is fork tender and falling away from the bone.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 10

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 529

Ingredients

2.5 lb short ribs rinsed and patted dry
3 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 yellow onion chopped
1 rib celery chopped
1 medium carrot chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
¼ cup red wine
1.5 cup beef broth
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Equipment

1 Braiser

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Season the ribs with brown sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper. Heat oil in a large, heavy bottom pot over medium heat and brown the short ribs on all sides, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Add onions, celery, carrot, and garlic to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Now add the tomato paste and stir for an additional 30 seconds. Add red wine, beef broth, and red pepper flakes and stir.
Place the sprigs of fresh rosemary into the pot, then return the browned short ribs to the pot and cover them with a lid. Place pot in the preheated oven. Bake the short ribs, covered, until tender, about 3.5-4 hours.
Remove from the oven and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 529kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 41gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 2272mgPotassium: 995mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 2732IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 5mg

Notes

Trim off most of the excess fat from the short ribs to avoid a greasy sauce.
If time permits, prepare your short ribs a day ahead and refrigerate in a closed container. The fat from the short ribs will rise to the top. When ready to serve, remove the layer of fat and reheat the ribs and the sauce on the stove-top in a covered pot over low heat.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

This post was originally published on February 25, 2023. It has been updated with new information.

Comments

4.62 from 13 votes (11 ratings without comment)

Easy Braised Short Ribs in Red Wine Sauce