Elegant red wine braised short ribs served over saffron risotto or mashed potatoes is my perfect idea of comfort food. It’s great for any occasion, and especially wonderful for the holidays. And it’s a lot easier than you think!
Short ribs are seared until golden brown, and then braised low and slow in a rich red wine braising liquid until the short ribs are incredibly fall-apart tender and delicious!
These red wine braised short ribs are right up there as one of my all-time favorites! Once the short ribs are seared and the flavors are locked in, braising them low and slow for 3 hours gives the ribs a chance to absorb all of that flavorful goodness and get ultra tender.
Prep is quite easy and simple. It’s a low maintenance recipe, so just sit back and relax while the oven does all the work! And the results are always impressive.
I always make my red wine braised short ribs around this time of year, just like my Dutch Oven Pot Roast and Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder Roast. If you’re not that into short ribs, my Red Wine Braised Beef is a similar recipe that uses chuck roast!
Why I Love This Recipe
- Great flavor and texture. Braising in a rich red wine liquid for hours at low temperature is what gets you these results.
- Comforting. Something about these red wine braised short ribs makes it feel like a warm hug in a bowl, especailly when served over creamy mashed potatoes.
- Great for any occasion. It’s an impressive and elegant meal for any holidays, but also so easy to make.
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Ingredient Notes
You only need a few simple ingredients to make my red wine braised short ribs recipe. Below, I included a few notes from recipe testing that I hope you find helpful when grabbing your ingredients.
- Short ribs: Use bone-in short ribs. You want the big blocks of short ribs, not the thinly sliced ones. Find ones with less fat, if possible, to prevent the braising liquid from getting too oily.
- Salt, pepper, olive oil: To season the short ribs and for searing. This helps to lock in the moisture and form a flavorful crust.
- Diced onion, carrots, celery: This trio is a true flavor builder for the braise! Great foundation for flavor.
- Garlic: Can be minced or crushed. I’d recommend using fresg.
- Tomato paste: Adds concentrated umami flavors for depth and richness.
- Worcestershire sauce: I always add this to my stews and braises! It’s what makes my oven beef stew so delicious too!
- Thyme, rosemary sprigs, bay leaves: The aromatics! Fresh are best so the braising liquid gets subtly infused.
- Dry red wine: Pinot noir, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon are great choices.
- Beef broth: Along with the wine, this provides the liquid for braising. Use store-bought or homemade beef broth, regular or low-sodium. It all works.
As always, quantities are listed in the recipe card down below.
How to Make Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Prepping takes about 30-ish minutes, and the rest is just oven time. Let me show you how I make my red wine braised short ribs!
Step 1 | Sear the short ribs
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Trim any excess fat off the ribs to prevent the liquid from getting too oily, and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides, pressing to adhere.
Heat olive oil in a large 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs undisturbed on each side until a beautiful crust forms. Remove and set aside.
Step 2 | Build the flavor base
Into the same pot, heat more oil and sauté the diced onions, carrots, and celery until softened, about 6-8 minutes. If it looks like certain spots are burning, add a splash of broth. Next, add minced garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minute until fragrant, then add tomato paste, stirring to coat. By now, it should smell amazing!
Step 3 | Add red wine and broth
Pour in the red wine, deglazing brown bits. Bring the liquid to a simmer, and then add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.
Next, return the seared short ribs into the pot. They should be covered almost entirely, so add more beef broth as needed. This is because, as it cooks, the alcohol will reduce, so we need to make sure there’s enough in there.
Step 4 | Braise in the oven for 3 hours
Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and transfer to the oven for 3 hours until the meat is juicy and fall-apart tender. Your house will smell amazing at this point!
Step 5 | Serve
Just before serving, skim off the excess fat with a spoon, but a fat separator makes it a lot easier. Optional: If you want to thicken the sauce, in a small saucepan, add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch diluted with water and simmer for a few minutes until thickened.
Serve your red wine braised short ribs over my easy saffron risotto, plus its flavorful juices on top. And that’s it!
Tips for Success
- Find short ribs with nice marbling, but not too fatty. If they come with a fatty meat cap, remove that first, as well any excess fat. Use the thick pieces of bone-in short ribs, not the thinly sliced type.
- Sear undisturbed on each side until they develop a nice crust to lock in flavors.
- Low and slow braising. By using a low oven temperature, the collagen in the meat will soften and tenderize without becoming tough or dry.
- Add enough liquid to cover almost all of the short ribs. The liquid will reduce quite a lot, so make sure there is enough to account for that.
How to Prevent a Fatty Braising Liquid
A common problem with braising a fatty cut of meat, like short ribs, is that it will render a lot of fat while cooking. It’s what helps keep the meat moist and provides extra flavor, so it will happen to a degree no matter what. However, there are things you can do to minimize that:
- Trim off the extra fat. Your ribs should come with plenty of marbling, but trim off any excess.
- Sear well to render most of the fat. Once you’ve seared the beef, if you find there is a lot of fat leftover in the pot. If there’s too much, remove some, but keep about 2-3 tablespoons to sauté the vegetable base.
- Low temperature braise. Braise low and slow at 300°F to tenderize the meat and break down the collagen. It’s worth packing your patience!
- Separating the fat. Lastly, once you remove the lid, skim any fat off the top with a spoon, but it will be a lot faster if you use a fat separator.
Recipe FAQs
I use a 6-quart Dutch oven.
If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can do all the searing and sautéing in a regular pan, and then transfer everything into a large baking pan. Cover tightly with multiple layers of foil for proper heat retention, and cook in the oven as directed.
No, searing the short ribs first is essential. Without it, you’re not getting the full benefits and maximum flavor. Plus, the fat will not render properly, and so your liquid will be too fatty.
If you prefer to cook without wine, you can substitute with extra beef broth and a splash or two of balsamic vinegar for that acidity.
Sure you can! Sear over the stovetop first and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
Make Ahead and Freezing
Make ahead: Although fresh is ideal for best flavor and texture, you can it ahead the day before. Warm gently in a 300°F oven until heated through, along with its juices (fat removed), adding a splash of broth if needed.
Freezing: Transfer everything (including the liquid) to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag to keep frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it over the stovetop, adding extra broth as needed.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
Red wine short ribs pair really well with mashed potatoes. Try my roasted garlic mashed potatoes, or for something fancier, these spinach mashed potatoes. Or check these out!
Veggie sides: Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts, Brussels Sprouts with Bacon or my family’s House Salad.
More hearty, comfort food recipes to try this season:
I’d love to hear from you! If you loved my recipe, please consider leaving a 5-star rating and a comment down below. Sign up for my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Equipment
- Fat separator for the gravy
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs - excess fat trimmed, about 6 pieces, see note below
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced - or crushed
- 6 sprigs fresh rosemary and thyme - tied with kitchen twine
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups red dry wine - Pinot Noir or Merlot
- 2 ½ to 3 cups beef broth - plus more as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Make sure excess fat is removed from the short ribs. This will prevent too much fat in the braising liquid later on. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper on all sides generously, pressing to adhere.
- In a large Dutch oven or sturdy oven-safe pot, heat about 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs undisturbed on all sides until beautifully browned and a crust forms. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add a few more drizzles of oil into the pot. Add the diced onions, carrot, and celery and sauté until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste, and sauté for another 2 minutes until fragrant. Tip: If needed, add a splash of broth so the brown bits don't burn.
- Stir in the red wine, scraping any brown bits from the pot using a wooden spoon. Let it simmer for just 2 minutes until very slightly reduced. Next, add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, and bring back to a simmer.
- Add the rosemary and thyme, as well as the bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return the seared short ribs, nesting them under the liquid. The liquid should cover almost all of the ribs – if not, add more broth because it will reduce by half by the time it's done cooking.
- Bring to a simmer and cover with lid tightly. Transfer to the preheated oven and let it braise for 3 hours or until ender.
- When ready, skim off excess fat or, better yet, use a fat separator to make it easier. Discard the fat. Serve over mashed potatoes or your favorite sides. Enjoy!
- Optional: Thicken the juices with about 2 teaspoons of cornstarch diluted with 1 tablespoon water. Bring to a low simmer until thickened to your liking.
Notes
- Short ribs: Choose well-marbled beef short ribs without excess fat. Trim any fatty meat caps before searing. Use the thick pieces of short ribs, not the thinly sliced kind.
- If you can’t find bone-in short ribs, boneless will work too.
- The liquid should cover almost all of the meat, as it will reduce by half during the 3 hours of cooking time.
- Braising: Cook low and slow at 300F for a good 3 hours. This keeps the meat tender and moist. Don’t rush the process.
- Thickening Sauce (optional): Separate fat, then simmer juices with 2-3 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water until thickened.
- Freezing: Freeze, with the liquid and all, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat over the stovetop.
- Make ahead and storage: These store very well for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave over.
- Red wine choices: Pinot Noir, Merlot, or cabernet Sauvignon.
- If not using wine, replace with more beef broth and add a splash of balsamic vinegar for that tangy flavor.
- Bone-in short ribs: Boneless will work too, but the flavor is better with bone-in.
Patty says
These were amazing! Really tender and rich.