Red Wine Braised Short Ribs in the Oven

Fall-off-the-bone amazing.

Beef short ribs, braised in red wine and cooked until fall-off-the-bone tender, are the ultimate comfort food. Sophisticated but uncomplicated, this oven-braised short rib recipe makes a fabulous dinner. 

Braised beef short ribs are nothing new. Short ribs make consistent (and still welcome) appearances on many restaurant menus, and are a staple of wedding reception and other event dinners. But the dish’s popularity when dining out does not equal its popularity as a make-at-home dinner. Let’s change that.

These red wine braised beef short ribs taste incredible, and require a lot less effort than you may think. Read on and learn how to make the absolute best braised beef short ribs, right in the oven.

Why These Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs Work

Similar in flavor to a classic boeuf bourguignon, these short ribs combine all the right ingredients: juicy beef, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and fresh aromatics like bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary.

Unlike bourguignon, which is a stew, braised beef short ribs are more like fall-off-the-bone tender meat with a silken red wine sauce with concentrated beefy, aromatic flavor.

What Is Oven Braising? What If I Don’t Own a Braiser?

Braising, according to Larousse, is “a method of cooking food in a closed vessel with very little liquid at low temperature and for a long time.” In plain English: Put food in a pan, add a little fat and liquid, cover, and cook on low for a fairly long time.

That’s it. But what happens in a braiser, science-wise, that makes braised meat so tender? The magic lies in the convection cycle of the liquid. As the liquid in the pan begins to simmer, steam rises to the lid. The moisture collects under the lid, then drips back onto the meat, creating a gentle cooking cycle infused with concentrated flavor.

Why Braised Beef Short Ribs in the Oven are Best

You can braise on top of the stove, but I prefer braised beef short ribs in the oven. Here’s why:

• Braising short ribs in the oven creates perfectly even heat on all sides, including the lid — integral to the braising process. This is the main reason I prefer oven braising
• Oven-braised short ribs keep the stovetop free as you cook any other dishes

How to Hack a Braising Pan

If you do not own a braiser, no problem. A regular pot will work as a braising pot substitute.

The key to hacking a braiser with a regular pot is to create a tight lidded seal and the proper distance between the food and the “roof.” Molly Stevens, the ultimate braising authority, suggests the following:

• Choose a pot wide enough to let the meat fit snugly in a single layer, and high enough for the liquid to come halfway up the meat.
• Make it so the pot’s “lid” is no more than a few inches from the top of the meat by laying a sheet of parchment over the meat, the edges extending outside the lid. Adding the parchment also reinforces the seal.

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs: Recipe Notes

There are actually very few steps to this easy but sophisticated dish.

1. Tenderize and season the meat with salt before then browning the short ribs. This starts building flavor, and softens the meat.
2. Brown the meat. This is integral. Browning the beef creates a delicious crust and brings out that first layer of flavor.
3. After browning the meat, add the vegetables and aromatics to the pan, add the liquid, lay the beef on top, and let the braising pan — and time — do the rest.

How Long do Braised Short Ribs Take to Cook?

These short ribs benefit from a good, long braise: about three hours of cooking time. This allows enough time for the meat to become incredibly tender, and the liquid to magically meld into a glorious sauce.

But this cooking time is only a gauge. You will know when the short ribs are done when you try to lift the beef from the pan and it falls apart.

Enjoy this with a side of buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, or even just some good, crusty bread. A nice green salad adds a pop of color and serves as a light counterpoint to the richness of the beef.

Like this braised short ribs recipe? You may also like:

• Ginger Lime Flank Steak
• Beef and Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie
• Ethiopian Awaze Beef Tibs

Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs

Fall-off-the-bone tender beef short ribs braised in a silky red wine sauce.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Meat Tenderizing Time1 day d

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American, French

Keywords:: beef, braised short ribs oven, braised short ribs recipe, comfort food, dinner, holiday, red wine braised short ribs, short ribs, short ribs red wine sauce

Servings: 4 people

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Ingredients 

1x2x

• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 1/2 pounds boneless or bone-in beef short ribs
• 1 large celery stalk, rough chopped
• 4 large carrots, peeled and rough chopped
• 1 large onion, peeled and rough chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 generous sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 cup unsalted chicken stock
• 1 cup red wine (not cooking wine)
• Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper

Instructions

A Day or Two Before

• Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel. Trim the excess fat, taking care to leave on the silver skin and any sinew. Generously season both sides with kosher salt (about 2 teaspoons). Cover and chill for 1 or 2 days.

For the Braised Beef Short Ribs

• Heat the oven to 300°F. Remove the short ribs from refrigerator and pat dry any moisture. Heat the braising pan with the 1/4 cup olive oil, or enough to cover the bottom of the pot, over medium- to medium-high heat.
• When the oil is hot, add several of the short ribs and brown on all sides (no need to brown the meatless bone side, though), about 5 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining ribs, adding more oil as necessary. The browning is a critical element to building flavor.

  PRO TIPS: Do not brown all the short ribs at once. You need space in the pan or the meat will steam and not brown.

  Also, do not be tempted to lift or turn the meat too soon. The beef will stick at first, but will release when it starts to brown.
• Set the short ribs aside on a plate, taking care to reserve the juices.
• Pour off most -- not all -- of the fat from the pot, leaving the good browned bits stuck on the bottom. Return the pot to medium heat. Add the celery, carrots, and onion. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften and brown. Add the tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, and garlic. Cook, stirring, for one minute more.

  PRO TIP: If the bottom of the pan starts to look a little too dark, deglaze with a tablespoon or two of water and stir.
• Add the red wine, stock, some fresh pepper, and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Bring just to a boil, stirring. Remove from the heat.
• Nestle the short ribs in a single layer amid the vegetables and liquid, and add any meat juice drippings that collected on the plate. The liquid should be no higher than halfway up the meat.

  Cover and place in a 300°F oven and cook for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours, turning the beef every hour or so. The short ribs are done when you try to lift them and the meat falls easily off the bone and the liquid has reduced. If using boneless short ribs, the meat will easily fall apart.

  PRO TIP: Check the short ribs about 20 minutes after you first put them in the oven. The liquid should be at a low simmer. If the simmer is too aggressive or boiling, reduce the oven to 285°F, then check again in 20 minutes.
• Remove the braiser from the oven. Carefully (tip: put a spatula underneath the meat) remove the short ribs and carrots from the braiser and set aside on a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm. Discard bones if using bone-in short ribs.
• Strain the braising liquid into a liquid measuring cup or gravy separator, discarding the remaining vegetables and aromatics. Allow the liquid to settle and separate. Spoon off the fat. You should have about 3/4 cup of remaining sauce, maybe a little less. Taste and adjust seasoning. You may want a little more salt.

  TIP: If you have more liquid than this, return the sauce to the braising pan and reduce over medium-high heat.
• Transfer the short ribs plates, along with a few carrots. Spoon some of the braising liquid on top of the beef and serve.