As the shadows get longer and daylight gets shorter, this is the perfect time of year for savory, slow-cooked meals. These red wine-braised beef short ribs are perfect for long Sunday afternoons when it is cold outside.
The ribs are slow-cooked and braised in a thick, hearty sauce of red wine and herb-seasoned vegetables, and the whole house will smell cozy with herbs and savory goodness.
Beef Short Ribs
There are three cuts of beef short ribs that come from three different sections of the cow.
- Back ribs – the most common. Comes from the thick side of the prime rib.
- Plate ribs – come from a section right below the primal rib called the plate section.
- Chuck Short Ribs – located right under the chuck from first to the fifth rib.
Short ribs are bone-in plate short ribs consisting of rib and plate sections. The ribs can usually be found in the grocery store made into short-cut ribs, also known as “riblets.” If you cannot get your hands on the long bone cut, you can use the shorter cut.
How To Make Red Wine-Braised Beef Short Ribs
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat until bacon is crisp. Drain on a paper towel. (Use as bacon bits or for a sandwich later.) Reserve pan drippings in pan.
Sprinkle the short ribs with the salt and pepper; sear in the hot bacon drippings on all sides until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the short ribs from the pot.
Smash the garlic cloves and add to the pot; saute for about a minute to flavor the oil. Add the onions, carrots, and mushrooms to the drippings in the pan. Cook the vegetables for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until they have released their liquid. Remove the vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon; discard whole garlic cloves.
Add the tomato paste to the pan and allow it to brown. Before the tomato paste starts to burn, stir 2 cups of the chicken broth and 1 ½ cups of the red wine. Cook, stirring often, over high heat for about 10 minutes or until the liquid is reduced in half. Turn off the heat; stir in the vegetables until well combined.
Place the short ribs into the pot with the vegetable mixture and top with fresh rosemary and thyme.
Cover and bake for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until the meat is tender.
Remove the stems from the rosemary and thyme; discard. Take out the ribs; place them on a plate, a wrap them in aluminum foil to keep warm. Pour vegetables through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, reserving the liquid. Reserve vegetables and keep warm with the ribs.
Let the cooking liquid stand for about 10 minutes. Using a spoon, skim the fat from the top of the liquid; discard.
Make the Gravy:
In the same Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir the flour into the melted butter; cook stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Slowly stir the cooking liquid back into the pot, along with the remaining ½ cup of chicken broth and remaining ½ cup wine. Cook for 10 more minutes or until the liquid has thickened. Stir vegetables into the sauce.
To Serve:
Place the ribs onto a plate with vegetable sauce poured over them accompanied with mashed potatoes or over egg noodles.
I made a few modifications to the original recipe by adding garlic and fresh thyme. Beef and garlic are a wonderful combination, and the thyme has such a wonderful fragrance and pairs perfectly with the rosemary.
Certainly, the leftover wine was consumed with this meal. As I learned many moons ago from Justin Wilson: “Never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink!”
Enjoy the ribs and the wine!
Happy to share this recipe over at Fiesta Friday. Come on over and join in on the fun!
Red Wine-Braised Beef Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon raw
- 6 beef short ribs 5-inch-long
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 cups onions chopped
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 ½ cups carrots chopped
- 8 ounces Portobello mushrooms quartered
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth divided
- 2 cups red wine I used a pinot noir, but any full-bodied red wine will work, divided
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 5 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat until bacon is crisp. Drain on a paper towel. (Use as bacon bits or for a sandwich later.) Reserve pan drippings in pan.
- Sprinkle the short ribs with the salt and pepper; sear in the hot bacon drippings on all sides until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the short ribs from the pot.
- Smash the garlic cloves and add to the pot; saute for about a minute to flavor the oil. Add the onions, carrots, and mushrooms to the drippings in the pan. Cook the vegetables about 7 to 10 minutes, or until they have released their liquid. Remove the vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon.
- Add the tomato paste to the pan and allow it to brown. Before the tomato paste starts to burn, stir 2 cups of chicken broth and 1 ½ cups red wine. Cook, over high heat for about 10 minutes or until the liquid is reduced in half. Remove from heat and stir in vegetables until well combined. Place the short ribs into the pot with the vegetable mixture and top with fresh rosemary and thyme.
- Cover and bake for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until the meat is tender.
- Remove the stems from the rosemary and thyme; discard. Take the ribs; place them on a plate a wrap in aluminum foil to keep warm. Pour vegetables through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, reserving the liquid. Reserve vegetables and keep warm with the ribs.
- Let cooking liquid stand for about 10 minutes. Using a spoon, skim the fat from top of the liquid; discard.
- In the same Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir flour into the melted butter; cook stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. Slowly stir the cooking liquid back into the pot, along with the remaining ½ cup of chicken broth and remaining ½ cup wine. Cook for 10 more minutes or until the liquid has thickened. Stir vegetables into the sauce.
- To serve, place the ribs onto a plate with vegetable sauce poured over them accompanied with mashed potatoes or over egg noodles.
Elaine @ foodbod says
I can imagine that smelt AMAZING whilst cooking!!! thank you for sharing it with us at fiesta Friday 🙂
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Elaine! Glad to share it. It tasted as good as it smelled! Happy FF!!
Michelle says
Debbie-
These look absolutely stunning!
I might not share!
Red wine + meat= ❤️??
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing dish at Fiesta Friday #142!
Michelle
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks Michelle. Sorry for the delayed response. I found this comment inside my spam folder, yikes!
annie says
Perfect fall food…and beautiful photos Debbie! TGIF! 🙂
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thank you Annie!
Julie says
Debbie, this recipe is just singing to me. This is exactly the food I like to cook on a cool Sunday. I will be trying this one. And, leftover bacon is never a problem for us. I agree that it doesn’t do anything in this dish other than using that delicious rendered fat.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thank you so much Julie. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did. Like we need another reason to drink wine, right? 😉
J says
My son would totally love this meal, Debbie! And your photos look so delicious!!! Hope you are well!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Jenny! I’ve been doing well and hope the same for you. I hope your son will enjoy the ribs as much as we did! 🙂
Liz says
Anything with red wine, count me in. I’m sipping some right now!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks Liz. Please sip some for me too! 😉
Sarah says
Oh my goodness! I need a big bowl of this please and thank you! What a decadent and flavorful dish, I’m drooling 🙂
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thank you Sarah!
frugal hausfrau says
Debbie I think I can almost smell this from here! Seriously it sounds amazing. I just made a wine braised pot roast from a pretty famous chef I admire and it was so lackluster…I think when I make the next go round (I bought two on sale) I’ll adapt this recipe for it. That gravy. That bacon….I just ate and want this now!!
Mollie
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks Mollie. Adapt away, you’ll love this!
Nandini says
Yum! Yum! yum!…You got me hungry. Wishing you a very Happy birthday Debbie saw it on a post from Cheryl 🙂
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks Nandini!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I agree with your changes, I’m sure the ribs were delicious.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks, Karen. They sure were! Back from your holiday? Hope all is well in FL. How did your home do during the hurricane?