Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
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Savor the fork-tender goodness of braised short ribs—the ultimate comfort food for a chilly evening.
Searching for that perfect comforting dish for chilly winter nights or festive gatherings? Look no further than these wine-braised short ribs. Similar in technique and flavor to my ever-popular beef stew, this dish starts by searing the short ribs before slow-braising them to fork-tender perfection in a rich, flavorful red wine sauce. Just a little heads-up—short ribs require a few hours in the oven to reach that melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, so be sure to plan ahead. Serve them over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or creamy polenta for a meal guaranteed to fill your home with warmth and bring smiles to everyone at your table.
Table of Contents
“Easily one of the best beef meals I’ve had in ages.”
What You’ll Need To Make Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
- Boneless short ribs: The star of the dish, these ribs become incredibly tender and flavorful after slow braising. If you can’t find boneless ribs, you can substitute 6 to 7 pounds of bone-in short ribs—the meat will fall off the bone as it cooks.
- Onions and garlic: These aromatics that add depth and complexity to the sauce.
- Tomato paste: Concentrates the sauce’s flavor, adding richness and a hint of sweetness.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the braising liquid to make a velvety sauce.
- Red wine: Adds robust, complex flavors to the braising liquid.
- Beef broth: Adds savory depth to the braising liquid and enhances the meaty flavors of the dish.
- Bay leaf and fresh thyme: These herbs add layers of flavor to the sauce.
- Carrots: Add a touch of sweetness and color.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by trimming all excess fat off of the exterior of the short ribs (although leave the marbling that goes throughout the meat alone), otherwise, your sauce will be greasy. It’s also a good idea to remove any silver skin, which is the thin, white/silvery membrane on the surface of the meat.
Season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the short ribs and cook, without moving, until well browned on one side only, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the beef to a large plate. Repeat with the remaining tablespoon of oil and short ribs.
Browning the beef adds flavor. It may seem strange to brown one side only, but it saves a lot of time and does the job just as well.
Pour off all but one tablespoon of fat, return the pot to the stove, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. (If the onions begin to darken too quickly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to the pan.)
Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes more.
Add the tomato paste.
Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Add the flour.
Cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed by the onion-tomato mixture, about 1 minute.
Add the wine, broth, sugar, bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits.
Add the short ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot and return to a boil.
Cover the pot with a lid, transfer to the oven, and cook for 2 hours. Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Stir in the carrots.
Cover and return the pot to the oven and cook 45 to 60 minutes more, or until the carrots and meat are tender. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Skim any grease off the surface of the sauce, if necessary. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Spoon the short ribs and sauce into bowls over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or creamy polenta.
Frequently Asked Questions
When cooking with wine, I recommend using a bottle that’s inexpensive but still good enough to drink. A Pinot Noir or Merlot in the $8 to $12 range is ideal.
Yes, making the short ribs a day or two ahead can actually enhance their flavor. After cooking and cooling, store the short ribs in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat, covered, over medium-low heat on the stovetop or in a 325°F-oven until warmed through.
Yes, they freeze exceptionally well. After cooking and cooling, transfer the ribs and their sauce into airtight freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat slowly on the stove or in the oven, covered, until heated through.
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Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Savor the fork-tender goodness of braised short ribs—the ultimate comfort food for a chilly evening.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless short ribs, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin, cut into 3-in chunks (see note)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2⅓ cups red wine (see note)
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 large carrots, sliced ½-in-thick diagonally
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 325°F. Season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the short ribs and cook, without moving, until well browned on one side only, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the beef to a large plate. Repeat with the remaining tablespoon of oil and short ribs. (Note: Browning the beef adds flavor. It might seem odd to brown on one side only but I find that it saves time and does the job just as well.)
- Pour off all but one tablespoon of fat, return the pot to the stove, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. (If the onions begin to darken too quickly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to the pan.) Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes more. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed by the onion-tomato mixture, about 1 minute.
- Add the wine, broth, sugar, bay leaf and thyme sprigs; increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits. Add the short ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot and return to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, transfer to the oven, and cook for 2 hours.
- Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Stir in the carrots. Cover and return the pot to the oven and cook 45 to 60 minutes more, or until the carrots and meat are tender. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Skim any grease off the surface of the sauce, if necessary. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Spoon the short ribs and sauce into bowls over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or creamy polenta.
- Note: It's very important to trim all excess fat off of the exterior of the short ribs (although leave the marbling that goes throughout the meat alone), otherwise your sauce will be greasy. It's also a good idea to remove any silver skin, which is the thin, white/silvery membrane on the surface of the meat.
- Note: In selecting wine for this recipe, look for an inexpensive bottle that's still good enough to drink: a Pinot Noir or Merlot in the $8 - $12 range would be ideal.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The short ribs can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Reheat, covered, over medium-low heat on the stovetop or in a 325°F oven.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The short ribs can be frozen for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then reheat, covered, over medium-low heat on the stovetop or in a 325°F oven.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 680
- Fat: 47 g
- Saturated fat: 19 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Sodium: 740 mg
- Cholesterol: 166 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I had 2 lbs of short ribs so I halved the sauce. I wish I hadn’t, the sauce is incredible!
This was an excellent recipe. The only change I made was a whole bottle of wine and 2 cups of beef stock. I used 5 pounds of bone in beef ribs and cooked 4 hours with the 3 large carrots added at 2 and a half hours. Did not need to thicken at the end. It was fairly thick already and very rich. The meat was fall off the bone fork tender delicious. Thanks
Good morning Jenn….
I keep trying to post a review for this wonderful recipe, but it keeps disappearing …I’ll try again 😊
Last week I wrote in to ask you about the pasta in the picture…I ordered it online (we live in the San Joaquin Valley in Ca.,…-we’re in a very small community in the country and grocery shopping is very limited more often than not).
I also wanted to share for the first time w/this recipe,I finished it off using the crockpot; I made the ribs the day before our guests were set to come for dinner. This was unbelievably good! I’ve made this before,but I think making it the day before contributed to an even richer flavor.
The pappardel pasta (I know, I forgot correct spelling) was tossed in a little unsalted butter, flat leaf parsley,and a little pasta water.
Everything was plated individually in oversized soup bowls ,and finished off with a few sautéed mushrooms & a dusting of Parmesan cheese on top.
I also made the salad suggestion: my cowboy doesn’t like beets or goat cheese & that all changed last night😂.
For dessert,I made the Apple Galette,topped w/vanilla ice cream & I made salted caramel sauce to drizzle on top.
Thank you
Thank you for everything you do-providing this site, answering questions,posting comments…you’re a pure joy!
Lisa
Lisa, Sounds like a delicious meal and I’m so flattered that many of my recipes made it onto your table! Thanks for your kind words — you made my day! 🙂
💗
Hi Jenn
I finally purchased boneless short ribs to try your recipe. The two packages of ribs are cut so differently, one is in 5 inch lengths and the other is a tad larger than 3 inches. Should I cut the 5 inch ones to 2 1/2 before cooking? Otherwise I think the plates will look stingy with 1 small piece and 1 large per person.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Andi, what you’re suggesting sounds like a good idea. Hope you enjoy!
from Lisa again …Jenn ,I meant to ask in my question about what kind of “noodles “ are pictured…is that pappardel pasta? I love the width/shape in the picture as I mentioned…did you first toss in a little butter w/flat leaf parsley?
Thank you
Thank you 😊💝
Yes and yes 🙂
Jenn! You’re the best -thank you for replying,but also in a timely manner. Even when your response may be delayed a bit (although I’ve never experienced that w/Once Upon A Chef), you DO answer.
There are a couple other sites I sometimes checkout,and many of reader’s’ questions are never answered.
ALSO!!!
You are truly the ONLY chef w/a blog,etc that provides thorough information & instructions so the readers have success in their kitchens.
THANK YOU 🙏 😊💝
❤️
Good morning Jenn….
I’ve got a quick question: what brand of noodles are you using in this? I’ve made this incredible dish a # of times,but I’ve always made it w/mashed potatoes & want to try something different….
For anyone contemplating making this,it’s a must! Outstanding & simple to make!
Lisa
I just made your Braised Short Ribs and the dish turned out perfect! The wine sauce was delicious and the meat was so tender. I served it over creamy polenta and my husband loved it. This will become a family favorite.
Thank you,
Karen Benton
I’ve been wanting to make this for some time, but kept forgetting to get the short ribs at the supermarket. Finally got them a couple of weeks ago, and stashed them in the freezer until I could get around to cooking them. Well, that time finally came a few days ago.
I didn’t follow this recipe exactly — I rarely follow any recipe exactly. I combined it with another recipe for braised short ribs I saw in the Washington Post. That one had a few more spices than this one, and I thought they would add some additional flavor. I often combine different aspects of different recipes — I’ve been making my beef stew that way for years, and it always comes out great. I’ve been cooking long enough (many years!) that I’m no longer afraid to experiment a bit, substitute an ingredient I might not care for much for something I prefer, or to skip a step or two entirely (especially when baking — ie using one bowl rather than 2 or 3). So it was with this one.
I decided to use my slow cooker instead of cooking in the oven, so after trimming and browning the (bone-in) ribs a bit, I just threw everything together and let it rip. After slowly cooking for about 8 hours, the meat was falling off the bones.
Once everything was cool, I stashed it in the fridge, giving the flavors a chance to meld a bit more overnight. The next day I spooned the solidified fat off the top, and heated up a serving for dinner. The meat was incredibly tender, and the sauce was yummy. I didn’t bother to thicken it, just left it as it was — the tomato paste helped it thicken up a bit by itself overnight.
I served it with roasted carrots and green beans, not wanting to have the carbs of either potatoes or noodles, and it made a wondeful meal. When I did my original prep work, I cut the onion into large quarters rather than dicing them, then cooked them a bit, along with the garlic, and dumped them into the cooker, so by the time, everything was done, they were like having another veggie on my plate.
I probably wouldn’t make this on any regular basis, but I definitely would make it again.
Wow…these are the best short ribs ever! After reading the reviews, I added the additional 1/2 cup of both wine and beef broth to have a little more sauce. Otherwise, I followed the instructions exactly!
What a winner of a dish! Absolutely restaurant quality…