Red Wine-Braised Beef Short Ribs
Bone-in ribs seared hard, then given three hours in the oven until the meat pulls off the bone on its own.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 3 hr
- Written
Method
-
Season the short ribs heavily with salt and pepper on all sides.
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Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over high heat and sear the ribs until deeply browned on every side, about 12 minutes total, then transfer to a plate.
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Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook until softened, about 8 minutes.
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Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook until the paste darkens, about 2 minutes.
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Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, then simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
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Return the ribs to the pot, add the stock, thyme, and bay leaves, and bring to a simmer.
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Cover and transfer to a 325°F oven; braise until the meat is fork-tender and pulling from the bone, about 3 hours.
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Lift the ribs onto a platter and tent with foil.
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Skim the fat from the braising liquid, discard the thyme stems and bay leaves, and simmer on the stovetop until thickened enough to coat a spoon, about 10 minutes.
-
Spoon the sauce over the ribs to serve.
Notes
The sear is what the sauce is built on, so don’t rush it — a pale rib gives you a thin, winey liquid instead of something dark and savory. Once it’s in the oven, leave it alone; short ribs punish stirring and reward patience.
Serve over something that can soak up the sauce — mashed potatoes or polenta both work. This is better the day after: chill it overnight, lift off the hardened fat cap, and reheat gently before serving.