Succulent Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

Mouthwateringly tender, Red Wine Braised Short Ribs that are fall-off-the-bone delicious and loaded with flavor, nothing better. These hearty short ribs are slowly braised in the oven with heaps of flavor-forward ingredients. Such a comfy-cozy meal that simply hits the spot! Stovetop and slow cooker instructions provided.

Oh my, y’all. We’ve officially entered, what I like to call, cozy season. The time of year when we pivot from all things summer and move into all things fall-related. It’s my absolute favorite season of them all for so many different reasons. More specifically, I love cooking during (and for) this time of year- I thriveeee and my spirit loves it here! It’s always about the food for me, ha! What say you?

Speaking of cozy, my dutch oven goes into overtime with plenty braised dishes, soups/stews, and all that’s in between. Listen, braised short ribs are everything! They are one of my favorite meat dishes of all time. I make them quite often and it just never gets old, they’re such a treat. If there’s one quintessential, fall-inspired recipe that I recommend you make, it’s definitely this one.

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs!!! 🤤

Time to get down to bidness, peeps! This recipe is all about beef short ribs that get cooked down, slowly braised in a rich liquid base loaded with aromatics. Red wine is the key star here that helps deliver big, bold flavor that these short ribs braise in. Over the course of a few hours, the short ribs break down until they reach a meltingly tender state, insanely delicious to say the least!

⇢ More recipes: jamaican curry chicken, my very best meatballs, these jerk meatballs in coconut curry sauce, creamy lemon herb butter ravioli, saucy chicken piccata meatballs, crispy parmesan crusted chicken– all so very good!

An unbeatable level of delicious magic happens with braising: the meat connective tissues tenderize and break down while absorbing the flavors that it’s accompanied with in the pot. Homemade red wine braised short ribs do take a few hours due to the slower cooking process, but man, the wait is worth it.

Ingredients Needed For This Recipe

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)

• Beef short ribs: The head honcho, friends! You’ll need nice and meaty *English style/cut* bone-in, beef short ribs. Not to be confused with the thinner cousin, Flanken style/cut, that is common for Korean BBQ and other recipes. English short ribs are cut parallel to the bone as opposed to across from it…which basically means that the pieces are thick and fat and not thin/long. That ultra-meaty goodness is everything for these short ribs!
• Butter & olive oil: Used to brown the short ribs for a nice sear.
• Onion, celery, and carrot: A classic mirepoix for braising, check.
• Flour: Just a touch to help thicken the braising liquid.
• Tomato paste: A must for that robust tomato-y flavor.
• Worcestershire: A pantry staple, bottled condiment that gives a boost to so many dishes, like soups and stews. It has a unique combo of flavors from various ingredients. Also, it kinda acts like an umami flavor bomb, too.
• Brown sugar: This helps provide some balance among the more bold flavors.
• Spices: We’re using seasonings like salt, pepper, dried oregano, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, and bay leaves. All of them are perfect and the chipotle powder adds a subtle hint of heat for a contrast in flavor.
• Beef broth: You’ll need liquid to cover the short ribs. Beef broth, for that true beefy flavor to be all up and through these red wine braised short ribs!
• Red wine: We are making red wine braised short ribs, yes? I often use a classic merlot or cabernet sauvignon. However, you can surely use any dry, red wine that is accessible to ya. Red wine provides a lovely, deep intensity.
• Garlic: A whole head of garlic, chef’s kiss.
• Fresh herbs: When braising, herbs are clutch. Fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage add a fragrant pop you’ll swoon over.

How To Make Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete written instructions.)

1. Season & rest the short ribs: Generously season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Set the short ribs aside to rest and to come up to room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Then preheat the oven to 325°F. 
2. Brown the short ribs: In a large dutch oven, add the butter and olive oil. Once hot, add a few short ribs into the pot, working in batches, careful not to overcrowd. Sear the short ribs on all sides until a deeply brown crust appears, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Then set the browned short ribs aside and reduce the heat to medium.
3. Sauté the mirepoix: Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrot into the pot. Sauté the mixture and season with salt/pepper, to taste. Continue cooking until the veggies are tender and fragrant, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Bring the flavors together: Sprinkle the flour over the mirepoix mixture and stir to coat. Add in the tomato paste. Stir the paste in along with the mirepoix to coat. Then add in the worcestershire and scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pot. Add in the brown sugar, dried oregano, smoked paprika, and chipotle powder- stirring to fully combine.
5. Assemble the braise: Add the browned short ribs back into the pot. Pour in the beef broth and red wine. Nestle the bay leaves, fresh herbs, and head of garlic into the pot- carefully stir to combine everything. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the pot to a simmer. Then remove from heat.
6. Braise the short ribs: Cover the pot with a lid and transfer the pot into the oven. Allow the short ribs to braise for 3 – 3 1/2 hours, covered, and undisturbed: until they’re tender and falling off the bone (gahhh! 👅)
7. Adjust braising liquid, as needed: Remove the pot from the oven and take out the bay leaves, herb stems, and head of garlic. Skim any fat off the top of the liquid, if needed. You can also place over stovetop heat to thicken.
8. Serve these red wine braised short ribs immediately. Enjoy!

Let’s Talk About Short Ribs

So, we’ve already talked about English style beef short ribs but let’s discuss selecting the best short ribs in general. You want to grab well-marbled & meaty beef short ribs. These ribs also have a great ratio of meat without a considerable amount of fat on them. Honestly, If I can, I try to hand-pick my short ribs in the case from my local butcher. Some pieces are fattier than others and for this red wine braised short rib recipe, it’s all about the meaty goodness!

⇢ Where do short ribs come from? 🤓 Short ribs are a cut of beef taken from the front plate and shoulders of beef cattle. The front plate refers to the lower rib cage of the steer and cuts can be taken from the plate, brisket, chuck, and rib sections. However, cuts taken from the chuck area of the cattle are considered the best. To recap, aim for bone-in, english style, chuck short ribs.

What To Serve With Braised Short Ribs?

Love a good combo! These braised short ribs pair so nicely with many things:

• Mashed potatoes (the best pairing imo!) or mashed cauliflower
• Creamy polenta or cheesy grits (peep my gouda grits)
• Buttered noodles or zoodles (zucchini noodles)
• Roasted veggies: broccoli, green beans, asparagus, brussels sprouts
• Brown rice, white rice, cauliflower rice, creamy risotto, rice pilaf

Back to Basics: Braised Short Ribs

One of the things I love about red wine braised short ribs is how crazy-easy this entire recipe is while having that restaurant-quality flair, friends! Seriously, it looks intimidating, but it’s mostly hands off…let’s break this situation down:

1. Season & sear– You’ll season the short ribs liberally with salt/pepper. After resting to room temperature, give ’em a good sear to brown the short ribs, bringing out huge flavorrr >> aka the Maillard reaction!
2. Sauté & bring the flavors together– This is where you’ll sauté the mirepoix mixture: onion, celery, and carrot until tender. Toss in the flour to absorb the fat. Add in the flavor agents: tomato paste, worcestershire, brown sugar, oregano, paprika, and chipotle powder. Followed by the beef broth, red wine, bay leaves, fresh herbs, and garlic. Then stir to fully combine.
3. Braise, braise, braise– You’ve already done all the work- sit back and let the oven do the rest. After a few hours, you’ll have magically tender and scrumptious short ribs that are so flavorful. Boom, that’s all she wrote!

⇢ These are the >> 3 main steps << that really encompass everything, y’all.

Tips + Tricks For Recipe Success

Here’s some additional info on this red wine braised short ribs recipe…

1. Room temperature short ribs. First, protein browns even better when it is near room temperature as opposed to being cold from the fridge. The recipe card notes after seasoning the ribs to let them sit for a bit to absorb the salt/pepper and to come up to room temperature for the perfect sear.
2. Use a large dutch oven. You’ll often see in my images that I use quality dutch ovens, like Staub or Le Creuset pieces. They’re solid cookware for nearly all things, but especially braising. Although, you certainly do not need these brands: any oven-safe, large (at least 5-quarts in capacity) dutch oven will work for these red wine braised short ribs!

Alternative Cooking Methods For Your Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs

Personally, I love braising short ribs in the oven, however, you can also achieve the same results on the stovetop and in a slow cooker. Here’s how:

• Stovetop braising: So easy! Follow the same instructions in the recipe card, below. When you reach step #6 (after simmering), just keep the pot on the stove over medium-low or low heat. Allow the short ribs to braise, covered, for 3 – 3 1/2 hours on the stovetop- then proceed with the recipe, steps 7-8.
• Crockpot/Slow cooker braising: For this method, follow the same instructions in the recipe card, below (steps 1-5). Then carefully transfer everything into your slow cooker vessel, stirring every so often. Cook on low setting for 7-8 hours or on high setting for 4-5 hours. *Note: if your slow cooker has a browning/sear function, you can execute browning the ribs and sautéing the mirepoix/other ingredients in it (steps 2-4).

⇢ Can I use a pressure cooker? Technically yes, you can. Although, the definition of a proper braise is to cook the food *low and slow*, friends. Pressure cookers are all about fast results. As such, for the best braised beef short ribs, I recommend braising in the oven, on the stovetop, or in a slow cooker ♡

There isn’t a recipe at all like Red Wine Braised Short Ribs, y’all. You cannot go wrong with a pot of this succulent goodness. Whether this dish is made for a special occasion, holiday gathering, or just something extra nice to make for weekend dinner; everyone will love it. Be sure to tag @butterbeready in your BBR recipe creations, I sure love to see it when you do. Until next time! 🤟🏾

*This post was originally published on 10/20/2019 and updated as of 9/6/2022.

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