Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients (~8 servings)

• ~6 lbs bone-in English-cut short ribs
• 1 Tbsp neutral oil
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 4 celery ribs, finely diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 3 cups bold red wine (like Bordeaux or Merlot)
• 3 cups beef stock
• 12 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat Oven and Sear the Short Ribs

Get your oven to 350F.

Pat the short ribs completely dry with paper towels – any moisture will prevent good browning.

Season all sides generously with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers.

Sear the short ribs on all sides until deeply browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.

You’ll likely need to do this in 2 batches to avoid overcrowding. Don’t rush this step – the browning creates the flavor base for everything.

Remove the ribs and set aside on a plate.

Build the Aromatics Base

Turn the heat down to medium and add the butter to the same Dutch oven.

Add the diced onions, celery, and carrots and cook for ~8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

You want real browning here – the vegetables should be caramelized and golden, not just softened.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Cook the Tomato Paste and Add Flour

Push the vegetables to one side and add the tomato paste to the empty space.

Let it cook for ~4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it darkens from bright red to a deeper, brick color.

This concentrates the flavor and removes the raw taste.

Sprinkle the flour over everything and stir well to combine.

Cook for another 2-3 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.

Add the Braising Liquid

In a large measuring cup, whisk together the red wine, dijon, and beef stock until the mustard is fully incorporated.

Season this mixture with salt and pepper.

Pour it into the Dutch oven and stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.

The flour will want to clump at first – just keep stirring until everything is smooth.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Nestle the Ribs and Braise

Add the short ribs back to the pot, nestling them into the liquid.

The braising liquid should come about 3/4 of the way up the sides of the ribs.

Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen twine to make a bouquet garni and tuck it between the ribs.

Add the bay leaves to the liquid around the meat.

Cover tightly with the lid and transfer to the oven.

Braise for ~3 to 3 1/2 hours.

The meat is done when it’s fork-tender and practically falling off the bone.

Rest and Serve

Remove from the oven and let rest covered for 30 minutes.

This allows the meat to reabsorb some of the juices and makes it easier to handle.

Remove and discard the herb bundle and bay leaves.

Taste the braising liquid and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Serve the short ribs with the braising liquid spooned over mashed potatoes, risotto, or polenta.