Red wine-braised short ribs are richly flavored and fall-off-the-bone tender-the ultimate rustic comfort food. They take time, but most of it is hands-off: the ribs gently braise in red wine, aromatics, broth, and herbs until the sauce turns glossy and deep. Never made them? I'll walk you through it step-by-step for restaurant-quality results your friends and family will swoon over.
When I make these oven-braised short ribs, my husband can't stop raving. Braising is my favorite slow-cooking method for transforming a tough cut into melt-in-your-mouth comfort food. Beef short ribs in red wine soak up a deep, savory sauce infused with vegetables and herbs, making this a terrific dish for a special occasion or cozy dinner party.
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Why You'll Love These Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs
- Meltingly tender beef - with deep, red-wine richness.
- Mostly hands-off - the Dutch oven and oven time do the work.
- Make-ahead friendly - reheats beautifully; even better next day.
- Versatile serving - spoon over creamy mashed potatoes, parmesan polenta, or buttered noodles.
Love ribs? Try these oven baby back ribs with Hoisin sauce.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Bone-in beef short ribs - Bones add flavor and help keep the meat juicy during a long braise. (See tips below.)
- Dry red wine - A medium-bodied dry, not-sweet, red (Cabernet, Merlot, blends) for depth and a glossy sauce.
- Beef broth - Good-quality broth (try refrigerated or frozen brands) for clean, rich flavor. Skip bouillon pastes/cubes.
- Onion - Yellow, brown, or sweet; builds the aromatic base.
- Carrots - Add gentle sweetness; classic to the mirepoix.
- Celery - Savory backbone; completes the mirepoix trio.
- Fresh herbs - Thyme sprigs and a bay leaf (fresh or dried) for warmth and balance.
- Garlic - Fresh cloves for round, savory depth.
- Tomato paste - Concentrated umami and a touch of acidity to round the sauce.
- Olive oil - For searing; avocado oil also works for high-heat stability.
- Butter - Unsalted; finishes and silkens the sauce.
- Flour - To lightly thicken the sauce; use all-purpose or a gluten-free blend.
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt and pepper.
Short on time? Grab your Instant Pot and make this Instant Pot beef stew in a little over an hour.
Chef's tips for buying beef short ribs: Get the right cut of short rib and really look at what you are getting. You want English-cut beef short ribs, not flanken cut. Try to get beef ribs close to the same size and be sure you're getting 4-6 good, meaty, thick ribs and no funny end pieces that have nothing on them (it's happened to me in packages). There should be a good 1 ½" of meat on the bone and a thin fat cap (not excessive). Short ribs should be well marbled so they are super tender and flavorful after cooking. Buy 3 ½ - 4 pounds of short ribs for 4 people.
Substitutions and Variations
- Thyme - Swap dried thyme for fresh; ⅓ - ½ as much as it is stronger.
- Balsamic finish - Stir in a little good balsamic at the end to brighten and balance the richness.
- Port accent - A splash of tawny port adds nutty, caramel notes. Use it to replace part of the red wine, not all, so the sauce stays balanced.
- Fennel - A small chopped fennel bulb melts into the braise and adds subtle sweetness and anise-beautiful with beef.
- Mushrooms - Sautéed cremini or porcini deepen the umami and stretch the sauce.
- Gluten-free thickening - Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or reduce the sauce a little longer instead of flour for a naturally glossy finish.
Beef lovers love this hearty beef barley vegetable soup on a cold day.
Chef's tip on buying red wine for braised short ribs: When choosing a wine for red wine braised short ribs, go for a dry, full-bodied red wine that complements the richness of the meat and sauce. Opt for a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, or a red blend. Although we love Pinot Noir, most of them are a bit light for this dish. In terms of price, it doesn't need to be expensive. Use a wine you'd enjoy drinking, as its flavors will intensify during cooking (as you'll use just half a bottle).
How to Braise Beef Short Ribs
Pots and Pans for Braising
The best pot for braised short ribs is a large heavy 5 ½ quart dutch oven with a lid. I've also made red wine braised short ribs in a 3 ½ quart pan called a braiser (with a domed lid).
I wanted a little more sauce when making the ribs in the braiser so I added a cup of extra broth to the pan when thickening the sauce to serve. Eye the sauce quantity at the end and see if it's enough for you. I had 3 cups total when done.
The ribs made in the dutch oven did not need extra broth, as the surface area is smaller and the ribs fit tighter in the pot (less evaporation).
Cooking Braised Short Ribs
Pre-heat the oven to 325°F. Be sure your pot fits in with the lid on. You may need to remove the top rack.
Chef's tip for thickening the sauce: Skip cornstarch and use a traditional method called a "beurre manie" (burr man-ay) which means "kneaded butter" in French. Create a paste with an equal amount of room temperature unsalted butter and flour until smooth. Just a tablespoon of each will thicken the ribs sauce. Add it to the simmering pot or pan and stir until thickened and the raw flour taste is gone. Thickening with a beurre manie is a great pro trick.
Make Braised Short Ribs Ahead
Braised short ribs are even better the next day. Cool, cover, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Before reheating, lift off any chilled fat (saves you skimming at the stove).
Reheat (oven): Bring the pot out 30-60 minutes ahead to take off the chill. Cover and warm at 300°F until hot, 165°F in the center (about 25-40 minutes, depending on volume).
Reheat (stovetop): Gently simmer, covered, over low heat until heated through (15-25 minutes). Don't boil-keep it lazy-bubbling.
Sauce check: If the sauce tightened in the fridge, loosen with a splash of broth or water, then reduce briefly to glossy. Taste and adjust salt/acid (a touch of balsamic works wonders).
Plan-ahead tip: If you're serving company, braise a day early. Reheat slowly while you finish sides-zero stress, maximum flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Red wine braised short ribs are delicious served in a shallow bowl over creamy riced mashed potatoes, cauliflower puree, creamy parmesan polenta, risotto, egg noodles, or pasta. They all make a great base for the deliciously rich sauce.
Add a tossed green side salad and your set for one fantastic dinner. Dress the salad with a simple balsamic vinaigrette as the flavors pair well.
Another option for serving red wine braised short ribs: shred all of the meat off of the bone and serve it with the sauce over pasta. It's amazing.
Leftover wine braised beef short ribs are terrific as leftovers. Shred the meat and make tacos (they are terrific!). Toss shredded meat with buttered noddles. Add the meat to a soup.
Don't toss that extra sauce! Save it and freeze for using over pasta or adding to a pot of homemade marinara sauce.
Storing and Freezing
Braised beef short ribs keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container with any leftover sauce for 3-4 days.
How to Freeze Short Ribs
- Cool short ribs to room temperature before freezing.
- Portion into individual servings for easier thawing.
- Use airtight containers to prevent freezer burn.
- Label and date with the name of the dish and date.
For best freezing, be sure the ribs are mostly covered in sauce to keep the meat moist and protected. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat gently on the stovetop with the lid on or in the oven at 350°F degrees until heated through to 165°F.
Recipe FAQs
Bone-in ribs are the best cut for braised short ribs as the bone adds flavor and moisture to the meat and the overall dish.
Make sure there's enough braising liquid in the pot while cooking so ribs don't get dry. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the ribs, ensuring they stay moist and tender as they braise. Check the pot periodically, and if the liquid level gets too low, add more broth to maintain the proper level. Follow this simple tip and you'll have juicy tender short ribs.
If the wine flavor is too strong, try adding a little butter (preferably unsalted) to round out the flavors, add a little good balsamic vinegar for balance, add a tiny bit of honey or maple syrup to add sweetness, or dilute the sauce by adding more broth, water, or a splash of cream to mellow the wine's intensity.
Because braising is a moist-heat cooking method where the liquid and steam create an even cooking environment, there is no need to turn the ribs. They will cook evenly and become tender as they braise.
More Richly Flavored Recipes
If you love richly flavored sauces, try one of these recipes.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Equipment
- Large dutch oven with lid 5 ½ quarts (my preferred for short ribs)
- or a 3 quart braiser with lid alternative pan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 ½-4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs English cut
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium onion about 1 ½ cups chopped
- 2-3 carrots ¾ cup chopped
- 2-3 ribs celery ¾ cup chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves chopped fine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups dry red wine
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves fresh or dried
- 1 ½-3 cups beef bone broth depending on your pan and ribs
Beurre Manie (butter paste to thicken sauce)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter soft at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons flour gluten-free blend or all purpose
Instructions
Get butter out
- Remove the butter from the refrigerator so it is very soft when you need to make the beurre manie (thickening butter paste) for the sauce.
Brown and sear the ribs
- Pre-heat the oven to 325°F. You may need to remove a top rack to accommodate the pot with the lid.Pat the ribs dry with paper towels, then season well on all sides with salt and black pepper. Heat oil in a 5 ½ quart dutch oven or other heavy pot, then add the beef ribs and brown on all sides, turning as they brown, 12-13 minutes. Transfer the ribs to a plate or bowl.
Cook the vegetables and aromatics
- Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of fat and add the onions. Saute until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the carrots and celery and stir, cooking until softened, another 3-4 minutes.
Make the braising liquid
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook, 2 minutes. Add the red wine and herbs. Turn up the heat a bit and simmer the wine down to half the volume to concentrate flavors, 5-7 minutes. Add 1 ½ - 2 cups of the broth and browned ribs to the pot. The liquid should come about half way up the ribs or a little higher but not cover them.
Braise the ribs
- Place a lid on the pot then in the oven for 2 ½ hours. Check the broth level about half way through to be sure there is enough. Add a little extra broth if needed to keep them at the halfway level. I do not usually have to add more. If you're out of broth use water. Note: There is no need to turn the ribs during braising.
Finish the ribs
- Remove the ribs from the pot and keep them warm. Skim off excess fat on the top and discard. To thicken the sauce, mash the butter and flour together until smooth creating a paste (called a beurre manie).
- Bring the pot to a simmer on the stovetop and drop in half the butter paste to start. Stir and cook for 2 minutes to get rid of any raw flour taste and thicken the sauce. If you want the sauce thicker, repeat and use the rest. Ribs are ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Diana says
This red wine braised short ribs recipe looks absolutely delicious. The slow cooking and depth of flavor you describe are exactly what make a special dinner feel both indulgent and comforting. It also reminded me how much the right cookware can elevate a dish like this.
Porsche guy says
These ribs turned out absolutely incredible! Yeah, the recipe is some work, but it was fun to do on the weekend and we had good leftovers during the week. Just as good as restaurant and sometimes better thanks for another winner of a recipe.