Braised Beef Short Ribs (Video)

Ingredients for Braised Beef Short Ribs

I love this Braised Short Ribs recipe because only a few ingredients will make tender, fall apart beef short ribs and an irresistible sauce. Firstly, here are the ingredients you will need!

• 4 whole beef short ribs (English cut)
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cups red wine
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 tablespoon of dried thyme)
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary (or 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary)
• 1 quart beef stock plus more to cover the beef ribs, if needed
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other neutral oil like vegetable or canola
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cold

Introducing Beef Short Ribs

Short ribs are a very popular cut of beef in many major grocery stores. Typically you will find two types of cuts to buy:

• English Cut (most traditional): The cut is made in large sections between the rib bone with a singular piece of bone connected to the meat. This is the cut you will want for this recipe.
• Flanken Cut (found in most Asian markets): The cut is made horizontally across three rib bones to create a long, thin cut of short ribs. If you have this cut of short ribs, I highly recommend you try my Korean Marinated Short Ribs (LA Galbi) recipe!

Buying Beef Short Ribs

When buying beef short ribs, here are a few tips to make sure you are buying the best quality short ribs:

• Size: Ensure the beef short ribs are of similar size. This will allow them to cook evenly and become tender at the same time.
• Marbling: Look for short ribs have small streaks of white running through the meat of the ribs. This is fat that will melt during the cooking process and result in a juicy, flavorful short rib!
• Bone-in vs. Boneless: I recommend buying bone-in beef short ribs for this recipe. The bone adds tons of flavor to the sauce. However, you can substitute boneless short ribs for this recipe and follow the same steps.

Pro Tips for Braised Short Ribs!

• Searing the short ribs: Ensure there is a hard, deep golden brown sear on all sides of the short ribs in step 2. Taking the time to do this will result in a flavorful beef short rib!
• Cartouche: I recommend making a cartouche (a fancy word for parchment paper lid) to cover the short ribs before covering with the lid of the Dutch oven. Not only does it allow for evaporation and browning, it more importantly ensures the beef stock fully covers the short ribs by making contact with the ribs and stock. This prevents any dry, tough spots on the beef during the braising process as the stock reduces. Serious Eats has a great guide on how to make one.
• Cold Butter: Once the beef juices have reduced to thicken in step 5, add cold butter to the sauce and mix until glossy and thickened. This is a secret restaurant trick used to create amazing sauces!

Braised Beef Short Ribs: Recipe Instructions

1. Season the short ribs on all sides

Season all sides of the short ribs with kosher salt and black pepper. Ensure all sides are well coated (including the bone!) to make sure the short ribs come out flavorful.

2. Sear the short ribs in a large Dutch oven

I recommend using a large Dutch oven for this recipe. Heat avocado oil over medium high and sear the short ribs until they have a deep golden brown color on all sides. This is known as the mallard reaction, which results in a flavorful exterior crust and adds tons of flavor to the final dish.

Once the short ribs are browned on all sides, remove them to a plate leaving all oil and fat in the pot.

3. Sauté the vegetables and tomato paste

Add the onions, celery, carrots, shallots, and garlic to the pot and let them caramelize for 2 minutes in the pan over medium high. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Add the red wine, beef stock, and herbs

Add the red wine and reduce it over medium high heat. Using a wooden spatula, scrape up any brown bits, or fond, stuck to the bottom of the pan (this will add tons of flavor to the braising liquid!). Add the short ribs back to the pan and enough beef stock to cover the short ribs. Add the thyme and rosemary sprigs and cover with a cartouche and the lid. Braise for 2 hours over a low simmer or until the short ribs are soft and fork tender.

5. Reduce and fortify the sauce

To make the sauce, strain the ingredients into a mesh strainer and reserve the liquid. Discard the vegetables in the mesh strainer and add the liquid back to the pot and reduce by half over medium heat until the sauce can coat the back of a spoon. Add cold unsalted butter and mix it into sauce until glossy and serve immediately over the short ribs. Serve with a nice root vegetable like my Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Honey Roasted Carrots. Enjoy!

How to Make Braised Beef Short Ribs in the slow cooker or crock pot:

Follow steps 1-4 of this recipe then place all the ingredients into the slow cooker. Set the temperature to low and cook for 5-6 hours or until the beef ribs are fork tender.