If you've never tried Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs, you’re missing out on one of life's ultimate food pleasures! While the cooking time is long, the active time is minimal, and the ingredients are simple and readily available. This dish is the definition of comfort food—ideal for cozy, relaxed weekends.
Slow-cooked dishes are perfect for weekend cooking. The ingredients simmer gently and melt everything down into delicious goodness. One of the things I love most about braised dishes is that they taste even better the next day so you can make it ahead and enjoy a relaxing day.
Serve this dish over your favourite mashed potatoes or try my Cauliflower and Celery Root Puree. It's light and delicious and you won't miss the potatoes! Other great options include Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Cabbage with Bacon and Balsamic, Simple Beet Salad with Goat's Cheese, or Loaded Cauliflower Casserole.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
Easy to Make: With just a few steps and minimal ingredients, this dish comes together effortlessly.
Versatile: Swap short ribs for other braising cuts like chuck, brisket, or even shanks. Add extra or different vegetables to suit your needs.
Perfect for Meal Prep: The flavors deepen overnight, making it even better on day two!
🥘 Ingredients and Substitutions
Beef Short Ribs - Other cuts of braising beef will work with this recipe such as chuck, shanks, brisket, or pot roast. Keep in mind that cooking times will vary depending on the size of the cut you are using and whether you cut it into pieces or make a whole roast.
Spanish Onion - Any large onion will do but I would stay away from sweet ones like Vidalia. Substitute 2-3 small yellow onions for one large onion.
All-Purpose Flour - You can use any gluten-free alternative or you can thicken the sauce after straining with a small amount of cornstarch (1 to 1/12 tablespoons) mixed with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. Whisk into the sauce and bring to a boil.
Red Wine - Although all of the alcohol evaporates during cooking, you can opt for an alcohol-free version. A dark stout would also be nice. If you prefer to not use any alcohol you can substitute with more low or no-sodium stock/broth.
Chicken Stock - Low or no sodium chicken stock or broth lightens the sauce; use beef stock for a richer taste.
Fresh Thyme - If you don't have fresh thyme (although I highly recommend it) substitute with ½ teaspoon dried. Rosemary is also nice here.
For a complete list of ingredients see the recipe card below.
They are called "short ribs" because of the part of the ribs they are cut from. The ribs shown above are full ribs cut in half. If your grocery store doesn't carry them you should be able to find them or request them at your local butcher.
Variations
Short Ribs: Try different cuts of beef, such as chuck roast or brisket, to change things up.
Wine: For a different flavor, use a rich stout instead of wine, or substitute with all stock.
Gluten-Free Option: To make the sauce gluten-free, substitute the flour with 1 to 1½ tablespoons of cornstarch. Instead of adding flour to the vegetables, mix the cornstarch with about 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry. Once the ribs are cooked and you’re ready to thicken the sauce, add the slurry to the sauce, bring it to a gentle boil, and stir until it reaches your desired thickness. Or use an all-purpose, gluten-free flour and follow the recipe as written.
Expert Tips
Read the Recipe First: It’s always helpful to read through once or twice before beginning.
Prepare your "Mise en Place": Have all ingredients chopped, measured, and ready to go for a smooth process.
Use Drinkable Wine: No need to splurge, but avoid wine you wouldn’t drink.
Make Ahead: The flavors deepen overnight, so consider cooking the day before.
Elevate It: If you want to kick this dish up a notch; sauté some mushrooms and/or pearl onions while the ribs are in the oven and add to the finish dish.
Remove the Fat: If the sauce seems fatty, pour into a tall container or jug and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight. The fat will solidify on top you can scrape it off.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Substitute the wine with more stock or even a non-alcoholic red wine.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in a pot on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Refrigerate the sauce; the fat will solidify on top, making it easy to skim off.
More One-Pot Recipes
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Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 4-5 lbs (1.8 kg – 2.2 kg) Beef short ribs
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil or other neutral cooking oil
- 1 large Spanish onion, large dice
- 2 medium carrots, large dice
- 2 stalks celery
- 6 cloves garlic smashed
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoon all purpose flour or gluten free alternative
- 2 cups red wine
- 4 cups chicken stock, low or no sodium
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 bunch parsley stems
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Season ribs with salt and pepper on both sides. Be generous with the salt.4-5 lbs (1.8 kg – 2.2 kg) Beef short ribs
- In a large Dutch oven heat oil over medium high heat. Working in 2 or 3 batches, brown ribs on all sides creating a nice deep colour. This will take 15 to 20 minutes. Try not to over crowd the pan. This will cause steaming instead of searing which will prevent the meat from browning.2 tablespoon olive oil or other neutral cooking oil
- Transfer to a dish and set aside. Remove all but about 2-3 tablespoon of the oil left in the pot.
- Lower heat to medium low and add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sautee, stirring frequently, until vegetables start to soften and brown. 5-7 minutes.1 large Spanish onion,, 2 medium carrots,, 2 stalks celery, 6 cloves garlic
- Add tomato paste and sprinkle with flour. Stir constantly until well combined and a deep red colour, 2-3 minutes.3 tablespoon tomato paste, 3 tablespoon all purpose flour or gluten free alternative
- Add the wine and stir, scraping up all the bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Pour in the stock and stir to combine.2 cups red wine, 4 cups chicken stock, low or no sodium
- Add ribs and any accumulated juices, making sure the meat is mostly submerged in the liquid. You can add a bit more wine or stock if necessary. Bring to a boil.
- Add thyme, bay leaves, and parsley stems. Cover and place in preheated oven for 2 ½ hours or until meat is falling off the bone. This cooking time will vary depending on how big or small the ribs are.3 sprigs fresh thyme, 3 bay leaves, 1 bunch parsley stems
- Remove ribs, and any meat that has fallen off, from the sauce and set aside. Skim any fat from the top with a spoon. Strain the sauce (optional) , pressing the vegetables to extract all the flavour. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve ribs with the sauce on a bed of mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, or with crusty bread. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley (optional).
Marlene says
Delicious!! Another great recipe Andrea...thank you!!
Debra Fine says
Made this today and enjoyed tonight over buttered egg noodles. The veggies were so gorgeous I didn’t have the heart to press them. They made a nice extra side dish. Hubby and I had a great dinner.
Andrea says
I'm so happy you enjoyed the braised ribs! Yes totally optional whether or not you want to serve the veggies with the meat. Delicious either way!
Natalie Kolczynski says
Thank you Andrea! Made this for New Year’s Day and it was absolutely delicious!! The leftovers next day were even better. Definitely a keeper in my Paprika App.
Andrea says
I am so happy to hear that! Great way to start off the new year! Thanks so much for the comment and Happy New Year!
Sandy says
Extremely delicious and tender! It was a hit!
Patti says
Excellent! I made for valentine’s dinner and it was perfect to enjoy with friends.
A bit of work to get everything ‘in the pot’ but then lots of time to enjoy and prepare other things.
Next time, I will prep as much as possible the night before.
Andrea says
I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe Patti! Thanks for commenting!
Danielle says
I'm excited to try these. Could you make them in a slow cooker after browning the meat and cooking the veg? If yes, would you cook on low or high?
Andrea says
Hi Danielle! I haven't made them in a slow cooker yet but I would go with 8 hours on low or 5 hours on high. Let me know how they turn out!
Anne-Marie says
Hi ladies! I make these in the slow cooker all the time. I guess it depends on the slow cooker but I put mine on for 6 hours at low and they are perfect (fall off the bone perfect). Thanks, Andrea, for all the great recipes.
Andrea says
My pleasure! Thanks so much for posting about the slow cooker method!
Debra Fine says
So easy. So delish. Comfort food doesn’t get any better than this. I almost feel guilty taking in all the compliments.
Sandra says
Huge Hit! Made this for company on the weekend and everyone loved it. Straining the sauce makes for an elegant presentation and the ribs were so tender that they fell off the bone in the oven. Served with garlic mashed potatoes and roasted peppers/mushrooms/asparagus.
Marylynn says
What a great recipe, so tasty. Made the cauliflower, celery root purée never made before will be making again. Great substitute for potatoes. What do you think about using veal shanks?
Andrea says
I haven't but I don't see why it wouldn't work. The baking time should be about the same. Just check the shanks and bake until the meat falls off the bones. Let me know if you try it!
Marylynn says
Made this recipe again but used veal shanks, just as good as the short ribs which were so good.
Andrea says
Ooooh I'm going to have to try that! Sounds delicious! Thanks Marylynn!
Jo-Ann Bolger says
Andrea…it was cold, snowy day here today and we decided to make your Braised Short Ribs and accompanying Cauliflower and Celery Root Mash. What a perfectly delicious dish for today! Your recipes are easy to follow and are always a welcomed treat in our household! Thank you so much!! Perfect for the Livy Loser’s Group!!
Andrea says
Thanks so much Jo-Ann! I'm so happy you enjoyed the short ribs!
Jo Lynch says
Andrea,
I have made many short ribs for my husband (who is a Texan), after we had these tonight he said "those are the best you have ever made!! I know that is a HUGE compliment! They were fall off the bone delicious full of flavor. Thank you, you are AMAZING!
Jo
Andrea says
Wow, that is a huge compliment! I'm so happy you both enjoyed the ribs! Thanks so much for your comment!
Mary says
Made these ribs, my family just loved them! Yet another wonderful easy fantastic recipe. Thank you Andrea.
Andrea says
Hi Mary!
I'm so happy you enjoyed the ribs! Thanks so much for the lovely comment! ☺️
Haley says
This was incredible. I felt like a professional chef serving this delicious meal. Thank you for consistently providing amazing and easy recipes.
Andrea says
It's my absolute pleasure! I'm so happy you enjoyed the ribs!
Donna Fradette says
Hey Andrea, I happened to buy short ribs for the first time ever, then days later your recipe showed up in my email....perfect timing! The ribs were awesome-fell right off the bone. Sauce was tasty and rich. There was enough of the sauce left over, so I had it over some egg noodles the next day....yummy even without the meat! Thanks for another tasty recipe.....keep ‘em coming!!!
Andrea says
That's awesome Donna! Perfect timing! The sauce on egg noodles sounds so delicious! So happy you enjoyed it!
Pauline says
Delicious. Meat just melted in your mouth. I made it one day ahead of time and it was so convenient to just skim off the fat and warm it up on top of the stove when company arrived.
Kirsten says
Andrea!!! This was amazing! I made this last night and my family gobbled it up! I never knew I could make meat so nice and tender. Thanks for all the work you do. This was so wonderful!
Andrea says
Hi Kirsten! I'm so happy you all enjoyed it! It's my absolute pleasure to do what I do and I couldn't do it without your wonderful support!
Anne Beatty says
Made these in the slow-cooker while out for the day. They were amazing! I am on the Livy Method so I had my one rib with a side salad and upped my water. No damage done. BOT. Hubby is a “meat and potatoes “ kinda guy so he had his serving with a baked potato and loved it. Thanks, Andrea!
Andrea says
Hi Anne! I'm so happy you both enjoyed it!
Deb Hobby says
Made this , this past weekend Omg so good , thank you Andrea for another Wow recipe
Deb
Andrea says
Hi Deb! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Tracey Richardson says
OMG! Made this tonight and it was awesome! Didn’t have a Dutch oven so I improvised and it was so tasty. Thanks for sharing a great recipe. 🙏
Andrea says
I'm so happy you enjoyed them Tracey!
Barbara says
Made it last night. As usual fantastic. Had it with the cauliflower/celery mash, great alternative to mashed potatoes.
Look forward to more of your recipes.
Andrea says
I'm so happy you tried it and liked everything Barbara! Thanks so much for your comment!
Julie says
Just had your short rib recipe and I will say you don’t ever disappoint. All your recipes are so delicious. I love the gravy and am so happy there is plenty to freeze for future meals.
Andrea says
Hi Julie!
I'm so happy you enjoyed it! The ribs and sauce make such fantastic leftovers and freezes beautifully! Thanks so much for your comment!
Diana Williamson says
These look so delicious Andrea! Trying after Gina session!
Lynn Kirouac says
This looks so yummy and I plan to try this. Question: After browning the meat and veg could this be braised in my slow cooker?
Andrea says
Hi Lynn! Yes absolutely! I haven't tested it in a slow cooker but will probably take 6-8 hours on low.
Lynn Kirouac says
Thanks Andrea, they are in the slow cooker now. My "non-Livy" husband is visiting the kitchen more than usual. He is going to find the next 6-8 hours difficult..LOL
Andrea says
Lol! I love that! Enjoy!
Sharon Robinson says
Looking forward to trying the cauliflower recipe Monday..
The short ribs will have to wait til next week..thanks for sharing...your recipes are so delicious 😋