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This easy braised short ribs recipe makes tender, flavorful beef short ribs in the dutch oven without a lot of effort. Delicious comfort food for the whole family!
Braised Beef Short Ribs
This easy recipe for braised short ribs is actually very simple and yields fall-off-the-bone beef that is incredibly delicious. My husband and son are are huge beef lovers, and these beef ribs are one of their favorite dinners. Even my picky eaters love this easy meal because the tender meat literally falls off the bone.
This beef short rib recipe is a combination of my grandma’s recipe and my beef stew recipe. It’s actually easier to make than the stew, simply because the larger beef bones are easier to work with than smaller cuts of beef. And while the ribs take a couple of hours to cook in the oven, the results are well worth it!
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a quick overview of what you need to make dutch oven short ribs. Full amounts are in the printable recipe card below.
- Bone-in beef short ribs — Look for red meat with plenty of marbling for flavor. You can sub boneless ribs, but the bone adds flavor.
- Flour — to coat the ribs for searing and thicken the gravy
- Onion, celery, carrot — the mirepoix plus garlic to flavor the cooking liquid
- Beef broth — I use low sodium
- Red wine — I like pinot noir as it’s not too heavy. You can use all beef broth if you don’t want to cook with wine. During the long cooking process, the alcohol will burn off.
- Tomato paste — for flavor and to thicken the gravy
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Fresh thyme — or another fresh herbs for added flavor
How to Braise Short Ribs in the Oven
First, pat the ribs dry with a paper towel. This helps to form a nice crust when searing. Then, coat season them with salt and pepper, and dredge them lightly with flour.
Brown the meat on all sides in the dutch oven in a little olive oil. You may need to do this in batches depending on how many ribs you have. Just keep the ribs warm on a plate covered with aluminum foil while you finish browning them.
Next, add the veggies and garlic, and sauté them until just soft. Add the tomato paste, wine and beef broth, and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula to release any browned bits.
Add the ribs back to the pot, and bring the liquid to a simmer on the stove. Then, add the spring of thyme, and transfer the pot to the oven to finish cooking. You will want to check on the ribs a few times during the cooking process to make sure the ribs are simmering and not boiling.
The braising process about 2-3 hours depending on how hot your oven is. The braised ribs are done when they are fork tender and can easily be pulled off the bone.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve short ribs over mashed potatoes. The potatoes help soak up the delicious sauce. You can make cauliflower mash or rice or pasta, as well. A simple side salad or steamed green beans is all you need to complete the meal.
If you want a smoother sauce, you can strain the cooked veggies from the sauce and reduce the liquid on the stove until it thickens up.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the refrigerator. You can remove the bones if they are still attached. The leftover beef is delicious on its own or you can use it in hot sandwiches or tacos! The meat and gravy can be frozen for up to 3 months for longer storage.
Recipe Tips
Don’t skip browning the meat as it adds so much flavor.
Always cook with a wine you would actually drink. Dry red wines like pinot noir or cabernet are perfect for braised meats.
For smoother gravy, strain out the vegetables and reduce the sauce before serving.
Easy Braised Short Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
- 2 tsps sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsps all purpose flour
- 2 medium carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 small ribs celery chopped
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsps tomato paste
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 1½ cups low sodium beef broth
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Pat ribs dry with paper towel, and season with salt and pepper
- Dredge ribs in flour, shaking off excess flour
- Heat olive oil in large dutch oven, and brown ribs on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Place on plate, and cover with foil to keep warm
- Cook carrots, celery and onion until soft, then add garlic, and cook until fragrant
- Stir in tomato paste, then stir in red wine, and deglaze pot using a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits sticking to pot
- Place ribs back into pot, and stir in beef broth. Ribs should be mostly submerged. You can add another ½ cup broth if needed. Add thyme on top
- Bring to a simmer on the stove
- Preheat oven to 325℉
- Cover with lid, and cook short ribs in oven for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until fork tender and falling off the bone, checking occasionally to make sure ribs aren't boiling
- Spoon sauce over ribs or remove ribs to a platter, strain out the veggies, and reduce sauce on the stove until thickened, then serve
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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