Braised Beef Short Ribs

Method

1. Sear the short ribs. Season generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Sear ribs on all sides — 3–4 minutes per side — until deeply browned. Work in batches. Remove to a plate.

2. Build the base. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6–8 minutes until softened. Add garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until the paste darkens.

3. Deglaze with wine. Pour in the red wine and scrape up all the fond. Reduce by half — about 3 minutes.

4. Braise. Add broth, thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary. Return the short ribs to the pot — the liquid should come 2/3 up the sides. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook at 325°F for 2.5–3 hours until the meat is fork-tender and pulling away from the bone.

5. Finish the sauce. Remove the ribs. Strain the sauce, discarding the vegetables (they've given all their flavor). Skim the fat. If the sauce is thin, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to reduce.

6. Serve over creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles with the sauce spooned generously over the top.

Equipment

• Dutch oven with lid Recommended: Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven · Also good: Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
• Tongs Also good: Wok Spatula

Chef Notes

• The most important thing: Sear the short ribs until deeply, aggressively browned on all sides. This takes 3–4 minutes per side — don't rush it. The fond from searing is the flavor foundation of the entire braise. Pale, unseared ribs produce a flat, watery sauce.
• Short ribs are the ultimate braising cut — thick layers of meat and fat with a bone that adds gelatin to the sauce. After 3 hours of braising, the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and the sauce is naturally thick and silky.
• Cook the tomato paste for 2 minutes before adding wine. Caramelizing the paste removes the raw, tinny taste and adds depth.
• Skim the fat after braising. Short ribs render a lot of fat during cooking. Let the braise cool slightly, then skim the fat from the surface. Or better: make this a day ahead, refrigerate, and lift off the solidified fat.
• These are even better the next day. The flavors meld and the sauce thickens as it cools.

Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Notes
Beef short ribs	Lamb shanks or oxtail	Same technique, different flavor
Red wine	Beef broth + 1 tbsp red wine vinegar	Less complex
Dutch oven	Slow cooker (8 hrs on low)	Easier but no sear
Tomato paste	2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste	More concentrated
Fresh herbs	1 tsp each dried thyme and rosemary	Less aromatic

What You're Practicing

Braised short ribs teach you the complete French braising method — sear, build aromatics, deglaze, add liquid, cook low and slow, then finish the sauce. This is the most important technique for tough, collagen-rich cuts. The same method produces boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin, and osso buco. Visit Techniques for more on braising.

You're also learning sauce straining and reduction — removing spent aromatics and concentrating the braising liquid into a rich, glossy sauce. This finishing step separates home cooking from restaurant-quality results. Explore more at Pan and Daughter Sauces.