Slow-Cooked Beef Short Ribs with Red Wine
Why this recipe works
- Deep, savoury base: Browning the ribs first builds a concentrated flavour base, while tomato purée, wine and stock give the sauce depth and body.
- Slow braising: A long, gentle simmer breaks down the connective tissue in the short ribs, turning a tough cut into tender, spoonable meat.
- Improves with resting: The ribs hold well in their sauce, making them practical for preparing ahead and reheating gently before serving.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Mostly hands-off cooking: The active work is in browning the ribs and building the braising liquid; most of the time is a low, covered simmer.
- Serve after reducing the sauce: Let the braising liquid reduce until it lightly coats the back of a spoon before spooning it over the ribs.
Common mistakes
- Do not crowd the ribs: Brown the ribs in batches so they sear properly rather than steam; the colour is important for the final sauce.
- Keep the simmer gentle: A vigorous boil can make the meat tighten and the sauce reduce too quickly, so keep the liquid barely bubbling.
- Season after reducing: Taste the sauce once it has reduced, as saltiness becomes more concentrated during simmering.
Make-ahead tips
- Good made ahead: Braised short ribs reheat well and often taste even richer after resting in the sauce overnight.
- Reheat gently: Warm the ribs slowly on the hob over low heat, adding a little stock if the sauce has thickened too much.
- Freezer-friendly: Freeze the cooked ribs in their sauce, then defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serving ideas
- Serve with something creamy: Mashed potatoes, soft polenta or buttered noodles work well because they absorb the glossy red wine sauce.
- Finish simply: A little fresh thyme or parsley adds freshness against the rich braised beef.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pat the short ribs dry, then season all over with the salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Brown the short ribs in batches, turning until deeply browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate as you go.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly golden.
- Stir in the garlic and tomato purée and cook for 1 minute until fragrant and slightly darkened. Pour in the red wine and scrape up any browned bits from the base of the pot.
- Add the beef stock, bay leaves and thyme, then return the short ribs to the pot, nestling them into the liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low.
- Braise at a very gentle simmer for 2 hours 30 minutes, turning the ribs once or twice, until the meat is very tender and nearly falling from the bone. Keep the heat low so the liquid barely bubbles.
- Transfer the ribs to a warm plate and loosely cover. Skim excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid, then simmer uncovered until reduced to a glossy sauce that coats the back of a spoon.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with a little more salt and pepper if needed. Spoon the sauce over the ribs to serve.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the best colour and flavour, take time to brown the ribs well; a deep mahogany crust makes the sauce taste richer.
- If the sauce reduces too quickly, add a splash of beef stock and keep it at a gentle simmer so it stays glossy rather than salty.
Substitutions
- Replace Red wine with dry white wine for a lighter, brighter braise.
- Replace Fresh thyme with 1 tsp dried thyme, added with the bay leaves.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days
- Cool completely, then refrigerate the ribs in the sauce in a sealed container. Reheat gently on the hob over low heat until piping hot, adding a splash of Beef stock if the sauce has thickened; freeze for up to 3 months and defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 4 servings
- Total time: 3h 15min (35min active)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cuisine: American
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