Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
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By the second hour the dog has picked a spot by the oven and will not be moved. Short ribs seared hard, braised in red wine until a fork is all they need, and a sauce reduced until it shines.
The short version
Salt and sear bone-in short ribs hard, cook onion, carrot and celery with tomato paste, deglaze with red wine, add broth and herbs, and braise covered at 325°F for 2½ to 3 hours until fork-tender. Skim, reduce the sauce, finish with vinegar.
What makes ours better
the tricks Nonna pretends she never taught me
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Sear the ribs hard, in batches. The browned crust and the browned bits in the pot are where the sauce gets its flavor. Gray ribs make a flat sauce.
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Boil the wine down before the broth goes in. A few minutes of boiling cooks off the sharp alcohol edge and concentrates the wine, so the sauce tastes round and not raw.
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Skim, reduce and finish with vinegar. Straining and boiling the braising liquid turns it into a glossy sauce, and a splash of red wine vinegar at the end wakes up the richness.
What you need
the cast, in order of appearance
- Bone-in English-style beef short ribs4 pounds
- Onions2 medium
- Carrots2 medium
- Celery2 rib
- Garlic6 cloves
- Tomato paste2 tablespoons
- Dry red wine1½ cups
- Fresh thyme5 sprigs
tap each one as it goes in. no double-salting.
Steps
deep breath. you’ve got this.
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Salt and heat the oven
Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat it to 325°F. Pat the ribs very dry with paper towels, and season all sides with the salt and pepper.
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Sear the ribs
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the ribs in 2 batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deeply browned on the meaty sides. Move to a plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat.
Don't crowd the pot. Steamed ribs never brown.
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Cook the vegetables
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook, scraping up the browned bits, until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute, until the paste darkens.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Reduce the wine
Pour in the wine and boil for 3 to 4 minutes, until it's reduced by about half and smells less sharp.
About 4 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Add broth and braise
Add the broth, thyme and bay leaves and return the ribs to the pot, bone side up, with the liquid about two-thirds of the way up the meat. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, and move to the oven. Braise 2½ to 3 hours, turning the ribs once halfway, until the meat is tender and pulls away from the bone with a fork.
About 165 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Skim and strain
Move the ribs to a plate and cover with foil. Strain the braising liquid through a fine strainer into a saucepan, pressing on the vegetables. Let it settle 5 minutes, then skim the fat off the top with a wide spoon.
For a cleaner sauce, chill the liquid overnight and lift off the solid fat.
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Reduce the sauce
Boil the liquid over medium-high heat until it's reduced by about a third and coats a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Return the ribs to the sauce and warm through for 5 minutes, spooning the sauce over. Scatter with parsley.
About 18 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- Ask for English-style (thick, single-bone) short ribs, not flanken, which are thin strips cut across the bones. Boneless short ribs work; check for tenderness at 2 hours.
- Make it a day or two ahead. Braise, cool the ribs in their liquid, and refrigerate. Skim the solid fat, then reheat gently on the stovetop or at 300°F.
- Wine matters less than you think, but choose one you'd drink, such as Cabernet, Merlot or Côtes du Rhône. A box is fine if you like it.
- Serve over mashed potatoes, polenta or egg noodles, with something green and bitter, like sautéed kale.
- Storage. Refrigerate in the sauce up to 4 days. Freeze in the sauce up to 3 months. Reheat covered over low heat or at 300°F until hot.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
How do I know when short ribs are done?
The meat should be fork-tender, easily pulling away from the bone, and a skewer should slide in without resistance. If it's still firm at 2½ hours, cover and give it 30 more minutes.
Can I make braised short ribs in a slow cooker?
Yes. Sear the ribs and build the sauce in a skillet, transfer everything to the slow cooker, and cook on low for 8 hours. Reduce the sauce on the stovetop at the end.
Can I make short ribs without wine?
Use 1½ cups more beef broth and add 1 tablespoon of balsamic or red wine vinegar with the broth. The sauce will be a bit less deep but still good.
Why are my short ribs tough?
They need more time. Collagen takes hours to break down and tight, lean meat only gets tender once it does. Cover the pot and keep braising, checking every 30 minutes.
Why is my sauce greasy?
Short ribs release a lot of fat. Skim after straining, or chill the liquid so the fat solidifies and lifts off in one piece.
From the table
Made it? Tell me everything. Especially if somebody said it was better than their mother’s. I’ll keep your secret.
Made it?
be honest. I can take it. probably.
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Published October 29, 2026.