This recipe calls for three cups of beef broth, 3 cloves of garlic, and 2 cups of red wine. The ribs should be seared until golden brown on each side. Transfer the ribs to a plate and continue cooking. In the meantime, saute the onions, carrots, and garlic in the olive oil and butter. Add the tomato paste and cook for a further five minutes. Strain the sauce and serve with the short ribs. The sauce will thicken.
I absolutely love braising meats, and in return I tend to love almost all meats that have been braised. Pot roast, beef stew, coq au vin, Moroccan tangines, and beef bourguignon are all examples of meals that have been braised. And what do they all have in common? Tender meat and and bold flavors.
- Braising, (from the French term “braiser”) is a combination cooking method using both moist and dry heat; typically the food is first seared at a high temperature, then finished in a pot with a variable amount of liquid, resulting in a particular flavor.
Last weekend when I was out of town, Kyle and I were pathetic little puppies. I missed him and he missed me and we didn’t know how life was going to go on any longer. Let me remind you, I was gone two nights. The trip made us both realize different things. I realized that I could never have a job where travel is necessary. I like being home too much. And what did Kyle realize? He realized that without me, he’s hungry.
The second night I was gone, our nice friends John and Natalie invited Kyle over for dinner. How else would Kyle, a classically trained chef, survive? He told me I missed some great enchiladas, and I told him to invite John and Natalie over for dinner the following Sunday.
This Sunday I woke up ready to prepare a great meal and I knew three things. I knew I wanted to cook all day, I wanted the house to smell amazing, and I knew they better not arrive until after Dexter was over.
I decided to make wine braised short ribs which ended up being the best short ribs I have ever had. The seared ribs sat in the wine for hours before being braised, which gave them a deep, rich color. And when finished the meat was juicy, tender and so flavorful. When preparing wine braised short ribs, don’t skimp out and buy the cheapest red wine you can. After all, why would you cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink? I decided to keep the side dishes light, and wanted to make sure they would compliment the rich wine sauce made from the leftover braising liquid. The cheese polenta soaked up the sauce well, and was nice with the meal rather than your normal potato side dish. The asparagus was the perfect crunch within our heavy meal.
If this doesn’t sound like a feast, I also herb roasted a chicken, but we will get to that tomorrow.
Wine Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
For browning the meat
- 3 1/2 lb Bone-In Short Ribs cut 3 to 31/2 inches long
- Salt and Pepper
- Oil neutral tasting (not EVOO)
For aromatics
- 1 Onion large dice
- 1 Celery stalk large dice
- 3 Carrots large dice
- 3 Garlic Cloves smashed
For marinating the meat
- 1 Bottle Red Wine I used Sauvignon Noir
- 1 dried Bay Leaf
- 5 Black Peppercorns whole
- 6 Sprigs of Thyme fresh
For braising the meat
- 1/2 cup Demi-glace* optional
- 5-7 cups Beef Stock Beef, veal, or brown stock will work
Instructions
- Pat ribs dry with paper towels, then generously season on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat for 2 minutes, then add enough oil to barely coat bottom of pan and heat until shimmering. Working in batch so as to not crowd pan, sear ribs until deep brown all over, turning with tongs, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer ribs to a plate and continue searing the rest, adding more oil as needed. Once all the ribs have been removed, pour off all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pot.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the onions, celery, carrot and garlic.Stir occasionally, until beginning to turn golden, about 5 minutes.
- Deglaze the pot with a cup of the wine, stirring to incorporate the browned bits from the bottom, then pour in the rest of the wine. Once it is simmering, remove the pot from the hear and return the ribs, submerging them partially in the liquid. Add bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme at this time. Let cool, and marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours , turning them every so often to ensure they marinate evenly.
- Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Set pot over medium heat. Add demi glace if using, and pour in enough stock (5 – 7 cups) to come almost to the top of the ribs. When stock comes to a boil, cover and place pot in the oven. Check after 30 minutes, if it isn’t bubbling, raise the temperature by 25 degrees. Continue braising until the meat gives little resistance when pierced with a sharp knife, about 2 1/2 hours. Lift the ribs with tongs or a slotted spoon, and arrange in a single layer in a large straight-sided saute pan.
- Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees. Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve into a clean pot (you should have around 5 cups of liquid) and discard the solids. Bring to a rapid simmer, setting the pot slightly off center over one of the burners so that one side of the liquid is bubbling more fiercely than the other; this allows the impurities to collect on the other side, making it easier to skim them from the surface. Simmer (occasionally skim), until you have about 1/2 cups of liquid, 20 – 30 minutes. Adjust the hear as necessary to maintain a steady simmer.
- Pour the reduced liquid over the short ribs. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes, basting every now and then, until the ribs are glistening with glaze and the surrounding liquid is syrupy.
- Set the ribs on a serving platter, and spoon the sauce around the ribs, or serve on individual plates.
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the pan and add the vegetables to the pot. Stir in tomato paste and cook for another two minutes. Remove the bay leaf and anchovies. Then, add the wine and stock. Let the meat and vegetables braise for three hours. When done, serve with the sauce. The taste of this dish will increase the next day. The red wine and herbs add a rich, complex flavor to this delicious dish.
The recipe calls for 3 cups of red wine. If you cannot find red wine, use beef broth instead. During the cooking process, the wine will evaporate so that you won’t taste it in the final dish. To get the best flavor, use boneless short ribs. You can also try beef tips. Make sure the ribs are bone-in. After cooking, the short ribs are done.
The flavor of this recipe starts with the meat. It is seasoned well and yields to a fork, but be careful not to overcrowd it. This will result in steam and a soft exterior. In the meantime, you need to cook the vegetables until soft. For optimal results, you should use bone-in or boneless short ribs. If you can’t find boneless short ribs, you can substitute beef tips.
If you are looking for a delicious, hearty meal, you will love this recipe. The short ribs will give you a high-quality meal that will satisfy your guests. You can share your experience by commenting below. The original recipe was published in March 2016. It has been updated to include new photos. This dish is perfect for special occasions. If you have a crowd, it’s best served the next day.
This recipe calls for three cups of red wine. You can also make it without wine. If you can’t find red wine, use beef broth instead. The flavor of the wine will be enhanced by the addition of red wine. This recipe can be made without wine. It’s a simple braised ribs. This dish will satisfy any palate. So, try it now! If you’re in a hurry, make the recipe a day ahead of time.
This recipe calls for three cups of red wine. If you don’t have red wine, you can substitute beef broth instead. The main purpose of this recipe is to give it a flavor boost. The ribs will yield to the fork easily, and the sauce is rich with umami flavor. It’s best to leave the meat to sit overnight before serving. The flavors will continue to develop over time. This dish is perfect for a special occasion.
The flavor of this dish comes from the meat. The meat is seasoned, and then cooked for three to four hours. It’s best to cook it in two batches, so that the meat doesn’t overcrowd the pot. The ribs should be browned, but they are still tender. The gravy has a rich flavor. After the meat has been cooked, the ribs should be covered and allowed to cool down to rest.
