Red wine braised short ribs are tender, juicy, and simply delicious. The juicy sauce created during this process taste so darn good with our buttery mashed potatoes. These ribs are perfect for weeknight, weekend, and small gatherings. Let’s jump right in!
The Wine Selection to Braised Short Ribs
Picking the right wine is just as important as the meat cut. But keep in mind, you should not purchase wines you would not want to drink. So, which kinds of wines work best? Let’s discuss….
First, what’s the difference between red/white wine? The major difference between these two wines are the grapes used. White wine is fermented from pressed grapes without the skin, stems, and seeds attached. However, red wine has the skin, stems, and seeds still attached. When fermented the crushed red grapes create that pigment red color. This is the main reason why red wine is beneficial to ones health. Because the skins of the grapes contain resveratrol, which act similar antioxidants.
What kind of red wine? The best kinds of red wines for this dish need to be deep, rich, and hearty. Our first recommendation would be a Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is the most widely recognized red wine and not that hard to find. Second option is Cabernet Franc which is very similar to a Cabernet Sauvignon. But a Cabernet Franc is much lighter and brighter in color. This type of red wine is usually made up of a mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot Bordeaux style. Our last recommendation is Merlot, which is the second most popular red wine. This wine is soft and elegant with a plum like taste and notes of chocolate. With so many options…which will you choose?
Braising Short Ribs & More..
Now that we covered the wine, let’s talk how to make the dish.
Braising simply means a meat or vegetable is lightly fried (seared) then covered and stewed slowly in an closed container. To make the braised short ribs, rub kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper on all sides of the rib. Next, transfer to a hot oiled dutch oven and cook for 8 minutes. Make sure to rotate the rib on all sides during this process. Once completed, remove the ribs and create the stock and reduce the wine. After the stock is made, transfer the short ribs to the stock. Cover the pot and place the pot in the oven. Allow the short ribs to braise for 2-4 hours.
We’re all about one pot wonders, so this dish contains root vegetables and celery. Which root vegetables? We used onions, garlic, and carrots. Onions are a kitchen stable and truly start the flavor profile of any dish. The onions add a little mild sweetness to the braised short ribs. Garlic when added at the right moment, provides a mellow flavor to the dish. Lastly, carrots are added for texture and flavor. In addition, the mixture of celery, carrots, and onions is called mirepoix. Which is usually a mixture of 2 parts onions, 1 part carrots, and 1 part celery. This blend of veggies create a flavorful and aromatic addition to the red wine stock.
This meal is simple and yet so delicious, I hope you give it a try and let us know what you think in the comments below….
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 5 lbs. Beef short ribs bone-in, 1½ inch thick
- 2 Tbsp Kosher salt
- 2 tsp Fresh ground black pepper
- 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 Onions chopped
- 1/2 lb. Carrots chopped
- 1/2 lb. Celery chopped
- 3 Tbsp All purpose Flour
- 3 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 8 sprigs Thyme fresh
- 6 sprigs Oregano fresh
- 4 sprigs Rosemary fresh
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 Head of garlic
- 3 cups Beef stock
- 750 mL Red wine Cabernet Sauvignon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the short ribs generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown the short ribs on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer seared short ribs to a large plate. Continue the process for the remaining rib batches.
- Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of drippings from the pot. Add in the chopped onions, celery, and carrots along with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat with occasional stirring for 3-5 minutes, or until onions are browned. Add in tomato paste and All-purpose flour. Stir well. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until deep red about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the red wine along with the short ribs and any accumulated juices. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat to a medium and cook until the wine is reduced by half, approximately 25-35 minutes.
- Add the herbs, garlic, and beef stock to the Dutch oven. Stir well. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to oven.
- Cook short ribs until the meat easily falls off the bone, 2½ -3 hours.
- Transfer the ribs to a large serving plate. Strain the sauce from the pot (Note: The short ribs could be served right out of the pot, but the vegetables have already served their purpose and no longer container the flavor and texture). Separate the fat from the sauce and discard the fat. Drizzle the sauce over the short ribs and serve hot.