Description
Bone-in short ribs simmer low and slow in a generous bath of soup stock with red wine, carrots, onions, and rosemary until fall-off-the-bone tender and saucy. The stock reduces into a silky gravy that coats every bite with savory depth. A 3-hour Dutch oven braise yields restaurant-quality comfort food perfect for serving over mashed potatoes or polenta.
Cultural Background
Braising tough cuts like short ribs traces back centuries to European traditions of slow-cooking affordable meats in flavorful liquids to tenderize them, as seen in French pot-au-feu and similar stews. Short ribs appear in Jewish flanken preparations and various Asian braises like Korean galbijjim, evolving from butchery practices that utilized less expensive rib sections. In American cuisine, this method became a staple comfort dish, drawing on immigrant influences to create hearty, stock-based braises ideal for using pantry staples like homemade soup stock.
Recipe Info
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOK TIME: 3 hours
TOTAL TIME: 3 hours 30 minutes
SERVINGS: 6
DIFFICULTY: Medium
Ingredients
- 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs (English cut, patted dry)
- 6 cups soup stock (beef or rich vegetable, divided; use generously to deplete your supply)
- 2 cups dry red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion (diced)
- 3 medium carrots (peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional, for thickening)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Season short ribs generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, sear ribs 4-5 minutes per side until deeply browned; transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and carrots to the pot; cook 5-7 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Sprinkle flour over vegetables if using and stir for 1 minute. Pour in red wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom; simmer 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Add 5 cups soup stock (reserving 1 cup), rosemary, and bay leaves. Return ribs to the pot, nestling them into the liquid so they are mostly submerged; add more stock if needed to cover.
- Cover Dutch oven and transfer to oven. Braise undisturbed for 3 hours until meat is fork-tender and pulling away from the bone.
- Remove pot from oven. Transfer ribs to a serving platter and tent with foil. Strain braising liquid into a saucepan, discarding solids; skim excess fat. Simmer over medium heat 10-15 minutes until reduced to a silky gravy consistency, adding reserved stock if too thick. Season to taste.
- Serve ribs topped with gravy, with extra on the side.
Tips
- Sear the ribs well for deep flavor development and better gravy color; do not rush this step.
- Avoid overcrowding the pot during searing to ensure proper browning rather than steaming.
- Substitute fresh thyme for rosemary or use chicken stock if beef stock is unavailable, though soup stock provides the richest base.
Nutrition
Calories: 620
Protein: 42g
Carbs: 12g
Fat: 42g