Wine Braised Short Ribs over creamy polenta rivals the best restaurant meal. The beef ribs cook low and slow in wine and aromatics that create an insanely flavorful gravy. Put away your knife, this beef is fork tender!
Wine braised short ribs is the ultimate schmancy dinner.
Yes, short ribs are pricey, but I dare you to find a more delicious cut of beef. To me they’re more luxurious than steak, and the meat is meltingly tender. This is a meal made in heaven and absolutely restaurant quality.
I made these the other night and was reminded why short ribs are my favorites. I served them on a buttery, cheesy, polenta, but I could have just as easily done mashed potatoes, noodles, quinoa, or cauliflower rice.
What you’ll need:
- short ribs ~ you can use bone in, or boneless. Mine were bone in.
- aromatics ~ onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, and herbs like thyme and sage
- red wine ~ something you would drink, but nothing fancy. Mine was an $8.99 Merlot. Yes, two buck Chuck will work.
- beef broth
- flour, salt, pepper
It’s a simple lineup, but by the time it’s all done cooking you’ll be left with meat that yields to your fork and a powerfully flavored gravy that tastes like it came from a fine restaurant. When you start with red wine, you’re getting a HUGE head start in the flavor department. That’s what makes the difference in this recipe.
Short Ribs are the ideal meal prep recipe
It’s a cliche, but some dishes really are better the next day, and short ribs are definitely one of them. The flavors seem to mingle and develop overnight. Especially for the cook, whose senses are blunted to all the complexities of the dish while they cook. You can appreciate it so much better the next day.
Decisions, decisions…what to serve short ribs over:
These short ribs are so fully flavored that you really want to pair them with something neutral.
- mashed potatoes
- polenta
- noodles
- winter squash or root vegetable puree
- white beans
- wilted spinach or kale
- or all by themselves, with a vegetable side and crusty bread
I clearly have a weakness for short ribs
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Wine Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone in short ribs
- olive oil
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups red wine (this is half a bottle)
- 1 small bunch fresh thyme
- 1 small bunch fresh sage
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 head garlic, cut in half horizontally
- 2 cups beef stock
Polenta
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup polenta or yellow cornmeal
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F Season the ribs all over with salt and pepper.
- Lightly coat the bottom of a heavy braising pot with oil. Heat to hot and then, working in batches, brown the ribs on all sides. Give them a few minutes per side to make sure they get nice and brown. Remove the ribs to a plate.
- Add the onions and carrots to the pot and saute for a few minutes until they start to soften. Stir often, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the flour and tomato paste and continue to cook and stir. It's ok if it starts to stick to the pan, but stir constantly for a minute or two and don't let it burn.
- Add the wine to the pan and then the short ribs. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan as it heats. Lower the heat and gently boil for about 15 minutes, or until the wine has reduced by about 1/3.
- Add the herbs, garlic, and beef stock to the pot stir well. Bring up to a boil, then cover, and transfer the pot to the oven and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Tip: after about 30 minutes I check the pot, if it's gently simmering, great. But if it's rapidly boiling, turn down your heat to 325F.
- Remove the ribs, carefully, from the pot and set on a plate. They should be falling off the bone and fork tender.
- Strain the gravy and discard the solids.
- Serve the ribs, 2 per serving, on top of hot polenta and ladle with gravy. Garnish with fresh thyme (or parsley.) Tip: the gravy should be thin, but if you'd like it thicker, just boil it down in a saucepan until it reaches your desired thickness.
To make polenta
- Bring the water, milk, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Slowly sprinkle in the polenta, whisking constantly.
- Lower the heat and cook, stirring often, for about 15 minutes, or until thick. You can partially cover the pot to protect against eruptions!
- Remove from the heat, add in the butter and cheese and stir until melted. Check the seasonings.
26 Comments
Debbie
October 15, 2021 at 5:20 pmI think I forgot to comment the first time I made these short ribs. They were excellent! I’m making again on Sunday. I had never cooked short ribs before this and I was surprised when you said they were pricey. I buy beef from a local producer via a middle person several times a year. Several cuts are available in the package but the seller has extras of some things. When I inquired about what was available, she mentioned short ribs and I decided to try them. They were free! She said the producer considers them throwaway! I don’t want to be greedy but I’ll take all she has in the future.
Valerie Nielsen
April 25, 2021 at 7:37 pmHi Sue, I want to make the short ribs Saturday then take to my Mother’s on Sunday. Do you suggest completing through step 8, then refrigerate meat and sauce separately? Then once at my mom’s combine and reheat? Thank you, Valerie
Sue Moran
April 26, 2021 at 5:32 amHey Valerie ~ in this case I’d say go ahead and make the whole dish. Meat like this just gets better the second day, and it will reheat fine. The only thing you might need to do is add additional liquid if necessary.
Valerie
May 3, 2021 at 7:26 pmThank you! Sunday was the first time I’ve been able to visit my 88 year old in months, followed recipe exactly and it was a huge success!
Sue Moran
May 4, 2021 at 4:43 amI’m so glad Valerie, I haven’t seen my dad in over a year, but now that I’m vaccinated I’ll be visiting, what a relief!
Kim Jamison
January 27, 2021 at 4:20 pmMade it tonight. Never made them before. Served over Greek yogurt mashed potatoes. Have a pic but not able to cure out how to upload. Great recipe!
Sue Moran
January 27, 2021 at 5:51 pmOh Kim those mashed potatoes sound delish!
Jacki
December 20, 2020 at 11:38 amVery excited to try this recipe today. But why does it say cook time 3 minutes? 😀
Sue
December 20, 2020 at 12:27 pmThat’s 3 hours, corrected.
Libby
November 16, 2020 at 1:01 pmThis was fantastic! Thanks for the recipe. I put most of the carrots back into the gravy. Next time I make this I’ll peel the garlic cloves so I don’t have to deal with straining out the peels.
Amy
October 28, 2020 at 1:18 pmHow long would I cook in a crockpot?
Susan
October 26, 2020 at 12:08 pmHi Sue,
Your recipes are always a go-to for me and company worthy. Could these be made in an instant pot?
It has become my go-to appliance.
Hope you had a great weekend.
Stay safe.
Susan
Becky Jones
October 26, 2020 at 10:36 amShort ribs are my go to winter meal. I usually serve them with grits. The leftover broth and bits of meat are great for Beef Barley Soup the next day.
Sue
October 26, 2020 at 10:38 amYes! Beef barley is one of my faves.
Greg walent
October 26, 2020 at 10:26 amI have not tried this yet but it sounds delicious & simple. Is the pot a Dutch oven or can you use another.
Sue
October 26, 2020 at 10:34 amI use a Dutch oven, that’s the best. But any pot you can brown in, and bake in, is fine.
Carrie Robinson
October 26, 2020 at 8:33 amNow this is my kind of comfort food! I love short ribs. 🙂
Sue
October 26, 2020 at 8:55 amMine too, I can’t think of a dinner I crave more.
Chenée Lewis
October 26, 2020 at 8:13 amThis looks incredible! Definitely restaurant-level! Pinning for later!
Angela
October 26, 2020 at 7:59 amThe meat comes out tender with a wonderful rich sauce. I love the added polenta. YUM!
Sue
October 26, 2020 at 8:03 amWine’s the secret!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
October 26, 2020 at 7:13 amI can’t wait to try this recipe at home, it looks very tasty!
Cindy
October 26, 2020 at 6:40 amThis looks amazing! Are there any cuts of lamb that you think this might work with?
Sue
October 26, 2020 at 6:50 amOffhand I’d think lamb shanks or lamb shoulder would work.
Enid
October 28, 2020 at 1:22 pmYes–this is a very similar recipe for lamb shanks!!
Erica
October 26, 2020 at 6:39 amThese sound absolutely delicious! I just stuck some short ribs in my freezer so this will be the perfect recipe!