Braised short ribs are a winter dinner that doesn’t apologize. Low oven heat, wine, stock, and time turn tough meat into something tender enough to fall from the bone.
Ingredients
4-6 beef short ribs (about 3 lbs total)
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tbsp oil or butter
1 large onion, quartered
3 carrots, cut into chunks
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 cups red wine
2 cups beef stock
2 bay leaves
4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp tomato paste
Steps
1. Pat the short ribs dry. Season all over with salt and pepper. Don’t skimp.
2. Heat your oven to 325F.
3. In a heavy Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil over high heat until it smokes. Working in batches, sear the ribs on all sides until they’re dark brown, about 12 minutes total. Don’t crowd the pan. Transfer them to a plate.
4. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic to the same pot. Stir for 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir another minute.
5. Pour in the wine, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to get every bit of browned meat. Simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Add the stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Return the ribs to the pot. The liquid should come halfway up the ribs. If not, add more stock.
7. Cover with a lid and move it to the oven. Braise at 300-325F for 3 hours. Check after 2 hours. The meat should be tender when you poke it, not falling apart yet.
8. Remove the pot from the oven. Carefully pull the ribs out with a fork and set them aside. Strain the braising liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pushing on the vegetables to get all the flavor. Discard the solids.
9. Skim the fat off the top of the liquid. Pour it back into the pot with the ribs. It can sit here until you’re ready to eat, or you can serve immediately over mashed potatoes.
Notes
Use a quality Dutch oven like this Lodge cast iron. The sear matters. Don’t rush it or the braise will taste thin. If you want to make this ahead, braise it, cool it completely, and reheat it the next day. It tastes better that way.
