Keyword: beef, braised, comfort food, red wine, rosemary, short ribs, winter food
Prep Time: 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 2 hourshours30 minutesminutes
Total Time: 2 hourshours40 minutesminutes
Servings: 3people
Calories: 888kcal
Fall-off-the-bone tender braised beef short ribs with full bodied red wine and aromatic rosemary makes a perfect cold weather meal! With your oven doing most of the leg work, why not woo that special someone for Valentine’s day with this delicious dish?
Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Season short ribs with salt and pepper evenly on all sides.
In a 4 quart dutch oven (or oven proof stock pot), on high heat add olive oil and butter until butter is melted. Sear seasoned short ribs 1 minute on each side in a single layer (3 ribs at a time) until all of the ribs are browned. Set aside.
Reduce heat to medium high and add sliced onions to sauté for 3 minutes until soft and translucent (not browned). Add minced garlic and stir to combine.
Pour red wine into pot and scrape any browned bits from bottom of pot with a spatula (or wooden spoon). Bring to a boil on high heat, add brown sugar, stir and reduce heat down to medium. Cook for 5 minutes or until liquid is slightly reduced.
Add bay leaf and sprigs of rosemary to pot then place browned short ribs on top of herbs in a single layer. Pour beef broth over meat. Cover pot with lid and with oven mitts on, place in oven on middle oven rack. Set timer to 2½ hours to braise meat. In the mean time cook side dishes of your choice.
When braising is done, remove meat from pot and place onto a shallow platter. Pour a little liquid from pot into platter, cover with foil and allow meat to rest for 10 minutes.
Gravy
In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and water
Using a strainer over a large sauce pan, pour liquid from dutch oven through strainer to filter broth. Bring broth to a boil and whisk in cornstarch slurry until gravy is thickened.
Serve
To plate, add sides to a shallow bowl. Place meat to the side or on top of sides and pour gravy over meat. Enjoy with red wine!
Video
Notes
Which is better bone-in or boneless beef short ribs?Either one will work but keep in mind that your cook time will differ. Bone-in short ribs need longer braising time but add more flavour. Boneless are good for easier portioning or shredding. Choose short ribs with a thicker cut and more marbling (strands of fat) for better tenderness.What type of Red Wine should I use to braise short ribs?I recommend full bodied red wines. Cabernet Sauvignon is my go-to choice as it helps soften the meat and elevates the flavour. Pinot Noir or Merlot are also good choices. Not a fan of alcohol in your food? You can buy dealcoholized red wine for flavour or you can replace red wine with additional beef stock.Can I use water instead of stock?Absolutely you can! Don't fret if you forgot to buy stock. Adding water works just as well since simmering the meat for several hours turns the water into flavourful stock.Why sear the ribs first?It adds more depth and flavour to the meat when braising. If you want a more detailed description as to why, I found an article by Food52 where the Maillard Reaction is explained in great detail.Can I use a roasting pan instead of a dutch oven?Dutch ovens are multi purpose for roasting, braising, slow cooking and more. These heavy pots are made from enameled cast iron (or ceramic) and are especially great for braising since they can retain liquids for a long period of time. The downside is that, although an essential part of the kitchen, it's an expensive cookware. Having said that, I don't recommend a roasting pan. It's more shallow than the dutch oven making it a not-so-ideal tool for braising meat. These pans are only meant for roasting and liquids within will evaporate faster. So what's a cheaper substitute? You can use an oven safe stockpot instead (even a medium size 3 or 4 quart stock pot will work depending on the amount of meat you're braising).