Rich, tender, and deeply flavourful, these red wine braised short ribs are the ultimate comfort food. Slowly cooked until fall-apart tender in a savoury mix of red wine, beef stock, and aromatics, they’re finished with a bright parsley-lemon garnish that cuts through the richness beautifully. Perfect over mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, or buttered noodles.

Ingredients

For the braise:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2.5 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
• Salt and pepper
• 2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 cups red wine (dry, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
• 2 cups beef stock

For finishing:

• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley, tightly packed
• Zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
   Position a rack in the middle of your oven.
2. Sear the short ribs.
   Pat the ribs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
   Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs on all sides until deeply browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
3. Sauté aromatics.
   Pour off excess fat from the pot, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Lower the heat to medium.
   Add celery, carrot, and onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden.
   Stir in garlic, rosemary, tomato paste, and soy sauce. Cook for 30 seconds to release their aroma.
4. Deglaze and build the braising liquid.
   Pour in the red wine and beef stock, scraping the bottom of the pot to lift up any browned bits.
5. Braise.
   Return the short ribs (and any juices from the plate) to the pot, nestling them into the liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer.
   Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the ribs are fork-tender. Larger ribs may take slightly longer.
6. Shred the meat.
   Transfer the ribs to a large bowl. Remove and discard the bones. Trim away excess fat and shred the meat.
7. Strain and finish the sauce.
   Use a slotted spoon to discard the vegetables and aromatics from the braising liquid.
   Skim off as much fat as possible. Return the shredded beef to the pot to keep warm.
8. Make the parsley-lemon topping.
   In a small bowl, mix the parsley and lemon zest together.
9. Serve.
   Spoon the braised short ribs and sauce over creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or rice. Top with the parsley-lemon mixture.

Tips for Success

• Use bone-in short ribs for maximum flavour.
• Don’t rush the searing process—it adds depth to the finished dish.
• If making ahead, refrigerate overnight and remove the hardened fat from the top before reheating.

FAQ

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs 

Print Recipe

• Author: Andrea Buckett

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2.5 lbs short ribs

2 ribs celery, roughly chopped

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped, 

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1 tablespoons, minced fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 cups red wine

2 cups beef stock

½ cup tightly packed, chopped parsley

Zest of 1 lemon

Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and place a rack in the middle position.

1. Season the short ribs, all over with salt and pepper

2. Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the short ribs and sear the meat on all sides, about 2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer the ribs to a plate. 

3. Remove all but a tablespoon of fat from the dutch oven. Turn the heat down to medium.

4. Add the celery, carrot, onion and cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are starting to soften and are picking up some golden brown colour. 

5. Stir in the rosemary, tomato paste and soy sauce and cook for 30 seconds.  Stir in the red wine and beef stock. 

6. Nestle the short ribs into the brothy mixture. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and place in the oven to cook for 2 ½ -3 hours. The larger sized ribs might take a little longer to get that “fall off the bone” texture.

7. Transfer the ribs from the braising liquid to a bowl. Remove the bones and discard. Pull or cut away the tender meat from the fatty bits. Discard the fatty bits. 

8. Use a slotted spoon to remove the aromatics from the braising liquid and discard.Skim as much fat as possible off the top off the braising liquid. Return the braised beef to the liquid to keep warm.

9. Mix together the parsley and lemon zest in a small bowl.

Serve the braised rib beef and its sauce over polenta, mashed potatoes or rice. Garnish with some of the parsley and lemon mix.