These red wine braised short ribs are a decadent, comforting dish that delivers restaurant-quality flavor at home. The ribs are cooked low and slow until fall-off-the-bone tender, then finished with a silky red wine reduction. Everything comes together in one pot for an impressive yet easy meal.
If you enjoy this recipe, consider trying Short Rib Bolognese next.
These short ribs strike a balance between comforting and elegant. After hours of gentle braising the meat becomes incredibly tender and buttery soft. The braising liquid reduces to a velvety sauce that coats each piece, delivering deep, savory flavor in every bite.
The best part: it’s a one-pot meal that looks special with minimal effort—perfect for family dinners, holidays, or entertaining.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love These Wine Braised Short Ribs
- Key Ingredients
- How to Make Braised Short Ribs
- Pro Cooking Tips
- How To Serve
- Recipe FAQs
- More Braising Recipes
- Wine Braised Short Ribs Recipe
Why You’ll Love These Wine Braised Short Ribs
- Restaurant-quality at home: Rich, developed flavors without complicated techniques.
- Hands-off cooking: Once the ribs are seared and the braise is assembled, the stove does the work.
- Fall-off-the-bone tenderness: Slow braising melts connective tissue, giving an ultra-tender texture.
- Deep, savory flavor: A combination of aromatics, wine, miso, tomato, and herbs creates a complex sauce.
Key Ingredients
(Full measurements are available in the recipe card below.)
- Bone-in short ribs: Well-marbled and meaty; they become tender and juicy with long, gentle braising.
- Dry red wine: Adds acidity, fruit, and depth. Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet work well; Zinfandel or port can add a sweeter profile.
- Aromatics: Garlic, onion, shallots, celery, and carrots provide a savory base and natural sweetness.
- Fresh herbs: Thyme, rosemary, sage, and bay leaves lend earthy, aromatic notes.
- Beef broth: Builds a rich braising liquid and supports the sauce’s flavor.
- Tomato paste and miso: Concentrated tomato and a touch of miso deepen the sauce’s color and umami.
- Balsamic vinegar: Balances richness with acidity and a touch of sweetness.
How to Make Braised Short Ribs
Sear the Short Ribs
Step 1: Pat the short ribs dry and season generously with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. For extra flavor and juiciness, you can dry-brine the ribs in the refrigerator overnight and bring them to room temperature before cooking.
Step 2: Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat until very hot. Add olive oil and sear the short ribs on all sides until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
Step 3: Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped bacon and cook until the fat renders and the bacon crisps. Add diced shallots, onion, carrots, and celery; season with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Cook the vegetables 5–7 minutes until they soften. Stir in tomato paste, miso, brown sugar, garlic, balsamic vinegar, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes. Cook 3–5 minutes until thickened.
Cook Low and Slow
Step 5: Deglaze the pan with red wine and beef broth, scraping up all browned bits. Tie bay leaves, thyme, sage, and rosemary together for easy removal, or simply add the herbs to the pot.
Step 6: Return the short ribs to the pot, add the tied herbs and an optional parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 2½–3 hours until the meat is tender and falling from the bone.
Step 7: Remove the short ribs and cover with foil. Increase heat to medium and reduce the braising liquid by half. Discard the herb bundle and parmesan rind, then blend the sauce with heavy cream until smooth. Spoon the sauce over the short ribs before serving.
Pro Cooking Tips
- Taste and adjust: After blending the sauce, season with salt, pepper, or a splash of vinegar to brighten flavors.
- Get the pan hot: A very hot pot ensures a good sear and developed crust.
- Render bacon slowly: Let it crisp and render fully to add smoky richness to the sauce.
- Deglaze thoroughly: Scrape up all browned bits when adding wine and broth—they’re full of flavor.
- Parmesan rind: Adding a rind while braising boosts umami and depth.
How To Serve
These short ribs pair beautifully with creamy mashed potatoes or polenta and roasted or sautéed vegetables such as green beans or kale. Crusty bread or dinner rolls are perfect for sopping up the sauce. You can also serve them over egg noodles or enjoy them on their own with a simple salad.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. They often taste better the next day. Braise as directed, cool, refrigerate, and reheat gently on the stove or in the oven.
Choose a dry red you enjoy drinking — Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Pinot Noir work well. Avoid low-quality “cooking wines.”
Yes. After searing and preparing the braise, transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 7–8 hours.
Any heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid will work.
They’re done when fork-tender and falling off the bone, usually after 2½–3 hours of simmering.
Yes. Store in an airtight container with sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently.
More Braising Recipes
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Balsamic Braised Beef with Pears
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Wine Braised Short Ribs
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 4 lbs Short Ribs (English cut)
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 4 slices Bacon, cut into chunks
- 1 large Yellow Onion, diced
- 2 Shallots, diced
- 2 Carrots, diced
- 2 Celery stalks, diced
- 6 oz Tomato Paste
- 1 tbsp Miso Paste (optional but recommended)
- 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 6 cloves Garlic, diced
- 1/2 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 750 ml Dry Red Wine
- 2 cup Beef Broth
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 4 sprigs Rosemary
- 6 sprigs Thyme
- 4 Sage Leaves
- Parmesan rind (optional)
- 1 tbsp Heavy Cream
Instructions
- Pat short ribs dry and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Optional: dry-brine overnight in the fridge for deeper flavor.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and sear the ribs on all sides until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add bacon and cook until fat renders and bacon crisps. Add shallots, onion, carrots, and celery; season with salt and pepper.
- Cook vegetables 5–7 minutes until softened. Stir in tomato paste, miso, brown sugar, garlic, balsamic vinegar, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes. Cook 3–5 minutes until thickened.
- Pour in red wine and beef broth, scraping browned bits from the pan. Tie bay leaves, thyme, sage, and rosemary together, or add herbs directly to the pot.
- Return short ribs to the pot, add the herb bundle and parmesan rind if using. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat to low and simmer 2½–3 hours until ribs are fork-tender.
- Remove ribs and cover with foil. Increase heat and reduce the braising liquid by half. Discard the herb bundle and rind, then blend the sauce with heavy cream until smooth. Spoon the sauce over the ribs and serve.
Video
Notes
- Get the pan smoking hot. A very hot pot ensures a good sear and flavorful crust.
- Render the bacon slowly. Allow it to crisp and render fully for added richness.
- Deglaze properly. Scrape all browned bits when adding wine and broth; they’re concentrated flavor.
- Use a parmesan rind if available. It adds extra umami to the sauce.
- Taste and adjust. After blending the sauce, adjust seasoning or add a splash of vinegar for brightness if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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