A classic, yet endlessly crave-worthy dish of red wine braised short ribs. The short ribs cook low and slow until they’re falling off the bone, luxuriously fork-tender. The flavorful braising liquid thickens into a silky sauce. And the parmesan risotto is the perfect complement to the meat.
Making red wine braised short ribs for the first time might be the moment I fell in love with cooking. To this day, it’s my favorite restaurant order, as well as my favorite dish to make at home. I love the process, the aroma, the finished result…it’s a true labor of love.
I think there are three things essential to making really good short ribs – developing a strong sear on the meat, taking the time to intentionally build the flavors of the braising liquid, and serving the short ribs with a creamy side (risotto is my preference, but polenta or whipped potatoes would be excellent as well).
And as always, starting with really good ingredients is necessary for any great dish.
red wine braised short ribs – the process
When searing the short ribs, the goal is to form a deeply browned crust on every single side. This greatly impacts the overall texture and flavor of the finished meat.
a few searing tips:
– Allow the short ribs to sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before searing.
– Pat them well with paper towels to ensure they’re really dry.
– Don’t rush the process of heating the oil (heat the pot, then add the oil, allow the oil to heat, and THEN add the short ribs).
– Don’t overcrowd the pot (work in batches as needed).
– Don’t try to flip the short ribs until you can visually see the browning along the edges and the meat releases effortlessly.
What it really comes down to for searing meat well is patience, which can be challenging, but very worth it.
After the short ribs are seared, you’ll remove them and build the braising liquid in the same pot, with all that beautiful “fond” (the culinary term for the brown bits stuck to the pot) already contributing lots of flavor. Again, the key is to not rush the process, giving each ingredient time to caramelize, incorporate, and simmer.
Once the braising liquid is ready, the short ribs go back in and cook gently for 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours. I give such a big range because the size of the short ribs determines how fast they cook. I would start checking them at 3 ½ hours (you want to see the bones falling off and you should be able to cut through the meat with just a fork), and then continue from there as needed.
finishing touches
The final part of the process is to strain the liquid and reduce it into a sauce, with a cornstarch slurry helping to thicken it. This sauce is very glaze-like with an intensely rich flavor from all that time cooking. While that comes together, I like to remove the tough membrane on each short rib, cleaning them up so they’re ready for the plate.
It all comes together with the parmesan risotto, red wine braised short ribs over top, and a generous spoonful of sauce to finish. I’d suggest serving this with a really simple mixed green salad that has a bright, acidic vinaigrette to balance the richness of the dish.
PrintRed Wine Braised Short Ribs with Parmesan Risotto
red wine braised short ribs served over creamy parmesan risotto
servings: 4
Ingredients
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
- 4 lbs bone-in short ribs
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled + diced
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups red wine
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 small handful of fresh thyme & oregano sprigs, tied in kitchen twine
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
- neutral oil
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
Parmesan Risotto
- 1 qt beef stock
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 cup arborio rice
- ½ cup sherry wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small handful of fresh thyme sprigs, tied in kitchen twine
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
- Pat the short ribs dry and allow them to sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Season them generously with salt.
- Heat a large Dutch oven (or heavy-bottomed pot) over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to very lightly coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, work in batches to sear the short ribs on all 6 sides, 2-3 minutes per side, or until deeply browned (about halfway through searing all the short ribs, lower the heat to medium so the oil doesn’t burn). Transfer the short ribs to a plate.
- Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the pot. Season with a good pinch of salt & black pepper. Cook until softened and starting to brown, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute or so.
- Pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Then, stir in the beef broth, bay leaves, and bundle of herbs. Add the short ribs back to the pot. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot, leaving a slight crack to allow steam to escape.
- Braise the meat for 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours, or until fork tender (about halfway through the braising process, flip the short ribs over & stir the liquid). Cook time will vary based on the size of the short ribs. Transfer them to a cutting board when they’re done.
- Use a large spoon to skim as much fat as possible from the braising liquid (I also like to use a folded paper towel to blot the fat). Strain the liquid. Wipe out the pot, then return the liquid to the pot over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil. Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. Pour the mixture into the boiling liquid, whisking to incorporate. Reduce the heat to medium. Simmer the liquid for about 5 minutes until thickened.
- Meanwhile, remove the bones from the short ribs (they should just fall off). Use a paring knife to remove the tough membrane from the bone side of each short rib.
- Add the short ribs back to the pot and coat with the sauce to warm through. Serve the short ribs over the parmesan risotto (recipe below).
Parmesan Risotto
- Heat the beef stock in a saucepan over low heat (keep this warm as you cook the risotto).
- Heat a medium stainless steel pot over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once hot, add the shallots and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Season with a good pinch of salt and about 40 cracks of coarse black pepper.
- Stir in the aroborio rice. Allow it to toast for a minute or so. Add the sherry wine, bay leaf, and bundle of thyme. Use a wooden spoon to stir until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Start to ladle the stock into the pot, one ladle (or about a ½ cup measurement) at a time, stirring after each addition until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue until you’ve added all of the liquid (this process should take 20-25 minutes or so).
- Remove the bay leaf and thyme. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and parmesan cheese until melted. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For timing purposes, I would get all of the risotto ingredients prepped and measured out while the short ribs are braising. Then, start step 1 of the risotto cooking process when the short ribs have about 10 minutes left of braising. The risotto takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. The goal is to simultaneously stir the risotto while you finish the remaining steps for the short ribs/sauce so that everything is ready at the same time.
- For the entire recipe, you’ll need 7 cups of beef broth. If you buy 2 quarts, this means you’ll have 1 cup leftover. Save this for heating up leftover risotto. You can warm a splash of broth in a saucepan over medium heat, and then add the leftover risotto to that. Stir until heated through. This will help thin it out and return it to a creamy state.
