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
- 1 small handful of fresh thyme sprigs, tied in kitchen twine
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 cup arborio rice
- ½ cup sherry wine
- 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 (you want the bones to be falling off and the meat should be fork tender).
- 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, bundle of thyme, and bay leaf in a saucepan over low heat (keep this warm as you cook the risotto).
- Heat a medium Dutch oven (or heavy-bottomed pot) over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add the shallots and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Season with about 40 cracks of coarse black pepper.
- Stir in the arborio rice. Allow it to toast for a minute or so. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the sherry wine. Use a wooden spoon to stir until the rice has absorbed the liquid.
- Start to ladle the stock into the pot, one ladle 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 only take 20-25 minutes). You don’t have to stir constantly, but stir often enough so that the rice doesn’t start to stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and parmesan cheese until melted. Season with salt if needed (the parmesan already adds a salty bite so you shouldn’t need much, if any). Serve immediately.
Notes
- For timing purposes, I would get all of the risotto ingredients prepped and measured out while the short ribs are braising. If you have someone helping you, I would have one person start the risotto when the short ribs have about 10 minutes left of braising. That way, while you finish the remaining steps for the short ribs/sauce, someone else will be working on the risotto, and everything should be ready at the same time. If it’s just you cooking, I would finish through step 7 for the short ribs. You can turn off the heat for the sauce and let the short ribs sit at room temperature. Then, start the risotto. When the risotto is about 5 minutes from being done, place the short ribs in the sauce and heat over medium until warmed through.
- 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.
