Braised Short Ribs
I have a confession. When I first started cooking, I really had no idea what I was doing. It wasn’t until I made these braised short ribs that I gained the confidence I needed to really delve into cooking.
Braised Short Ribs
Prior to make these ribs, I had viewed myself as a baker and a baker only. When I’d ask my mom for recipes I could practice my cooking with, I’d be begging her for step-by-step directions.
I’d have to plead for actual measurements rather than her version of measurements (i.e. a little bit of this or a dash of that). In any case, I got tired of trying to decipher her recipes and attempted an online recipe for braised short ribs.
To say they turned out beautifully would be an understatement; they were some of the best short ribs I’d ever had. I remember the group of family that I had over for dinner that night was oohing and aahing over the short ribs, declaring me a born chef!
Can you believe it? I felt like I was in one of those frozen meal commercials, where the hostess pretends she made a homemade meal but it’s really store-bought.
Even though I had made the braised short ribs from scratch, it just felt like it had been too easy to make to get such superb results. Everyone thought the short ribs were so fancy and so scrumptious; they were acting like I had invented the dish, for gosh sake!
The thing is, as beautiful as a plate of braised short ribs may look, it’s really just slow-cooked meat, and slow-cooked meat will always impress.
Getting such rave compliments over a meal I had practically tossed into a dutch oven and left alone for a couple of hours almost made me feel like I shouldn’t have been beaming with as much pride as I was….almost.
So to say this meal is foolproof, well, it would be an understatement.
Honestly, if you want all of your guests to think you are some culinary wizard and prepare gourmet meals on the regular like it’s no one’s business, make these braised short ribs.
My only cooking note to add here would be to make sure you nicely sear the short ribs during one of the initial steps of making this dish. That step really helps lock in the short ribs’ juices and contribute to the overall dish’s flavor.
I think my favorite part about these braised short ribs are how incredibly tender they are. The “test” to check if the ribs are done cooking is to sort of pull at the beef with your fork, and if it’s coming off the bone and sort of “shredding” off, then you’e good to go.
Whenever I test for their readiness, I can already feel myself salivating over how incredible they will taste. I’m just like, “They’re ready! Yep! Let’s eat!”
And while short ribs are the not the cheapest type of beef to buy, it always amazes me that one serving of them at a restaurant can cost upwards of $20! Instead, you can make this dish for many more people for much less, making it a lovely meal for the holidays.
Braised Short Ribs
Fork-tender, slow-cooked beef cooked in a red wine stew with fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- 8 whole beef short ribs
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 4 oz of diced pancetta or 6 strips of bacon, diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 whole onion, diced
- 3 whole carrots, diced
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 3/4 cup red wine, merlot works well
- 2 1/4 cups beef broth
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 sprigs rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large dutch oven, cook the pancetta or bacon over medium high heat until browned and crispy. Remove the pancetta/bacon using a slotted spoon so that you don’t remove its residual grease from the pot; set aside.
- Place the ribs in the pot and let both sides of each short rib brown. If you have very large ribs, brown the sides that add depth to the ribs too. Use cooking tongs to carefully remove the ribs from the pot; set the ribs aside on a plate.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Add the olive oil, then add in the diced onions and shallots; cook until the onions are translucent. Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom of pot to release the bits of fat from the previously cooked pancetta/bacon.
- Add the beef broth, 3/4 tsp of salt, and a good pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add more salt if desired. Add the ribs back into the pot, and then the sprigs of rosemary and thyme.
- Place the lid on the dutch oven and transfer to your oven. Cook at 350°F for 2 hours. About 20 minutes before the ribs are ready, add the carrots into the pot.
- Once the ribs and carrots are fork-tender, remove the pot from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 20 minutes, with the lid on, before serving.
Notes
Serve with mashed potatoes, potato dauphinois, or mixed veggies.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 4 ServingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 409
I go away for a little while and come back to this?!? Oh, my! This is wonderful, Beeta!
Thanks so much, Adam! The short ribs are some of my favorite!
Beef short ribs are the best and wish I had a big plate of yours right now! Delicious!
Thanks so much, Karrie! I agree – short ribs are awesome! <3
Um, DROOLING here! I adore short ribs but have never made them at home because they intimidate me. But you have me convinced about how easy they are (and you can’t go wrong with braising). I can’t wait to try these out!
Thanks so much, Amy! I totally know how you feel. I first thought ‘oh my…how am I going to make yummy short ribs?’ but when I actually went through the recipe, it was so simple that I just couldn’t believe it. And with all the amazing food you make, you could probably make this in your sleep!! XO
No joke, I just discovered a package of short ribs in my freezer YESTERDAY that I purchased a couple of weeks ago and thought, ‘what am I going to do with these?’ Well, now I know EXACTLY what I’m going to do with them. Beautiful recipe, sweet friend! xo
Yes!! Perfect timing then! These are so easy, you will love it Marissa! Thanks so much for your sweet words as always, deary <3
Oh wow! As I was reading your post I felt like I wrote it. I, too, had no idea when I first started cooking and I’d beg my mom for step-by-step instructions. I guess, one way or another, we all started from somewhere, right?
These ribs looks and sounds yummy. Again, I felt the same way when I made my first braised ribs: How come something so tasty could be this easy to make? 🙂
Hope you are enjoying your time in Europe. Happy Holidays Beeta.
Cheers!
Right?? Short ribs are pretty much foolproof goodness! Our moms can be so experienced at cooking, but they’re not always perfect teachers huh? 😉 Thanks so much for your kind comment, and I hope you have a wonderfullll holiday season as well <3
These really ARE gorgeous! I’ve never made (or eaten) ribs before (I spent the first 22 years of my life avoiding red meat) but I would love to try to make them now, and this looks like the perfect recipe to try out. Wonderful work, Beeta!!
Oh you will love these Sam!! This is a great way to get started with cooking red meat, as slow-cooking/braising is one of the yummiest ways to make it! Thanks so much for your sweet words <3