This Braised Short Ribs Recipe is the ultimate comfort food! Short ribs are seared in oil, locking in flavor, then cooked low and slow in a rich red wine braising liquid with fresh veggies. The result is fall-apart tender meat and a thick, savory gravy that’s perfect served over mashed potatoes.

Fall-Apart Tender Braised Short Ribs with Gravy! 

If you’ve never had braised short ribs, you’ve been seriously missing out! One of my favorite foods, this dish tastes like it took all day, but most of the time is hands-off, meaning you have plenty of time to prep a few sides. 

The ribs start with a deep, golden sear that builds incredible flavor, then slowly simmer in red wine, broth, and vegetables until the meat is fall-apart tender. As they braise, the vegetables soften and the liquid reduces into a rich, silky gravy that’s savory and perfect for spooning over mashed potatoes. Serve these ribs for holidays, family gatherings, or anytime you want a dinner that’s guaranteed to impress! 

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Short Ribs: You’ll need 5 pounds of bone-in, English short ribs. Bring them to room temperature before you begin! 
• Veggies: Onion, celery, carrot, fennel, and garlic build the foundation of flavor and add natural sweetness as they cook down.
• Tomato Paste: This adds, depth, richness, and a subtle umami flavor. 
• Dijon Mustard: This adds a slightly tangy taste that balances some of the richness of the liquid. 
• Beef Broth: This forms the base of the braising liquid, infusing the ribs with flavor and preventing them from drying out and later turns into gravy. 
• Red Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot work best, but any dry red wine will work. Just keep in mind that pinot noir will be less flavorful. Also, if you don’t want to use wine, you can use beef broth.
• Fresh Herbs: Fresh bay leaves and fresh thyme infuse the dish with a bright, aromatic flavor. 
• Cornstarch: Combine cornstarch with water to thicken the liquid and transform it into a gravy. 

How to Pick the Best Short Ribs

For the best flavor and a tender texture, look for these qualities in your short ribs: 

• Marbling: You want your ribs to have visible streaks of white fat throughout each piece. This melts as it cooks, adding flavor and creating tender meat. 
• Thick, Even Ribs: Look for ribs that are about 2-3 inches thick so they cook evenly. 
• Use Bone-In Ribs: These stay juicier, and the bones add flavor to teh braising liquid. 
• Bright Color: Look for  ribs that are bright red. Short ribs that are dull or brown are likely old. 

How to Make the Best Braised Short Ribs Recipe

Step 1. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Don’t skimp! I use about a tablespoon of salt. Sear the ribs in oil in a Dutch oven until they develop a deep brown crust on all sides, and set aside. 

Step 2. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the veggies. Cook until slightly tender. Then, stir in the tomato paste, and continue to cook until it turns a deep color. 

Step 3. Pour in the beef broth and red wine, followed by the thyme and dried bay leaves. Return the short ribs to the pot, nestling them in the liquid.  

Step 4. Place the lid on the Dutch oven, and braise until the ribs are fork-tender, adding the carrots in the last 45 minutes of cooking.

Step 5. Remove the ribs from the Dutch oven, and skim off excess fat from the braising liquid. Next, increase the heat to medium, bringing the liquid to a simmer. Mix cornstarch with cold water to create a slurry. Add the slurry to the pot, and cook until the liquid thickens into a gravy. 

Step 6. Return the short ribs to the pot, nestling them in the gravy, and allow everything to heat through until warm. Enjoy over mashed potatoes! 

Can I Make Braised Short Ribs in the Slow Cooker? 

I haven’t tested this recipe in the slow cooker, but it should work. Sear the ribs in oil, and sauté the veggies. Then, transfer everything to a slow cooker, making sure to submerge the ribs. Cover, and cook on low for about 7-8 hours or on high for around 4-5 hours or until the meat is fall-apart tender. 

After cooking, pour the liquid into a saucepan, bring it to a simmer, and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Spoon teh gravy over the ribs when serving. 

Serving Suggestions

My favorite way to serve this recipe is over mashed potatoes to soak up all the gravy. Pasta also works well! Then, I add a side of crusty bread, roasted vegetables, like my roasted Brussels sprouts or roasted green beans, and a light side salad. 

We can’t forget dessert, either! Finish your meal with fluffernutter cookies or Biscoff cheesecake bars to satisfy your sweet tooth. 

How to Store and Reheat

Refrigerator: Once cool, transfer leftovers to an airtight container, and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

Freeze: You can also freeze the ribs and gravy for up to 3 months! I recommend storing them separately. Then, thaw in the fridge overnight to serve. 

Reheat: Warm the ribs gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until heated through, adding a splash of broth or water if the sauce thickens too much. You can also reheat them in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for 20-30 minutes or until warm.

More Delicious Main Course Recipes 

• Southern Butter Beans with Smoked Turkey
• Southern Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey
• Easy Chicken Alfredo Pasta
• Fried Chicken Tenders
• Smash Burger Recipe with Smash Burger Sauce
• Marry Me Chicken Pasta

I hope you love this Braised Short Ribs Recipe! It’s tender, savory, and the gravy takes it over the top. If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @‌butterloveandsalt on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support Butter, Love & Salt and make it possible for me to continue to create delicious recipes.

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Braised Short Ribs

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time :15 minutes mins

Cook Time :3 hours hrs

Total Time :3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Serves: 6

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Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 5 pounds bone-in short ribs room temperature
• ▢ 1 large yellow onion sliced
• ▢ 3 stalks celery finely diced
• ▢ 3-5 carrots separated, 1 diced and the rest sliced diagonally and set aside.
• ▢ 1 bulb of fennel
• ▢ 10 cloves garlic crushed
• ▢ 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ 2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• ▢ 2 cups beef broth
• ▢ 2 cups red wine Cabernet Sauvignon or merlot (or any of your favorite dry red wines. Pinot will be less flavorful). Alternatively, you can substitute for additional beef broth
• ▢ 2 dried or fresh bay leaves
• ▢ 10 sprigs of fresh thyme
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ▢ parsley for serving
• ▢ mashed potatoes for serving

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. While the dutch oven is heating, liberally season the short ribs with salt and pepper (I use about 1 tbsp of salt).
• Once the dutch oven is hot, add the olive oil. Then, place half the short ribs in the pot. Sear the short ribs for 4-5 minutes per side until they have developed a deep brown crust. Remove the short ribs from the dutch oven and repeat this process with the other half of the short ribs.
• Once all of the short ribs have been seared and removed from the pan, turn down the heat to medium low.
• Add the sliced onion, diced celery, diced carrot, smashed garlic, and fennel to the dutch oven. Cook the veggies for 4-6 minutes and then stir in the mustard and tomato paste until well combined and the tomato paste turns a deep color.
• Pour in the beef broth and red wine. Then, add the thyme and dried bay leaves to the pot. Return the short ribs to the pot, nestling them in the liquid. Place the lid on the dutch oven and then place the short ribs in the oven. Braise the short ribs at 350 degrees for about 3 hours or until they are fork tender. When you have about 45 minutes left, add the remaining carrots to the dutch oven.
• When the short ribs are done and fork tender, remove the short ribs from the dutch oven and use a spoon to skim off any excess fat from the top of the braising liquid. Heat the dutch oven over medium heat to bring the braising liquid to a simmer. Mix the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with about ¼ cup of cool water until the cornstarch is dissolved to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the pot. The braising liquid will thicken into a gravy. Return the short ribs to the pot, nestling them in the gravy and ensure that everything is heated through before turning off the heat.
• Serve the short ribs and gravy over mashed potatoes or polenta and enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Calories: 587kcal (29%)Carbohydrates: 10g (3%)Protein: 54g (108%)Fat: 28g (43%)Saturated Fat: 12g (75%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 163mg (54%)Sodium: 564mg (25%)Potassium: 1309mg (37%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 5189IU (104%)Vitamin C: 5mg (6%)Calcium: 56mg (6%)Iron: 7mg (39%)

Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Meg McKeehan.