Braised Beef Short Rib Recipe

Trim and season

Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels. Season all sides evenly with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly dust the ribs with the all-purpose flour, shaking off excess; the flour helps with browning and thickening the braising liquid.

Preheat and sear

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). In a large Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot, heat the neutral oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half the short ribs without crowding and sear 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining ribs, adding the butter before the second batch if pan looks dry. Do not skip browning — it builds flavor.

Sauté vegetables

Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes until it darkens slightly; this deepens the flavor.

Deglaze

Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Simmer until the wine is reduced by about half, 3–5 minutes.

Add braising liquid and aromatics

Return the seared short ribs to the pot nestling them into the vegetables. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprig, and whole peppercorns. The liquid should come about two-thirds of the way up the ribs; add up to 1/2 cup more stock or water if needed. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer on the stovetop.

Oven braise

Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until the short ribs are fork-tender and falling off the bone, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Check once after 1 1/2 hours to ensure the liquid is gently simmering; if it looks too low, add a splash of stock or water.

Rest and reduce

Remove the pot from the oven. Using tongs, transfer the short ribs to a warm platter and tent with foil to rest. Skim off any excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid. Place the pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat and simmer the liquid until reduced and slightly thickened, about 8–12 minutes.

Mount and garnish

Turn off the heat and whisk in the cold butter to enrich and slightly thicken the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Return the ribs to the sauce to warm briefly, then sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.