Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Meaty bone-in short ribs browned hard, then braised for hours in red wine, beef broth and herbs until they fall off the bone, finished with a glossy sauce reduced from the pot.
Nutrition per serving
1 meaty rib with sauce- Net carbs
- 5.2g
- Calories
- 620kcal
- Protein
- 23g
- Fat
- 52g
- Total carbs
- 6.3 g
- Fiber
- 1.1 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Korean braised (galbi-jjim): The ribs braise in a sweet-savory tamari, ginger and sesame liquid with chunks of daikon instead of wine and tomato — in the style of Korean galbi-jjim.
- Skip the tomato paste and wine. After softening the vegetables, add the broth, water, tamari, sweetener, ginger, sesame oil, thyme and bay leaves and braise as written.
- Tuck the daikon around the ribs for the last hour, until it is tender and amber. Reduce the sauce as written and finish with the green onions.
Boneless chuck (budget): Large chunks of chuck roast braise to the same spoon-tender richness for a fraction of the price of short ribs.
- Brown the chuck pieces on all sides, then braise 2½ hours, until they fall apart when pressed with a fork. Chuck is leaner, so there is less fat to skim.
Wine-free: More beef broth replaces the wine, and a spoonful of red wine vinegar brings back some of the acidity. Rich and savory, with no alcohol.
- Deglaze the pot with the extra broth instead of the wine and reduce it by about a third, then continue as written. Stir the vinegar into the finished sauce.
- Short ribs
- Braise
- To finish
- Nice to have (optional)
- Short ribs
- Braise
-
2 tbsp tomato pasteleave out -
1½ cups dry red wineleave out -
1 sprig fresh rosemaryleave out - To finish
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Short ribs
- Braise
- To finish
- Nice to have (optional)
- Short ribs
- Braise
- To finish
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $53.44 for 8 servings ($6.68 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Season the ribs all over with the salt and pepper — ideally an hour ahead, or uncovered in the fridge overnight. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
-
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the ribs in two batches, 3–4 minutes per meaty side, until deeply browned, 10–12 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate and pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat.
-
Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook 6–8 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot, until softened and browned at the edges. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, until the paste darkens.
-
Pour in the wine, scrape up every browned bit and boil until reduced by about half, 8–10 minutes. Add the broth, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves.
-
Return the ribs bone-side up in a snug layer; the liquid should come about three-quarters of the way up the meat. Bring to a simmer, cover and braise in the oven 2½–3 hours, until the meat is very tender and pulling away from the bones (around 200°F/93°C — far past the 145°F/63°C safe point).
-
Lift the ribs onto a platter and tent with foil. Strain the liquid (press on the vegetables) or leave them in for a rustic sauce, then skim off as much fat as you can. Boil the liquid 5–10 minutes, until reduced to about 1½ cups. Sprinkle in the xanthan gum while whisking and simmer 1 minute, until glossy. Taste for salt.
-
Spoon the sauce over the ribs and scatter with parsley. Serve over cauliflower mash or garlic mashed turnips.
Tips for success
-
Buy English-cut short ribs — thick, single-bone pieces made for braising. Thin, cross-cut "flanken" strips are meant for quick grilling. - Short ribs release a lot of fat. Skim the sauce well (a fat separator helps), or chill the whole pot overnight and lift the solid fat off in one piece.
- If the ribs aren't tender at 2½ hours, they aren't done — cover and give them another 30 minutes. Toughness means undercooked, not overcooked.
Nice to have, not needed
- A heavy enameled Dutch oven is ideal — any oven-safe pot with a tight lid works, or a roasting pan sealed with foil.
- A fat separator makes skimming the sauce quick — a ladle and a little patience work too.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 3 months
Reheat: Warm covered at 325°F (165°C) for 25–30 minutes, or in a saucepan over low heat, until hot through.
Prep tip: Braise a day ahead and chill overnight — the fat sets on top and lifts off in one piece, and the flavor deepens.
Refrigerate in the sauce up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat covered at 325°F (165°C) or on the stove over low heat.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosKorean braised (galbi-jjim)
FlavorThe ribs braise in a sweet-savory tamari, ginger and sesame liquid with chunks of daikon instead of wine and tomato — in the style of Korean galbi-jjim.
- + 4 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- + 3 tbsp allulose or brown keto sweetener
- + 2 tbsp fresh ginger
- + 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- + 1 cup water
- + ¾ lb daikon radish
- + 2 green onions
- no dry red wine
- no tomato paste
- no fresh rosemary
5.3 g net · 605 kcal · 24 g protein · 53 g fat · ≈$6.53 per serving (+0.1 g net carbs vs the original)
Boneless chuck (budget)
ProteinLarge chunks of chuck roast braise to the same spoon-tender richness for a fraction of the price of short ribs.
- bone-in English-cut beef short ribs → boneless beef chuck roast
4.6 g net · 426 kcal · 30 g protein · 28 g fat · ≈$4.54 per serving (−0.6 g net carbs vs the original)
Wine-free
DietMore beef broth replaces the wine, and a spoonful of red wine vinegar brings back some of the acidity. Rich and savory, with no alcohol.
- dry red wine → extra beef broth
- + 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
4.2 g net · 591 kcal · 25 g protein · 52 g fat · ≈$6.63 per serving (−1 g net carbs vs the original)
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