Simple Braised Beef Short Ribs Recipe in the Oven

What are Short Ribs?

Beef short ribs are from the beef chuck of a cow, taken near the breastbone. Short ribs are narrow cuts of beef that are tough until slowly braised for a long time. Short ribs are best treated like other tough cuts of meat (like a chuck roast used to make Instant Pot beef roast and veggies) braised at a low temperature for several hours (in this case about 2 1/2 hours using the oven cooking method). The end result is flavorful, fall-off-the-bone beef.

This short ribs recipe is simple and mostly a hands-off process. All the magic happens during the slow braising process. As long as you have 20 minutes to chop and brown the meat and veggies, and a bit of patience (for the 2 1/2 hour braising time), you can easily make this short ribs recipe.

Short ribs are easy to find at the grocery store. The ribs are inexpensive compared to other cuts of beef, like ribeye or New York Strip steak. This recipe will feed 4 people for about $3-5 per person. That’s not bad, especially considering that a braised short rib can easily cost $25+ at a restaurant.

Short ribs are not the same as back ribs. Back ribs, as is typical with barbecue recipes, are elongated and the meat is found between the bones. With short ribs, the meat is found on the top and bottom of the bone.

Ingredients Needed

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
• 1 medium onion (white or yellow sweet onion)
• 7 carrots
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 2-3 fresh rosemary sprigs (alternatively, you could use a medley of fragrant herbs like fresh sprigs of thyme and rosemary sprigs)
• salt
• ground pepper
• 1 cup chicken broth/stock or beef broth/stock
• 1 cup red wine (any kind, no need to get a fancy bottle of wine)
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (whole wheat, all-purpose white, or einkorn-used to thicken the sauce)

Step 1: Salt The Meat

Generously sprinkle the bone-in short ribs with salt, on all sides. I use a fine salt (Real Salt is my favorite brand). There’s no need to trim excess fat away from the short ribs. The fat adds so much flavor and it’s what makes this cut of meat so desirable.

Step 2: Brown The Short Ribs

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large Dutch oven or braiser pot. Heat oil over high heat. Place ribs in the hot oil, browning on two sides for about 4-5 minutes each. I recommend browning on each side with the fat as this is where the flavor is. You may need to work in batches to brown all the meat. Once brown, remove the browned ribs from the pot and let rest on a cutting board or plate.

Step 3: Cook The Onions, Carrots, and Garlic

If there’s a lot of excess fat/juices in the pot, drain the fat, leaving behind just about a tablespoon of fat. Over medium-high heat, add yellow onion slices, about 7 halved carrots, and 6 cloves of garlic to the hot pot. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt and saute for about 5 minutes. Then sprinkle the veggies with 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, stirring to coat the veggies.

Step 4: Add The Stock/Broth, Red Wine, and Rosemary

Pour 1 cup of either chicken or beef stock (or homemade broth) to the pot, along with 1 cup of red wine (any kind; no need for expensive stuff). Give everything a stir, until the flour is mostly dissolved.

Add the short ribs back to the pot, nestling the meat in the liquid (they shouldn’t be submerged), along with 2-3 fresh rosemary sprigs and a few turns of black pepper and more salt. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and place the lid on the pot.

Step 5: Braise The Short Ribs in The Oven

Place the Dutch oven in a preheated 325F oven and braise for 2 1/2 hours. The low heat and long cooking time allow the ribs to cook to perfection in the braising liquid. Once done, remove the pot from the oven. The short ribs should be bone tender and fall right off the bone with a fork.

How to Make Short Ribs in The Slow Cooker

The good news is you don’t have to be home all day to make this recipe.

Instead of braising short ribs in the oven, you can use the slow cooker instead. This is a great way to turn this recipe into a quick weeknight meal. Follow steps 1-4, then pour everything in a slow-cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-5 hours.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover ribs in an airtight container with a little bit of the sauce along with any leftover carrots. Reheat in a skillet on the stove-top or the microwave with the sauce. The sauce will keep the meat from drying out when reheated.

How to Serve

Short ribs can be prepared for a dinner recipe all year-long, but I think they’re perfect to keep on rotation during the colder months when we all want a warm, cozy, and hearty dish. This meal checks all the boxes. (Here are 64 meal ideas to keep on rotation.)

To serve, carefully spoon as many short ribs onto a plate or bowl, spoon the thickened juices over the top, along with the carrots and onions. And serve with a side…

• Crusty Bread: Homemade crusty bread is so easy to make and it’s the perfect way to soak up some of the sauce as well.
• Biscuits: Make buttery einkorn biscuits to serve with the beef and carrots.
• Salad: Serve a side salad with homemade vinaigrette.
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes: I think the best part of this recipe, besides the tender meat, is the red wine sauce. Make Instant Pot mashed potatoes before the short ribs are done cooking, then add the ribs and mashed potatoes to a plate and spoon the delicious sauce over top the potatoes.
• Creamy Polenta: Make polenta and spoon the beef and potatoes and sauce over the top.
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Cook up the easiest and best sweet potatoes to serve as a starchy side.
• Roasted Vegetables: I love to make frozen roasted vegetables, which are cheap and easy to roast. Serve the frozen vegetables, like roasted cauliflower or broccoli on the side.