Braised Short Rib Recipe

Preheat and season

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels. Season all sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Dust with flour

Lightly dust each short rib with the all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess. This helps develop color and thickens the eventual sauce slightly.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add the neutral oil. When shimmering, sear the short ribs in batches (do not crowd) until deeply browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer seared ribs to a plate and set aside.

If the pot has more than about 2 tablespoons of fat, drain to leave roughly 1 tbsp. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion, carrots and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 8–10 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook and stir for 1–2 minutes until the tomato paste darkens slightly and the garlic is fragrant. If the bottom of the pot is very dark, add a splash (1–2 tbsp) of the red wine now to deglaze and scrape up browned bits.

Pour in the red wine and bring to a strong simmer. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release all browned fond. Let the wine reduce by about one-third, 6–8 minutes. (If you used a splash earlier, still add the full wine amount now.)

Return the seared short ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot, nestling them into the mirepoix. Add the beef stock until the ribs are about two-thirds submerged (approximately 2–3 cups). Add bay leaves, thyme sprigs and rosemary. If using porcini powder, stir it into the liquid now.

Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer on the stovetop. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until the meat is very tender and falling from the bone, about 2½–3 hours. Check once at around 2 hours to ensure liquid level is safe; add up to ½ cup more stock or water if too low.

Once ribs are tender, carefully remove the pot from the oven. Transfer the short ribs to a warm platter and tent with foil. Remove and discard thyme stems, rosemary, and bay leaves. Skim off and discard excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid using a spoon or fat separator.

Place the pot over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Bring the braising liquid to a brisk simmer and reduce until it thickens into a glossy gravy and is reduced to about 1½–2 cups, about 10–15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Finish the sauce by whisking in the cold butter pieces until melted and incorporated for a silky texture. Stir in chopped parsley and remove from heat.

Return the short ribs to the pot briefly to warm in the sauce for 1–2 minutes, spooning sauce over them, or serve the ribs plated with the red wine reduction spooned over.

Serve the braised short ribs over mashed potatoes, polenta, or buttered egg noodles. Spoon extra red wine reduction gravy over the ribs and garnish with additional chopped parsley.

Leftovers: cool to room temperature, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Sauce will thicken in fridge—reheat gently and add a splash of stock to loosen if needed.