Beef Ribs Recipe

Prepare ribs

Pat the beef short ribs dry with paper towels. Trim excess silver skin if present. Season all sides evenly with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Let sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).

Sear ribs

Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil and heat until shimmering. Working in batches if necessary, add the ribs and sear on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer seared ribs to a plate and set aside.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add the smashed garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes to toast the paste.

Deglaze

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

Add liquids and aromatics

Return the seared ribs to the pot, nestling them among the vegetables. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and brown sugar. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the ribs; add a little more stock or water if needed. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop.

Braise in oven

Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until the ribs are fork-tender and the meat is pulling away from the bone, about 2½–3 hours. Check once halfway through and spoon some braising liquid over the ribs if the top looks dry.

Rest and strain sauce

Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Transfer the ribs to a warm platter and tent with foil to rest. Skim off excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing on the solids to extract flavor; discard solids.

Reduce sauce

Simmer the strained sauce over medium-high heat until reduced and slightly thickened to a sauce consistency, about 8–12 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. For a glossy finish, whisk in the unsalted butter off the heat.

Slice or serve whole: Place the rested ribs on a serving platter and spoon the reduced sauce over and around the ribs. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot with mashed potatoes, polenta, or roasted vegetables.