Red Wine Braised Beef Short Rib Recipe

Prep

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat short ribs dry with paper towel. Season all over with 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Lightly dust each rib with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, shaking off excess.

Brown the ribs

Heat a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When hot and shimmering, add short ribs in a single layer (work in batches if necessary) and sear until deep brown on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer browned ribs to a plate.

Vegetables & aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion, chopped carrot, and chopped celery to the pot. Sauté 6–8 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized. Add smashed garlic and 2 tablespoons tomato paste; cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens.

Deglaze & simmer

Pour in 2 cups dry red wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer and reduce for 5 minutes to concentrate flavor. Add 2 cups beef stock, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 4 thyme sprigs, 2 bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional). Return short ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot so they sit snugly in the liquid (liquid should come about halfway up the ribs). Bring to a gentle simmer.

Braise

Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to preheated oven. Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until meat is fork-tender and falling off the bone. Check at 2 hours: if liquid is reducing too quickly, add a splash of stock or cover more tightly.

Finish sauce

Carefully remove ribs to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Strain braising liquid through a fine sieve into a saucepan, pressing on solids to extract flavor; discard solids. Skim fat from top, then simmer sauce until reduced and glossy, about 8–12 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If desired, whisk in 1 teaspoon cold butter for shine. Return ribs to the sauce to coat before plating.

Prep & flavor cream

While ribs braise, preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Rub a 9x9-inch (or similar) baking dish with halved garlic clove and butter. In a saucepan, combine 1.5 cups heavy cream, 0.5 cup whole milk, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg. Warm gently until just below simmering; remove from heat.

Assemble

Layer a single slightly overlapping layer of thinly sliced potatoes in the prepared dish. Sprinkle a little grated gruyere and parmesan between some layers. Repeat until all potatoes are used. Pour warmed cream mixture over potatoes so cream comes nearly to top. Press down gently to submerge slices. Sprinkle remaining gruyere and parmesan on top.

Bake

Cover dish tightly with foil and bake in the 375°F (190°C) oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20–30 minutes until top is golden brown and center is tender. If top browns too slowly, place under broiler 1–2 minutes—watch closely. Let rest 10 minutes before serving to set.

Blanch vegetables

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add tri-color carrots and blanch for 4–5 minutes until just tender. Remove carrots with a slotted spoon and transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. In the same boiling water, blanch green beans for 2–3 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Transfer beans to the ice bath with the carrots. Drain well and pat dry.

Sauté & glaze

In a skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the drained carrots and green beans; sauté 2–3 minutes to heat through. Add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon honey; toss to coat. Season with 3/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Cook another minute until vegetables are glazed and glossy. Stir in chopped parsley, remove from heat, and keep warm.

Place a portion of gratin potato on each plate. Arrange a braised short rib beside or partially on top of the gratin. Spoon several tablespoons of the reduced braising sauce over the rib and around the plate. Add a portion of the glazed tri-color carrots and green beans. Sprinkle chopped flat-leaf parsley and a pinch (1/2 tsp) coarse sea salt over the meat and vegetables for finishing. Serve immediately.