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Red Wine Braised Short Ribs in Dutch Oven

Red wine braised short ribs in a Dutch oven with a deep mahogany sauce, bone-in meat that’s fall-off-the-bone tender. Braise low and slow in red wine, beef broth, and vegetables, then reduce the liquid until glossy for serving over mashed potatoes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 900
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

bone-in beef short ribs
  • 4 lb bone-in beef short ribs bone-in ribs
dry red wine
  • 1 bottle (750ml) dry red wine (Cabernet or Merlot) dry red wine
beef broth
  • 2 cup beef broth
diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
onion
  • 1 onion, diced
carrots
  • 4 carrots, cut into chunks
celery
  • 4 celery, sliced
garlic
  • 6 garlic, smashed
tomato paste
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
bay leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
fresh thyme
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
fresh rosemary
  • 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
salt and pepper
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste seasoning
mashed potatoes for serving
  • 1 Mashed potatoes for serving for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F, then season the ribs generously with salt and pepper. Keep seasoning visible on all sides for best browning.
Sear and build the braise
  1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat and sear the ribs until deeply browned on all sides. Remove the ribs when well-browned and set aside.
  2. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes in the Dutch oven. Cook until they start to soften and pick up fond from the bottom.
  3. Add garlic and tomato paste, then cook for 2 minutes. Stir constantly so the tomato paste darkens slightly without burning.
  4. Deglaze with the red wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Simmer briefly just until the liquid is cohesive.
  5. Add beef broth, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Stir to combine and distribute herbs evenly.
Braise low and slow
  1. Return the ribs to the Dutch oven, arranging them so the liquid comes halfway up the ribs. Add a little more broth only if needed to reach that level.
  2. Cover and braise in the oven for 3 to 3-1/2 hours at 325°F until fall-off-the-bone tender. Look for meat that pulls easily from the bone when nudged.
Reduce and serve
  1. Remove the ribs and strain the braising liquid. Discard solids so the sauce stays smooth.
  2. Reduce the strained braising liquid until glossy. Continue until it coats the back of a spoon and looks like a mahogany sauce.
  3. Serve the ribs over mashed potatoes and spoon the reduced braising sauce on top. Add extra sauce so potatoes soak up the flavor.

Notes

For richer flavor, brown the ribs well before deglazing—deep color in the Dutch oven helps create the dark reduction. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat gently until hot; freezing is yes for up to 3 months (sauce may thicken and can be loosened with a splash of broth). If you want a lower-sodium option, use low-sodium beef broth and season with salt gradually to taste.