Red wine braised short ribs in a Dutch oven is the dinner that makes a regular Sunday feel like an occasion: thick, bone-in ribs seared to a deep mahogany crust, then slow braised at 350°F for two and a half to three hours in a glossy reduction of Cabernet, beef broth, and sweet softened vegetables until the meat surrenders off the bone.
Everything happens in one heavy pot: sear, sweat, deglaze, braise, reduce. The oven does the hard work while your kitchen fills with the smell that makes people wander in asking when dinner is.
It is ideal for cold evenings, company you want to impress without stress, and anyone who believes a bottle of red wine belongs in the pot as often as it belongs in the glass.
Recipe at a Glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Braise time: 2 1/2 to 3 hours
- Total time: about 3 hours 20 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Difficulty: Easy (mostly hands off)
- Method: Sear and oven braise in a Dutch oven, finished with a reduced pan sauce
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 to 4 lbs bone-in short ribs (8 to 10 pieces)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon)
- 3 cups beef broth
- Bay leaves, thyme, and oregano
Ingredient Notes & Easy Substitutions
Short ribs: Bone-in English cut ribs, three to four pounds, are the whole point; the bone deepens the braise and the meat turns spoon tender.
- Boneless short ribs or even meaty beef tips work in the same pot with the same timings if that is what the counter offers.
Red wine: Two cups of a dry Cabernet Sauvignon builds the sauce’s backbone. Pick a bottle you would happily drink a glass of; the braise concentrates whatever you pour in. Chianti or Merlot substitute cleanly. Most of the alcohol cooks off during the long simmer, leaving depth instead of booziness.
Tomato paste: Two tablespoons cooked briefly with the garlic loses its raw edge and adds the umami sweetness that rounds out the wine. Do not skip it; it is doing quiet, important work.
The vegetables: One onion, two celery stalks, and two carrots melt into the braising liquid and are strained out at the end, their job complete. This is the classic braise mirepoix, and it sweetens the sauce as it softens.
Beef broth: Three cups, good quality, since it becomes half the sauce. Low sodium is the smart buy; you control the final seasoning after the reduction concentrates everything.
Equipment You’ll Need
- 6 quart Dutch oven with a tight lid
- Tongs
- Wooden spoon
- Plate for holding the seared ribs
- Fine mesh strainer for the sauce
- Sharp knife and cutting board
How to Make Red Wine Braised Short Ribs in a Dutch Oven
Sear, sweat, reduce, braise, strain, thicken. Six moves over one afternoon, most of them hands off. Follow with me.
Step One: Prep the Oven and the Meat
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rinse the short ribs, pat them completely dry, and season generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
You are looking for dry surfaces, because dry meat browns and wet meat steams. Generous seasoning now seasons the whole braise from the outside in.
Step Two: Brown the Ribs
Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium high heat and brown the meat in two batches, 5 to 6 minutes per side, transferring each batch to a plate as it finishes.
You are looking for a deep, mahogany crust on every face. Do not crowd the pot; two patient batches build the fond, those browned bits on the bottom, that become the sauce’s entire personality.
Step Three: Soften the Vegetables
Add the diced onion to the pot and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until translucent and softened, then add the celery and carrots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes more.
You are looking for sweet, collapsing vegetables with browned bits scraped up from the bottom as they release moisture. This slow sweat is where the braise gets its backbone.
Step Four: Garlic and Tomato Paste
Add the crushed garlic and tomato paste and cook for a few minutes, stirring, until the paste darkens slightly and smells sweet.
You are looking for the paste to fry briefly in the oil and lose its raw, metallic edge. That one minute of cooking is the difference between a sauce that tastes developed and one that tastes opened from a can.
Step Five: Reduce the Wine
Stir in the red wine, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and simmer until the wine reduces by half, about 15 to 20 minutes.
You are looking for a darker, syrupy liquid with the sharp alcohol edge cooked away. This reduction concentrates the wine into flavor; skipping it leaves the sauce thin and boozy, so give it the full time.
Step Six: Assemble the Braise
Add the beef broth and stir, then return the short ribs to the pot along with the bay leaves, thyme, and oregano. Cover with the lid and transfer the pot to the oven.
You are looking for the liquid to come most of the way up the ribs, not drown them. The herbs go in whole and do their work quietly over the next three hours.
Step Seven: Braise Until Fork Tender
Braise at 350°F for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the meat is tender and pulling away from the bone.
You are looking for ribs that yield when prodded with a fork with barely any argument. If they resist at the 2 hour mark, they simply need more time; short ribs are done exactly when they are done, and not a minute of stubbornness sooner.
Step Eight: Rest the Meat, Strain and Reduce the Sauce
Transfer the ribs to a plate and cover with foil. Strain the sauce, discarding the vegetables, then pour the liquid back into the pot and simmer until it thickens into a glossy sauce.
You are looking for a sauce that coats the back of a spoon, deeply flavored and shine bright. Season it with salt and pepper at the end, once the reduction has concentrated everything. Spoon it over the ribs and accept the applause.
Serving Size & Batch Scaling
Three to four pounds of ribs serves 6 generously, about two pieces each with sauce to spare. The recipe doubles cleanly into two pots or one very large Dutch oven; keep the liquid ratios the same and let the braise time ride on tenderness rather than the clock.
Short ribs are also the rare company dish that improves overnight, which makes them the smartest thing you can cook the day before guests arrive.
Making More or Less?
- 3 servings: About 2 pounds of ribs with three quarters of the liquid in a smaller Dutch oven; the braise time drops to roughly 2 hours.
- 6 servings: The recipe as written.
- 12 servings: Two pots side by side, rotated halfway through the braise. Brown the meat in four batches total and divide the vegetables evenly between the pots.
For any batch: dry meat, patient searing, a true wine reduction, and tenderness as the only finish line. Those four rules braise the same pot every time.
Nutrition Estimate Per Serving
The following is an estimated nutritional breakdown per serving (1 of 6), calculated from the ingredients in this recipe. It is an estimate, not medically precise information.
- Calories: ~560
- Protein: 42g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fat: 33g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: ~640mg
Useful highlight: short ribs deliver serious protein and iron, and because the sauce carries the flavor, this dinner needs no cream or thickeners beyond its own reduction.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Crowding the sear. Ribs stacked in the pot steam and turn gray. Two batches, real space between pieces, and the crust takes care of itself.
Skipping the wine reduction. Pouring broth in immediately dilutes everything. Reduce first; the fifteen minutes is the cheapest upgrade in this recipe.
Underbraising. At two hours the ribs will be edible and disappointing. Hold out for fork tender; the pot forgives you the moment it yields.
Serving the strained vegetables. They gave everything they had to the sauce. Strain them out with thanks; their work is done.
Troubleshooting Guide
My ribs are tough after 3 hours. Now what? Keep braising. Collagen surrenders on its own schedule, sometimes closer to 3 and a half hours, especially with thicker cuts. Test every 20 minutes.
The sauce is too thin. How do I fix it? Simmer it longer; it thickens as it reduces. For a faster fix, mash a tablespoon of soft butter with a teaspoon of flour and whisk it in at a simmer.
The sauce tastes flat. What happened? It needs salt and a brightener. Season after reduction, and if it still tastes dull, a small splash of red wine or a squeeze of lemon lifted it every time in my kitchen.
Can I make this in the slow cooker instead? Yes; sear and build the sauce on the stove, then transfer everything to the slow cooker on low for 8 hours. Reduce the strained liquid on the stove at the end for the glossy finish.
Variations & Customizations
Herb garden version: Add a few sprigs of fresh rosemary alongside the thyme. The pine note loves long braises and red wine.
Balsamic version: Swap a quarter cup of the wine for balsamic vinegar. The sauce turns darker, sweeter, and dangerously spoonable.
Root vegetable version: Add halved small potatoes and whole carrots for the final hour of braising and dinner becomes a one pot event, no sides required.
The exact build here follows the Dutch oven method at Veronika’s Kitchen, and the sear then strain then reduce sauce finish at Butter Your Biscuit lines up with the steps above.
What to Serve With It
The classic: Creamy mashed potatoes, unapologetically buttery, with the red wine sauce flooding over both. This pairing is the reason the recipe exists.
For the bread minded: A crusty loaf or my small batch homemade biscuits for dragging through every last stripe of sauce.
Vegetable sides: My southern green beans bring the savory balance that a rich braise needs on the plate.
The wine glass: Whatever went into the pot, poured into a glass alongside. The meal organizes itself around it.
Meal Prep & Make-Ahead Instructions
Can this be made ahead? Yes, and it should be: braise the ribs a day early, cool them in their liquid, and refrigerate. The fat rises and solidifies for easy removal, and the flavor sinks deeper into the meat overnight.
Reheat gently in a 300°F oven, covered, for about 30 minutes, then reduce the strained sauce fresh on the stove. Day two short ribs taste like you tried even harder than you did.
Storage & Leftovers
Refrigeration: Covered in their sauce, the ribs keep 4 days and improve for the first two.
Freezing: Freeze ribs and sauce together up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently; braises are among the best freezing dishes in the repertoire.
Leftover ideas: Pull the meat off the bones for the best ragu of your life over pappardelle, pile it into grilled cheese sandwiches, or fold it into tacos with pickled onion. The bones also make remarkable beef broth.
Reheating Instructions
Oven (best method): Covered at 300°F for 20 to 30 minutes warms the ribs through while the sauce loosens back into gloss.
Stovetop: A gentle simmer in the sauce, turning the ribs once, brings them back in about 10 minutes over low heat.
Microwave (single portion): Medium power, covered, in 60 second bursts with a spoon of sauce over the top. Short ribs are forgiving; the sauce forgives everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use boneless short ribs? Yes, with the same sear and braise timings, checking tenderness at the 2 hour mark. The bones add flavor, but the sauce carries the recipe either way.
What if I do not cook with wine? Replace the two cups with additional beef broth plus a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and a teaspoon of tomato paste extra. You lose the wine’s depth and gain a still deeply savory braise.
Do I have to strain the vegetables out? The sauce is silkier if you do, but blending them into the liquid instead makes a rustic, thicker sauce. Both are correct; strained reads elegant, blended reads rustic.
Why did my meat turn out dry? Almost always underbraising rather than over. Short ribs go from tough to tender to spoon shredding; dry happens when the pot ran low on liquid, so check the level halfway and top with broth if needed.