These braised short ribs are fall-off-the-bone-melt-in-your-mouth kind of tender. So incredibly moist, and so deliciously flavored, they’ll be one of your most talked-about dishes.

Port Wine Braised Short ribs with meat fork — Tender and delicious braised short ribs

Table of Contents

What goes in port wine braised short ribs?
How to make port wine braised short ribs.
Can braised short ribs be frozen?
What goes best with short ribs?
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We’re always looking for quick-fix meals. You know, those under-30-minutes-one-pot-recipes. While they’re great and save our sanity throughout the week, some recipes are worth the extra time. And these port wine braised short ribs are definitely one of them.

Beef short ribs are one of life’s most delicious pleasures. If you’ve never tried them before, you’re seriously missing out. They’re juicy, tender, and full of delicious, meaty goodness. Sure they take 2.5-3 hours to cook, but when you bite into a perfectly moist short rib, you’ll want to make them over and over.

The port wine plays an incredibly important role in this recipe. It has a slightly sweet taste that beautifully balances the richness of the beef ribs. It truly brings the luxuriously smooth sauce to life.

What goes in port wine braised short ribs?

Beef short ribs.
Salt and pepper.
Onion, celery, and carrots. This flavorful combination is called a Mirepoix
Garlic and herbs. We are using thyme and bay leaves.
Butter and flour. These will help thicken the savory sauce.
Port wine. The star of the dish.
Beef broth.
Tomato paste. This will add richness to the sauce.

Dish of mashed potatoes in sauce with serving of short ribs — Red Port Wine Braised Short Ribs

How to make port wine braised short ribs.

If this is your first time making braised short ribs, no need to find it daunting. Seriously, throw your doubt out of the window. This is a straightforward dish to make. Make sure to scroll all the way down to the printable recipe card for detailed instructions. Here is a brief rundown:

Season the short ribs and brown them in a Dutch oven or stockpot.
Set the short ribs aside and saute the vegetables in the same pot.
Add the butter and flour. This will thicken the sauce.
Pour in the port wine, broth, and tomato paste. Stir to combine then toss in the herbs.
Place the short ribs back into the pot, put the lid on, then place it in the hot oven.
Cook for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. The long slow braising will make the ribs SOOO tender.
When the short ribs finish cooking, separate the liquid and boil it on the stovetop until it reduces and thickens.

This is a very forgiving recipe — thanks to the excess fat in the short ribs. If you decide there’s too much fat in the dish, you can totally use a fat separator to remove some. But if you want to leave as is, that’s fine too. We’re not judging here.

This primal chunk of meat braised in a rich, hearty sauce is sure to hit your winter cravings. It makes a luxurious, yet comforting meal that you’ll drool over every single time.

Dish with sauce, mashed potatoes, short ribs, wine and salad in background

Can braised short ribs be frozen?

You can freeze braised short ribs so if you have leftovers place them in a freezer-proof container for up to 6 months.

When you want to reheat them, let them thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat them in the oven or the microwave. Use short bursts if you want to reheat them in the microwave because the microwave can over-cook them.

What goes best with short ribs?

Caramelized onions go very well with braised short ribs. They especially complement the sweet and savory port wine sauce.

These ricotta mashed potatoes are an absolute must. The ricotta cheese adds a slight tanginess to the potatoes.

Serve some steamed broccoli or oven-roasted broccoli along with tonight’s dinner. If you’re feeding a crowd, add a wedge salad and sourdough bread. Everyone will be full.

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Port Wine Braised Short Ribs

The red Port wine adds a rich flavor to these fork-tender braised short ribs. The braising liquid is strained of the braising vegetables resulting in a luxuriously rich, flavorful sauce.

4.67 from 6 votes

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Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 2

Total Time: 2 30

Servings: to 10 Servings

Calories: 777kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

4-5 pounds beef short ribs 8-10 meaty ribs
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1 onion chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1 (8- inch) carrot peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic grated or crushed
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons 35g flour
1 bottle 750 ml Port wine
3 cups beef broth canned or homemade
2 tablespoon tomato paste
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme tied together with string
2 dried bay leaves

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 250°F and remove the upper oven rack.
Pat the beef ribs with paper towels to remove moisture, season with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed, pan over high heat and add 1/2 of the seasoned short ribs. Cook, turning to sear all sides of the ribs until they are a rich brown color.
Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining 4 short ribs. Add additional oil if necessary.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, celery and carrot. Sauté until softened then stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the butter and when it has melted stir into the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, stir to combine and cook for 1 minute then stir in the wine, beef broth and tomato paste. Add the bundle of thyme and the bay leaves.
Add the browned short ribs to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. The liquid should cover about 2/3 of the top of the ribs. Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2-1/2 to 3 hours until the short ribs are tender but not falling off the bones.
Transfer the Dutch oven to a workspace and remove the ribs to a platter. Spoon out and discard the string of thyme and the bay leaves. Pour the liquid into a mesh strainer set over a bowl. Press the vegetables firmly to remove as much of their liquid as possible, then discard the strained vegetables.
Pour the sauce into a fat separator or spoon off the excess fat. Pour the sauce back into the Dutch oven and bring to a gentle boil and reduce the liquid to thicken into a sauce. Add the short ribs and allow to reheat.
Serve the ribs on a mound of mashed potatoes with a portion of sauce. Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley.

Notes

Port wine is a fortified wine and has a slight sweetness to the taste which balances nicely with the rich beef ribs.
Straining the vegetables from the liquid makes a smooth rich, luxurious sauce.
The braised short ribs will produce a lot of excess fat. A fat separator pitcher is a handy tool for any kitchen and well worth the money.
Excess fat can be spooned off the top and discarded.
These short ribs can be a make-ahead dish as they improve in flavor after refrigerating overnight. Cook as directed, cool to room temperature and place in refrigerator. The fat will rise to the surface and solidify. Remove the fat and reheat the short ribs on the stovetop.