These red wine braised short ribs are the perfect, savory dinner party recipe! Easy to make ahead and then just pop in the oven to cook, this mouthwatering short ribs recipe lets you enjoy the night while also serving a delicious, home-cooked meal.
When I think about my favorite recipes that are great when hosting company or planning dinner parties, I always resort to these red wine braised short ribs. Not only is this dish absolutely mouthwatering, but it’s easy to make ahead of time and easy to make a lot of!
These beef ribs are super tender and served in a rich red wine sauce.
My favorite thing is that these slow braised short ribs can be prepared a day ahead of when you plan to serve them. Meaning that and all of the work is done hours before dinner time.
So, if you’re hosting company, that leaves you with plenty of time to be social with your guests and enjoy a glass of wine when they arrive!
Not only that, but this dish is super impressive. You will be receiving all of the chef praise you deserve when these flavorful short ribs hit the table.
Table of Contents
Perfect to prep ahead!
Dinner at home with friends is so much fun. Cooking always brings an element of entertainment, and who doesn’t like hanging out in the kitchen? It seems that it always ends up being the gathering spot, no matter the occasion.
But, if you’re the one doing the cooking, I highly suggest that you go easy on yourself and plan a meal where you can do most of the work ahead of time.
That’s why I love these red wine braised short ribs so much. I just prepare them the night before and pop them into the fridge overnight to let the fats solidify. Then, the next day I scrape off that fatty layer and discard it, reheat the ribs on the stovetop, and serve!
Ingredients needed
- Short Ribs – You’ll want 6-8 bone in beef ribs, about 5 pounds.
- Veggies – Onion, celery, carrots.
- Garlic
- Tomato Paste
- Red Wine – Opt for a dry red wine like zinfandel, cabernet, or merlot.
- Olive Oil
- Thyme & Bay Leaves
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Kosher Salt + Black Pepper
How to make red wine braised short ribs
Cook the ribs
First, dry the ribs thoroughly with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Then, add your olive oil to a large dutch oven (or saucepan) and heat over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the short ribs and brown on all sides, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. The pot should not be overcrowded. Work in batches if necessary, so as to not overcrowd the pot.
Puree the vegetables
While you sear the short ribs, preheat the oven to 375 degrees, then puree all vegetables and garlic in a food processor or blender until finely chopped into a thick paste.
Brown the vegetables
Once the ribs are browned, remove them to a large plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
Drain the fat from the pot and add remaining olive oil. Pour in the pureed vegetables and season generously with salt. Brown over high heat, without stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes.
Make the red wine sauce
Add the tomato paste, stir, and let the vegetables brown for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the wine and, using a wooden spoon, scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir occasionally, letting this mixture reduce by half.
Combine the short ribs and sauce
At this point of the short ribs recipe oven style, you will return the ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot along with enough water to almost cover the meat. Add the thyme and bay leaves.
Cover the pot and place it in the hot oven. Allow to cook for 2 1/2 hours, checking periodically and adding more water if needed. Remove the lid and cook for 30 minutes longer, to allow the sauce to further reduce.
Cool, season and serve!
Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the braised beef ribs to a serving platter or dish. Let the sauce and solids sit in the pot for a few minutes to cool and with a shallow spoon, skim off as much of the fat as possible from the surface.
Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper, and add the vinegar.
Pro tips
- If you want to make a short rib recipe slow cooker friendly, you can follow all of the directions here, but instead of cooking on the oven, add your red wine braised short ribs slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.
- If you prefer braised short ribs without wine, you can create a sauce with beef broth or homemade slow cooker bone broth. You can also dilute the wine with water if you still want to cook with the wine but want to taste the flavors less.
How to make ahead and store
You can make these short ribs up to three days ahead of when you plan to serve them. To make ahead, first prepare your short ribs as directed above. Allow to cool slightly and then place in the refrigerator.
When you plan to serve, scrape off any solidified fat that may rise to the surface. Bring the gravy and short ribs to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until heated through.
What to serve with short ribs
Falling off the bone tender meat cooked in red wine that results in a beautiful, silky, rich gravy. The short ribs can be served alongside buttered noodles, mashed potatoes or creamy polenta with a spoonful of the gravy on top. Round off the meal with an arugula salad or some glazed carrots and you’re set for the night.
MORE → Check out one of these 30+ Sides for Short Ribs.
Erin’s wine pairings
- Of course, no dinner party is complete without a few good bottles of wine… And these red wine braised short ribs are just begging to be paired with big bold reds like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc or Merlot.
More savory dinner recipes
Did you try this recipe?
If you loved these short ribs and polenta I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
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PS – If you’ve got any leftovers, use them to make these Short Rib Crostini with Cambozola Cheese and Cherry Jam!
Full Recipe
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
Short Ribs
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil (divided )
- 6-8 bone-in beef short ribs (about 5 pounds)
- 1 onion (cut into large pieces)
- 2 stalks celery (cut into large pieces)
- 3 carrots (peeled and cut into large pieces)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
- 2 ½ cups dry red wine
- Water
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Creamy Polenta (for serving)
Instructions
- Dry the ribs thoroughly with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to an oven-safe heavy pot or dutch oven and heat over high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the short ribs and brown on all sides, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. The pot should not be overcrowded. Work in batches if necessary.
- While the short ribs are browning, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Puree all vegetables and garlic in a food processor or blender until finely chopped into a thick paste.
- Once ribs are browned, remove the ribs to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Drain the fat from the pot and add remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil.
- Add the pureed vegetables and season generously with salt. Brown over high heat, without stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, stir, and let the vegetables brown for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and, using a wooden spoon, scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir occasionally, letting this mixture reduce by half.
- Once reduced, return the short ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot along with enough water to almost cover the meat. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Cover the pot and place it in the hot oven. Allow to cook for 2 1/2 hours, checking periodically and adding more water if needed. Remove the lid and cook for 30 minutes longer, to allow the sauce to further reduce.
- Transfer the ribs to a serving platter or dish. Let the sauce and solids sit in the pot for a few minutes to cool and with a shallow spoon, skim off as much of the fat as possible from the surface. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper, and add the vinegar.
- Serve the ribs on top of creamy polenta with additional braising liquid.
Notes
- Prepare your short ribs as directed above. Allow to cool slightly and then place in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, scrape off any solidified fat that may rise to the surface. Bring the gravy and short ribs to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until heated through.
Nutrition
Be sure to check out my tips on how to clean a dutch oven after using it.
This post was originally published in 2016. It was updated in 2021 to add new photographs. And again in 2025 to add new content. The braised short ribs recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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