[Braised Beef Short Ribs with Potato Purée, Swiss Chard and Horseradish Cream]
The first time I made short ribs, I freaked out. Lifting their lid after a multi-hour braise just as our guests arrived for dinner, I discovered a mess. “The bones fell out! Help! Did I ruin them?” I cried just as my mother walked into the kitchen, and because she’d never made short ribs before said “I don’t know, maybe?” But then Alex’s mother swooped in and said “That’s a good thing!”
And so it was, so much so that going forward, short ribs instantly became my favorite dinner party meal. They require very little effort, they’re fairly inexpensive and it is really hard to mess them up. You can doctor up the braise with one or a dozen herbs or spices, you can simmer them in almost anything, from wine or beer to stock to hoisin or tomato sauce or any combination thereof but the real magic is this: you can make them in advance. Short ribs are astoundingly flexible in their cooking time and taste even better the next day. (And if all this doesn’t sell you on their genius, this article will.)
And although I have made many-a short rib recipes in my time, this one from Sunday Suppers at Lucques became my immediate favorite when I made them for a dinner party this past April. [And forgot to take a single photo. Of anything. I’m still getting over it.] The braise itself is wonderful (wine, beef or veal stock, port and a few glugs of balsamic) but what makes it stand head and shoulders above the others is the last step in which you remove the meat from the liquid and roast them until their edges are crisp again, a welcome textural accent in an otherwise soft dish.
My second favorite thing about this recipes are the fixings: they’re served with rich pureed potatoes, sautéed swiss chard, studded with pearl onions, and a glorious combination of crème fraîche and horseradish cream* or *thud* I really stopped listening after that part. I mean, I could tell you that like all good short ribs, you won’t need a knife to eat them — they simple fall into a softly shredded pile of ribs at the mere inkling of the approach of your fork — but I suspect you’re already on your way to the store.
P.S. These pictures may not do much to sing the dish’s glory, but honestly, if anyone has figured out how to cook and serve a meal to eight people in a small apartment while eloquently photographing it, I am insanely jealous.
One year ago: Iceberg Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
Two years ago: Hazelnut Truffles
Braised Short Ribs with Potato Purée, Swiss Chard and Horseradish Cream
Adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques
The braise on this smells so good, it moves me to cliche: It makes my knees weak and I briefly considered dabbing it behind my ears so I could keep it with me all day. In the end, I did not. Or so I tell you.
I have adapted this recipe in just a couple ways, because honestly, it’s perfect, but being not in a restaurant kitchen with dish washing help I have tried to reduce the number of pots it requires and swap the potato puree (which, if you can even get your head around this, has twice the amount of cream and butter than my recipe below and then is passed through a fine-mesh tamis twice, when I draw the line at once…) with Cook’s Illustrated’s classic mashed potatoes, which never do me wrong and have never been the cause for any complaint.
Updated [2/27/12] Note: Mashed potatoes of this yield have an estimated serving size of 4. If you (or your party) is larger or (understandably) likes a bigger helping of potatoes, it might be on the safe side to double it.
Finally, we doubled the recipe so of course your portions will look a tad tinier.
Serves 4 (generously) to 6
6 large beef short ribs, about 14 to 16 ounces each (if ribs are tinier, buy by weight, not number)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, and 4 whole sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
3 dozen small pearl onions
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced carrot
1/3 cup diced celery
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups port
2 1/2 cups hearty red wine
6 cups beef or veal stock
4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
2 bunches Swiss chard, cleaned, center ribs removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Horseradish Cream (recipe follows)
Potato Purée/Mashed Potatoes (recipe follows)
Season the short ribs with 1 tablespoon thyme and the cracked black pepper. use your hands to coat the meat well. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
Take the short ribs out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking, to come to room temperature. After 30 minutes, season them generously on all sides with salt.
When you take the ribs out of the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Toss the pearl onions with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon thyme, 3/4 teaspoons salt, and a pinch of pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet and roast them about 15 minutes, until tender. When they have cooled, slip off the skins with your fingers and set aside. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees F.
When it’s time to cook the short ribs, heat a large Dutch oven [or a large saute pan, if you would like to use a separate braising dish; I aimed to use fewer dishes] over high heat for 3 minutes. Pour in 3 tablespoons olive oil, and wait a minute or two, until the pan is very hot and almost smoking. Place the short ribs in the pan, and sear until they are nicely browned on all three meaty sides. Depending on the size of your pan, you might have to sear the meat in batches. Do not crowd the meat or get lazy or rushed at this step; it will take at least 15 minutes. [I find this takes closer to 45 minutes if you’re really thorough. Be thorough!] When the ribs are nicely browned, transfer them to a plate to rest.
Turn the heat down to medium, and add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme springs, and bay leaves. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up all the crusty bits in the pan. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables just begin to caramelize. Add the balsamic vinegar, port, and red wine. Turn the heat up to high, and reduce the liquid by half.
Add the stock and bring to a boil. Arrange ribs in the pot, lieing flat, bones standing up, in one layer. [If you used a saute pan for previous steps, transfer the ribs to a braising pan at this point.] Scrape any vegetables that have fallen on the ribs back into the liquid. The stock mixture should almost cover the ribs. Tuck the parsley sprigs in and around the meat. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and a tight-fitting lid if you have one. Braise in the oven for about 3 hours.
To check the meat for doneness, remove the lid and foil, being careful of the escaping steam, and piece a short rib with a paring knife. When the meat is done, it will yield easily to a knife. Taste a piece if you are not sure. [If you would like to cook these a day ahead, this is where you can pause. The next day, you can remove the fat easily from the pot — it will have solidified at the top — bring these back to a simmer on the stove or in an oven, and continue.]
Let the ribs rest 10 minutes in their juices, and then transfer them to a baking sheet.
Turn the oven up to 400 degrees F.
Place the short ribs in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to brown.
Strain the broth into a saucepan, pressing down on the vegetables with a ladle to extract all the juices. Skim the fat from the sauce (if you made these the day before, you will have already skimmed them) and, if the broth seems thin, reduce it over medium-high heat to thicken slightly. Taste for seasoning.
Heat a large saute pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Tear the Swiss chard into large pieces. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to the pan, and stir in the cooked pearl onions. Add half the Swiss chard, and cook a minute or two, stirring the greens in the oil to help them wilt. Add a splash of water and the second half of the greens. Season with a heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of ground black pepper. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring frequently, until the greens are tender.
Place the swiss chard on a large warm platter, and arrange the short ribs on top. Spoon lots of braising juices over the ribs. Serve the potato puree and horseradish cream (recipes below) on the side.
Horseradish Cream
3/4 cup créme fraîche
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine the créme fraîche and horseradish in a small bowl. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Taste for balance and seasoning.
Mashed Potatoes
Cook’s Illustrated’s Master Recipe
2 pounds potatoes, scrubbed (I used Yukon Golds)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick, 4 ounces), melted
1 cup half-and-half , warmed
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
Ground black pepper
Chives for garnish (optional)
1. Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover with 1 inch water. Bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are tender (a paring knife can be slipped into and out of center of potatoes with very little resistance), 20 to 30 minutes. Drain.
2. Set food mill or ricer over now empty but still warm saucepan. Spear potato with dinner fork, then peel back skin with paring knife. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Working in batches, cut peeled potatoes into rough chunks and drop into hopper of food mill or ricer. Process or rice potatoes into saucepan.
3. Stir in butter with wooden spoon until incorporated; gently whisk in half-and-half, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
I can’t wait for you to post the recipe!
you must’ve read my mind, deb! I’ve been wanting to braise short ribs ever since my lovely boyfriend got me a dutch oven for xmas (got the gift a little early). I’ll have to make them sometime this week while I don’t have work :o)
oh man. that looks so amazing right now. i’ve been waffling over what to make for christmas and i think i just figured it out!
Awesome – I was just planning a new year’s day dinner for 8. This fits the bill! Looking forward to the recipe.
What a FEAST!
What’s on the schedule for New Years? Can’t wait!
Happy Merry!
Stacey Snacks
I made your short rib, leek and barley soup the other day and we loved it. I have always loved flanken and am kind of happy to see them in vogue, because I no longer have to special order them! :) Can’t wait to try this dish.
Yum! Looks delicious! It certainly is that time of year for some short ribs and comfort food! :)
will be waiting patiently… like I have a choice…
happy hanukah!
I just got the 6 qt. Lodge dutch oven and the first thing I wanted to cook in it was beef short ribs, which I did on Sunday. I used the Cooks Illustrated recipe for Braised Short Ribs, and we fairly fainted all afternoon because the aroma was so fabulous. They were awesome with the mashed potatoes.
Am eagerly awaiting your recipe!
MMMMMMMM, that looks good. Boy am I hungry!
Hurray, hurray, don’t be late…..
Please post the recipes soon…this is going to be the boxing day feast…..
In a valiant attempt to use what is in my freezer, I just defrosted a huge pack of Short Ribs I bought a little while back! When recipe comes… I WILL COOK THEM :) (Or more likely salt and herb them overnight?)
I am SO ready to make those ribs! Can’t wait for the recipe!!
well being that it’s just going to be my hubs and i all by our lonesomes for christmas, i’m thinking this might just be the right thing to make.
Oi!
For the first time in the history of ever, I see a recipe made with meat that has bones when it comes to the table (eww!) and I can completely set the fact that it has bones when it comes to the table aside because it sounds soooo yummy, and you go and make me wait for the recipe?
Life.
Wow! These look wonderful!
Yeowza. I only hit this site to hunt down the spelt cracker recipe for my newly gluten-free father who’s coming to xmas, and [smack] there’s this. Wow … I’m kinda glad the recipe’s not up right now, or I’d be too distracted to start dinner. :)
This looks delectable!
Oh dear. Sitting at work, almost dinner time, and my mouth is literally watering. Like, one slight pursing of the lips away from drooling. Must. Make. This.
My husband’s family is coming over for ‘Christmas’ sometime in January and braised short ribs are one of the finalists in the menu contest. I can’t wait to see your recipe since you said you had 8 people and all the recipes I’ve come across only serve 4-6!
The post-braise roast in the oven is in the short rib recipe found in Joy of Cooking. I wouldn’t skip it for anything.
So excited for this recipe… my boyfriend has short ribs in the freezer and I’ve been dying to make them. This looks like the perfect excuse!
What a beautiful dish – can’t wait to get the recipe!
I can’t wait for the recipe; I made short ribs for the first time ever on Sunday (out of Barefoot Contessa cookbook) and they were less than spectacular. Your short ribs look like the ones my hubby loves, served at a local restaurant, and I would love to try them at home.
To make the braising process a little less messy and to add another layer of flavor, I barbecue the short ribs instead of browning them….gives them a smoky flavor and my kitchen does’t smoke up.
I’ve been hearing about shortribs since Paula Deen first fixed them for her groupies, but I’ve never (yes, that’s NEVER) made them. Ever! Being one of
your groupies, Deb, I’ll make this recipe my first (ever!) ONCE ALEX TYPES IT UP!
I can’t believe I’ve held out so long with everyone I know that goes raving mad for them. Thanks for this!
Shot ribs are definitely one of my favorite cuts of meat. And you’re right, they are always a crowd pleaser. This dish looks amazing. If I could only dig right into the monitor …
Wow, I’m really impressed that you managed to photograph a dinner party at ALL. Looks amazing.
mercy! if that is not heaven on a plate!
Alex has saved the day! The recipe is up now. Hope I got all my notes in there — there was wine, bourbon… I sometimes forget.
now that I have figured out that short ribs are a kosher cut of beef, I can call my butcher and order some. my boys are going to love this. I’ll have to make it before the weather gets too hot here in FL.
Must cook this soon!
The shortribs look great! Just a little confused – so the above recipe is enough for 4 people?
I’d peg the servings between 4 and 6 (will update now). I lean towards six — one pound per person — but know that what portions people eat vary, also by how much else is served.
This looks amazing! I have a dumb question- how large of a dutch over do you use when doubling the recipe? I do not have one (or a braising pan) so I’m going to try to borrow one. If I can’t find either is there an alternative you could suggest? Thank you!
I used a 7-quart and ended up not being able to use all the liquid, which made me sad. So, 7 is sufficient, but you might need to use 3/4 of the liquids. Or, you can braise it in two pots.
oh these look so delicious. will have to try these next.
i must admit i am fairly new to your blog and just adore it. as i type this i have a chicken seasoned and waiting in the fridge to make your adapted zuni roast chicken tomorrow for christmas eve dinner. (it’ll have been sitting for 2 days as suggested!) your writing style is wonderful and very…unpretentious and jargon-less which makes it a joy to read. and your pictures are the icing on the cake. i know i’m one of hundreds (thousands) of readers…but i just wanted to thank you for doing such a wonderful job.
merry christmas.
Braised short ribs are my favorite! Thanks for posting this.
Deb, these look awesome. Might I recommend you search washingtonpost.com’s recipe finder for their Mahogany Short Ribs? Better yet, here’s the link
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2006/01/18/mahogany-short-ribs/
These are insanely easy and delicious. I like your idea of roasting the ribs to crisp them up. I see short ribs on the menu next week!
Thank you for the lovely recipe. I absolutely love your recipe photo montage. To think that you pull it off in a crowded small apartment makes me jealous of your abilities.
Indeed short ribs are a fantastic treasure when they are prepared right. You are absolutely right that you can braise them in almost anything. One variation to consider – change your braising liquid to something more Korean inspired.
Take out the pearl onions, sub out the balsamic and port for sherry, add in an apple, sesame oil and soy sauce. Braise like you would in this recipe, and voila! You have Korean inspired ribs!
All the best to you, your family, loved ones this holiday season!
WellDoneChef
I’m surprised my husband is still married to me even though I’ve never made him short ribs. And from your Twitter yesterday, I see that the leftovers are great over egg noodles. Even though I have a MOUNTAIN of food to make today, I’ll be dreaming of short ribs thanks to you.
This is perfect! I lucked out and found two beautiful packages of short ribs at our butcher last week (it was the first time they’ve ever had short ribs there!) and can’t wait to make these for New Years!
Phoo-D
When I was a kid, my dad used to fix short ribs so many different ways (they were cheap then), but I haven’t made them for years. I may have to make them, since these look so delicious. I especially like the idea of roasting them to give them that little bit of crispness.
Just want to add that I’m glad that I’m not the only one that forgets to take the pictures when I’m cooking.
Deb, thanks for sharing this. I’m on board, ready to give it a go, if you’ll help me overcome my fear of port. My only attempt at using it was less than stellar, let’s say. If you will, please tell me what brand you used, pretty please? And the red wine, would an Australian Shiraz be hearty enough? Thanks again!
my mother just made this exact recipe last week for my father’s birthday!
Would you consider making stuffed cabbage? I think it goes perfectly with the weather we’ve been having lately. I need a tutorial.
Hi Charlene — I should tell you, I’m very un-picky about cooking wine. Yes, I have heard that you shouldn’t cook with what you wouldn’t drink, but ahem, I still buy much cheaper wine for cooking. I think our bottles of port and wine together were $20, but they’re long gone!
Emily — Yes I would and I will. I have my mother in-laws recipe from her mother and it is very easy. The only hurdle I have to overcome is the fact that I like it best when she makes it with (shh) a V8 sauce (don’t know it until you’ve tried it) and *I know* most people will want a homemade one.
The plastic wrap melted all over the meat! I pulled it off but now am unsure if it’s ok to eat. I have since learned that some plastic wrap is not ok to go in the heat. Mine was Glad.
Any advice?
I would love to make this recipe but I don’t have a Dutch oven. Is there anything else that could double as a braising pan – or even some sort of disposable thing I could buy at the store?
Despite the fact it is 8 a.m. and I am on my first cup of coffee, I can’t stop salivating over this recipe for braised beef. I can’t wait to try it! Thank you for this fantastic blog and all of your beautiful recipes AND PICTURES. You are so very gifted!
Merry Christmas Deb and Alex!
Thanks for a great year of (amazing) photos and recipes!
:)
Ok, seriously? I made short ribs last week! This is getting freaky!
Oh, and I made the Zuni roasted chicken last week too and it was hands-down the best roasted chicken I’ve ever had, thank you!!
Deb did you use frozen or fresh pearl onions?
My mother found me frozen pearl onions so I used them this time. (I can never find them in NYC and am so over peeling my own. This was like the best gift ever.) I roasted them as suggested, and just skipped the peeling part.
Deb, your photos are gorgeous as always! What a meal… just gorgeous! And three cheers for frozen pearl onions! Serious life saver. I’m up to my elbows in enchilada meat this afternoon, but I wanted to stop by and wish you a Happy Holiday!
This is my go-to short ribs recipe, too, though the first time I made it I was thoroughly traumatized due to the first edition of the cookbook including instructions to use plastic wrap (with a note that it would not melt!) under the tinfoil. It melted. And when I’ve made them since, I haven’t bothered with anything but tinfoil and they’ve been phenomenal.
Oh, and Deb–while peeling the onions is a total pain in the ass, if you do want them some time I’ve had luck finding containers of them at Trader Joe’s, in mixed colored so they’re very pretty. In fact, last time I made this recipe I thought the onions were so pretty, I made them my new blog banner!
Writing to say thanks. I’ve been following your blog *daily* for a month or so now and am addicted. Have tried several recipes (the feta salsa is debuting at the big Xmas party tomorrow) including the Linzer shortbread cookies. Though no one should be grating frozen cookie dough while prepping for a dinner party of 30…
Happy holidays and thanks again for a fantastic blog!
Deb~
Thanks for the inspiration! I now have my New Years Eve Menu. Just one question. If creme fraiche not available, what is the best substitute? Thanks kindly and Happy Holliday.
Sour cream would work just fine, unless you have access to another over-the-top triple cream.
Deb, I make horseradish sauce by whipping heavy cream fairly stiff and folding prepared or regular horseradish and pepper into it to taste, then I garish it with some parsley or paprika. It’s creamy and much less bitter tasting than using either sour cream or creme fraiche. Just a thought!
this looks amazing! if you haven’t seen bittman’s short rib video on nytimes.com, you probably should. it seriously made me want to fall in love with someone just so i could make them short ribs!
here’s the link
Are you psychic or something?
I introduced my cousin to your blog, and she loves it. She’s coming out for a visit and where are we going? Luques for Sunday Supper. One day after she makes the reservation what pops up on your blog? Luques.
You are scary good!
Love this dish! Actually, love that whole cookbook. To make the whole thing even easier, I like to cook it the night before, remove the meat and bones and put the whole pot in the fridge – then you can skim all the solidified fat off the top, put the meat back in, and heat it up. (Taking the meat out makes it easier to skim off the fat.) It tastes even better the next day!
The one time I made short ribs, they turned out fatty and kind of rubbery. Did I not braise them long enough (about 3 hours)? Could I have overcooked when I seared them? Braised at too high a heat? Any ideas?
Just got to my mail so I didn’t have to wait for the recipe.
Generally I slow roast short ribs (3 to 5 hours at 300) with pepper and garlic powder because I really like the crunchy fat (very anti-PC) but your idea of finishing them in the oven sounds great.
With reference to the question of using V8 as a base for a sauce (or the whole sauce for that matter). So what – I doubt very much that any of your readers make their balsamic, or their wine, or their worcestershire, etc., etc. from scratch so if there is an existing ingredient why try to do it (even though its fun sometimes.)
I’m a potter, a cook and a gardener and as such I can tell you there is a joy and a sense of accomplishment in eating a meal off plates you’ve made, accompanied by wine you’ve made drunk from goblets of your own crafting. You’ve cooked with at least some of the food and herbs from your own garden and cooked it in the oven with clay baking dishes and roasters you’ve made yourself. but even then I don’t go out and dig my own local clays (although this would be neat.)
So please, on behalf of those of us who are not fanatical Luddites, tell us the V8 sauce recipe (I’m already thinking of ways to adjust my own sauces using V8 juice – thanks.)
I’ve been more of a lurker than a participant for about three months now – I’ve
read all your archives – you are a great food writer and superb photographer)
Finally – and I hope the question is not inappropriate in this forum. One of the posters was pleased to discover that short ribs were kosher. Is it not true that kosher is a process of butchering and so short ribs may or may not be kosher depending on how they were obtained? So the question is ‘Mr Butcher are your short ribs kosher?’ rather than ‘Are short ribs kosher?’
Don
That looks absolutely wonderful ! Your are right. It’s great for parties.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year !
I received this recipe on Christmas Eve morning and had to make it for Christmas dinner – even though I don’t celebrate Christmas, it seemed like the perfect comfort meal for a cold night in Chicago.
UNBELIEVABLE! We loved it and the house smelled fantastic all day. I took a nap and let the meat cook for over 5 hours, but no harm done.
I will definitely make this again and encourage anyone who’s interested to give it a try.
Looks like a keeper. I’ll definitely give this a try soon. Merry Christmas!
I think this article alone warrants me to buy a dutch oven! Your writing style is fantastic. I’m hooked :)
OOOOh I love it when you post something savory! They always become my family favorites… Thank you for a wonderful year. Wishing you the best in 2009.
These ribs are cooking right now, entering Hour Two. The house smells like the restaurant you want to settle into and stay for a while with a glass of wine. They’ll be topped with fried leek straws and served with mashed potatoes and gougeres. Yummm….
I served these tonight (swapping black beans in for the mashed potatoes), and it’s a terrific recipe. The pre-browning instructions had an oddity, though. Salting the beef 30 minutes before searing would pull moisture out of the meat and onto the surface, and moisture on the surface of animal protiens creates steam when it hits the fat in the pan, which tends to be the enemy of the browning process. Can you think of why the author would call out such a specific, unusual step?
I love them especially in summer, it sounds delicious !
This sounds excellent. I happen to have six pounds of some grass fed short ribs sitting in the freezer, and I always seem to have half a bottle of port hanging around that needs to be used. Thanks for the recipe!
Just served these tonight. They fell off the bone they were so tender. i never thought in a million years they’d turn out as dark and perfect as your pics, but I had no trouble at all. Excellent, excellent recipe.
Regarding the dutch oven – I don’t own one, but have made this recipe and others using my oven-safe AllClad pan w/ lid. I put some aluminum foil over the pan, and the lid over that, and popped it in the oven. That worked really well. You could also use a baking dish with a lid, or tightly covered with foil for the braising part. I would love to own a dutch oven at some point, though.
This recipe was great. Made it last night for 5 people, and it was devoured. Thanks!
Happy New Year. Made your short ribs today after wanting them since I first read your post about it. My husband bought some that were boneless; but it worked beautifully. It smelled delicious all day, and the only concern was when I put it back into the oven to crisp up – it was black!! Thought I ruined it by burning it; but it was still fantastic. Now, after looking at yours again, it turned out perfectly. Fortunately, there’s still some left for tomorrow, and since there was a lot of liquid left, I will take the remaining liquid and, if any, pieces of leftover short ribs and made a vegetable beef soup. I have a head of cabbage which after making stuffed cabbage rolls, the rest will go into soup. Looking forward to your stuffed cabbage rolls recipe. THanks for the wonderful recipes.
I received a 5 qt. Le Creuset braiser for Christmas and thus was all excited to see the recipe for braised short ribs. I made them on New Year’s Day, and my husband just loved them. They smelled heavenly, and the meat was so tender. I am looking forward to eating the leftovers which I imagine have only gotten better by today!
Ok, I think I’m sold. I don’t know what it is and this is kind of embarrassing to say, but for some reason, short ribs have always sounded so scary to me. Not scary to cook, just scary in general. I’ve never had them! After reading this post, I’m totally ready to give them a taste and possibly even try out your recipe. Thanks!
Yum! I need to stop reading your posts right before dinner, when all I have planned is canned soup and sandwiches. :)
Just Perfect.
Tender under that gentle crust, juicy and slipping from the bone.
The new friend for whom I made them nearly passed out when I gingerly peeled back the foil and the braise steam enveloped him.
Thank. you. !
I bought some braised short ribs on a whim and then came across this recipe and HAD to try it because the photos looked so yummy. What a success! The ribs came out looking (and tasting) like they came from our favorite restaurant. I marinated my ribs in something different (2 1/2 c. red wine, 5 star anise, and 4 garlic cloves), but the rest of the ingredients/instructions I did per above.
Great tip to get that dutch oven scorching hot before you brown the meat. I think the foil under the lid was also a helpful hint. Thank you for a recipe I’ll be making again and again!
I made these last week. Now, since I bought my le creuset dutch oven I have been plowing through braised foods – chuck roast, brisket, green chili, but short ribs are my favorite. When I saw this last month I knew I had to find the right occasion to serve them. And as noted, I did last week end. Best. Short. Ribs. EVER. Great braising liquid (made a great sauce), loved the final roast to get them nice and dark and I loved the horseradish sauce. The chard is an inspired choice to go with the ribs and potatoes. The ribs were so tender they could have been eaten with chopsticks.
We are in our winter cabin right now and had these last night. They were amazing. The combination of vinegar, port and red wine made the sauce deep and rich.
i made these tonight for my husband and i (tweaking it for 4 short ribs i/o 6) and we LOVED it. first time making braised short ribs so i was a *bit* weary the meat wouldn’t be as tender as it should be, but they were perfect! thanks so much for sharing this recipe!! the only thing we could have asked for with this meal was more people to share it with!!
I made this for company & the raves and compliments were endless. Wound up making copies of the recipe for everyone. We love, love, love it. We served it with rice & my husband said he could make a meal out of the juice poured over the rice alone if he had to. I will be keeping this one for more frequent use !!!!
Thank you for such a delicious recipe.
I made this recipe with “flanken” short ribs (without the bone) on Sunday with the idea of serving it to guests on Monday evening. The extra day enabled me to skim the fat off the top of the pot before reheating. I felt the sauce was a bit thin, despite trying to cook it down, but it certainly didn’t affect the taste which was scrumptious! My guests adored it.
I purchased the short ribs at Costco…which I was a bit anxious about, but the results were excellent.
I bought short ribs yesterday, always wanted to make them. Ran across your sight this morning and wow! Love it! I am a transplanted shixa wife (chicago to arkansas!) you can imagine the lack of food culture here. I have perfected bagles,brisket,callah,matzo ball soup and … pizza. I need to try Bialy’s I forgot about them! I love reading your descriptions and stories, you sound like me, a real foodie!
At what temp should oven be when braising
the short ribs? Thanks.
The fourth graph says 325F. It is correct.
Hey there. These look awesome. I’ll be making them for dinner tonight (already “thymed” the ribs yesterday.
I’ve read and re-read the recipe, but what do you do with the pearl onions? It seems that you roast them and then they’re never mentioned… I’m assuming that the onion you caramelize with the carrot and celery is the “1 cup onion” from the ingredient list… so I guess the pearl onions are a side dish, and not part of the rib recipe? Am I being obtuse?
(that’s what I’m hoping, anyway, because I can’t find pearl onions!!)
Don’t feel bad — every single time I’ve made these I’ve forgotten to put the baby onions back in because I missed the instruction. It’s stuck into the step where you saute the greens [“Heat a large saute pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Tear the Swiss chard into large pieces. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to the pan, and stir in the cooked pearl onions.”] and very easy to miss.
If you don’t find them, no worries. Although I don’t usually advocate frozen onions, mother found a bag of frozen ones from Bird’s Eye that were a HUGE time saver. But the dish will still be delicious without them.
Hey Deb,
these look great. could i do the same thing but with pork chops?
M
Can’t say I’ve ever braised a pork chop but I am sure it can be done. It probably doesn’t need to braise as long — pork chops are much less tough.
Is there a brand of beef/veal stock you recommend? I don’t cook with beef products much since my parents don’t eat beef.
Hi Deb,
One very quick question for you:
How big was the Dutch oven you made the ribs in?
Did you do them in one or two batches?
Do you have a recommended brand of oven?
Ok, guess that was 3 questions. I would like to make these for Rosh Hashanna and am ready to purchase my first dutch oven!
Thanks for your time and for your lovely inspirational blog.
Best,
Susanna
I used a 7-quart oval Staub, which although an investment, is actually my favorite brand for Dutch ovens. They have self-basting spikes under the lids and lids that can withstand any amount of heat (most Dutch ovens, such as Le Crueset, have plastic knobs that aren’t oven-safe past 400 or so degrees, ridiculous for the — matching — price of them). I doubled the recipe. I bought the 7-quart oval because it doubles as something you can roast a bird in and it gets use when we have a crowd over (or for larger quantities of meals). For everyday use, I get the most mileage out of my 5-quart round. The 5-quart rounds go on sale on Amazon a lot so it is worth it to key an eyeball on the price (I grabbed mine when it dipped for a couple days down to $100!) Hope that helps.
I made this last night, with a few alterations. I added rosemary to the rub, a small can of tomato sauce to the wine mixture, and 1 sprig of rosemary before i put the pot in the oven!!!
It was PHENOMENAL!!! HIGHLY recommend.
Thank for the recipe!!!
Deb –
All I can say is THANK YOU! I am speechless… I literally just finished cleaning up after making this meal – and I made all of this meal! I think there is never a need to go out for dinner again. This is frankly the best meal I have ever had.
Kristina
Just made these tonight with chuck short ribs–they were delicious, but really fatty (we were hunting for the meat through the fat). I’m a big fan of fat, but this was more than a bit much. Is there another type of short ribs I should be using, or should I be looking for leaner chuck short ribs?
Hi Deb,
How many short ribs would you serve per person? Would three be too much? I’m having 10 people for dinner. I’m making a similar menu. Mashed potatoes and string beans with the short ribs. I’ll also have a couple of appetizers.
Thanks for your help.
Leigh
It will depend on the size of your short ribs. Often, they are a pound each, which I think is enough for a person. That said, I am not much of an expert on serving size; I might eat less (per sitting) than others would like to. Google about and see what others suggest once you know what size your short ribs will be.
I have run into this recipe because it was referenced in one of your recent posts, I think, and I just made it tonight. Everyone at the table loved it and I cannot thank you enough for teaching me how to make short-ribs- never done them before, never had that many compliments for a dish! :)
Thank you Deb, happy holidays!
Vanessa
I am curious if you make your own beef stock for the short ribs,
or store-bought? Any recs?
Thanks !
Can’t wait to try this.. Thanks for the wonderful recipes!
Rebecca
Just made this tonight. Completely wowed my friends. Might try this again, but use a roast or other large cut of meat. Amazing! Thanks again!!!
I made this recipe for a Christmas party this weekend and everyone loved it! It was so yummy even though I accidentally put the pearl onion in the braising liquid and completely forgot to serve the horseradish cream. Oh, and I made your onion tart as an appetizer and everyone loved that too! I hadn’t made either recipe before (so basically all my friends we guinea pigs) but your instructions are so detailed and clear. Thanks Deb!!!
These looked SOOOO good I revamped my New Year’s Eve dinner party menu. They did not disappoint. I cannot wait to make them again.
I made this whole menu last night for a New Year’s Day dinner party and it was a big success. I made the short ribs a bit ahead of time, they were done at 6 and we ate at 8. I just let them sit on the range and they didn’t loose too much heat. Finishing in the oven not only gave them a nice outside texture, but worked to raise the heat right before we ate them. The swiss chard really shrank, so I would recommend three bunches instead of 2 if you are serving 6 people. Thanks once again for the great website – the first place I go when I want to try making something new.
ribs are braising right now! one question for next time – what type of port? ruby or tawny? i bought and used ruby, and i’m sure either would work, but i was wondering if you had a preference? thanks so much – hope you all have a happy and healthy 2010!
uh, woah. just woah. (obviously the ruby port worked out juuuust fiiiiine).
Wow. Ok. That was amazing! Made for guests, was told it was restaurant quality. Couple of things: don’t use red swiss chard. That was all they had at my market, and the taste is fine, but it makes everything turn pink. And go for 3 bunches instead of 2 if serving more than 3 people, it really does cook down. In the end I was left with all onions. I did use frozen pearl onions, as I did not have the time or patience to do the fresh! I think they were just fine. I cut back on the butter and cream for the potatoes (by about half) and used a hand mixer instead of a ricer, and they were absolutely amazing. I made the horseradish cream with Fage 0% instead of creme fraiche and added a dollop of dijon to it. However, none of my guests even tried it! The meat was so good on its own (and with that yummy broth) that they weren’t the least bit interested in the sauce.
Oh golly, I made this last night and it was divine! I used two extra large and disproportionately fatty short ribs and a big piece of lean shank. So rich and wonderful. I didn’t strain the sauce because I like the soft veggies as part of it, but I know that is unorthodox. I have leftover sauce, though, to serve over rice tonight for dinner, with the much less than appropriate leftover meat. Thanks!
This is AMAZING. We cooked this for my girlfriend’s birthday party and it is quite possibly the best thing I have ever tasted. Thank you!
I finally got around to making this yesterday, and it was wonderful. I used red Swiss chard and it was fine. It would be lovely to have estimated prep and cooking times at the beginning of your recipes, although I realize that would be a lot of work. For those of you who are wondering, it took me about an hour of prep time, maybe a little more, at the beginning, then 3 hours of cooking and then another half hour at the end.
Deb: do you have any good way of getting thyme leaves off the stems? I grab the stem at the top and slide my fingers against the grain of the leaves, which works, but it takes a long time to get a tablespoon.
just made these last night for my family and i thought i would have left overs.. but they are all gone.. thank you for providing a great recipe..
Made these for the first time a few months ago, but halved the recipe for two of us. Delicious. Making them again tonight but noticed I had a TON of extra braising liquid once I put the ribs in the pot. I probably took out about 2 1/2 cups of extra liquid. I reduced the wine and port by half so I’m thinking maybe my Dutch oven isn’t big enough? I can’t think of any reason to have all that extra liquid. I may try adding less beef stock next time I make this.
Regardless, this is a great recipe. I’m serving it with parsnip and potato puree. Yum!
Thanks for the recipe. A few days ago I made some ribs based on your recipe and I think they were the best beef I have ever made. I cook quite a bit, and have to say I really enjoyed making these, and immensely enjoyed eating them.
I changed the recipe a bit; I replaced the port with bourbon (not sure how much but a good healthy pour or two) and added some brown sugar – I wanted a more southern feel. I really put on a lot of pepper when crusting the ribs before browning, and they gave a nice heat to the beef that especially showed up by day 2.
I did mashed potatoes as well, but here’s how I do them: take washed but unpeeled new potatoes (or just the small white or red potatoes), steam, microwave or boil them quickly until soft, mash them roughly with a hand-held masher, and then use a wooden spoon to mix in yogurt (preferably greek yogurt for the rich consistency) and one raw egg. Add chives or parsley if you have them.
A bit of beef, the potatoes and a ladle of braising liquid was a truly marvelous meal, especially with a nice glass of cabernet.
thanks!
This is lovely. 5 1/2 lbs of short ribs was plenty for 6 with lots of potatoes.
Perfect! Thanks!
Was searching on the web for a braised short rib recipe and stumbled upon your fantastic website! Made the short ribs last night and my boyfriend and I wished we had doubled the recipe! They are so delicious! Thank you! Really looking forward to making other recipes…the grapefruit yogurt cake is next!!
I wonder if you would use this tecnique of broiling after braising with osso bucco or other types of braises. Has anyone tried it ? Does it dry out the meat too much ?
This was amazing! The bones fell out, it was that tender.
These turned out perfect! So good. I’ve been waiting a long time for some cool weather and today fit the bill. Good food and good football made Sunday night perfect!
Just made these tonight – after eying them over and over! (I blame you, Deb, for getting me to start eating meat again.)
To feed myself and my partner, I ended up cooking only a single short rib piece (which weighed close to a pound and a half, raw), and that was just about right. (I’m sure not hungry at the moment!) Since I don’t have a dutch oven, I used my cast iron skillet for browning the meat and then a ceramic casserole dish with a tight lid for the braise. Not a perfect solution (a lot of liquid evaporated), but the results were delicious nonetheless.
YUM! Made this to the letter, but used sour cream instead of créme fraîche. I adore Cook’s Illustrated, and have made that mash in various reincarnations many times. It’s delish! My husband loves everything, even the chard. :) Pumpkin Pecan pie for dessert.
I’ve been on a Short Rib Bender of late. I’ve had divine, and not-so-divine versions. I’m wondering if you could do this recipe in a crock pot though? Has anyone tried?
I did this for the second time in a crock pot, and it was great: the meat was falling-off-the-bone tender and really flavourful. After searing the meat and so on, I put the ribs and stock and vegetables in the crockpot and cooked on high for about 4.5 hours, then let everything cool for an hour, put it in the fridge overnight, brought it back to a simmer in the crockpot the next day, and proceeded with Deb’s recipe. However, I cooked a bit under 3lbs of short ribs and had to have 2 layers in my crock pot, and I wouldn’t have wanted to put more in.
Dear Deb,
Last night I made these for my 23rd birthday dinner party. In true I-just-graduated-and-have-never-had-a-real-kitchen style, I ended up miscalculating how many shortribs feed twelve people, forgetting to salt the meat before searing (I did it before browning and it worked fine), overflowing my Dutch oven, running 1.5 hours late, and setting off the smoke detector in my teensy apartment at least four times. Regardless, these were incredible — tender, succulent, and full of flavor.
But the best part of the night was not the ridiculous sight of me (Star Wars apron over cocktail dress) fanning at the ceiling with a potholder in one hand, saute pan full of chard in the other. And despite their profound deliciousness, it wasn’t the short ribs or even the exclamations of my guests as they devoured them. It wasn’t your spinach quiche, or the flakytender pate brisee of the butternut squash galette (both of which were, of course, excellent, and served as appetizers/sides). It wasn’t the sighs of pleasure from the vegetarians as they dug into your mushroom lasagna, and, believe it or not, it wasn’t even blowing out candles on that this-is-the-last-thing-I-want-to-eat-before-I-die peanut butter chocolate cake.
No, the best part came after all the guests had left, and a kitchen exploding with dirty dishes loomed ominously. It was when Keith, my boyfriend/dishwasher extraordinaire, presented me with a gorgeous photograph of butternut squash (“Wait, what is this?”), signed by none other than THE Deb, of THE SmittenKitchen (“OH. MY. GOD. Deb wrote my name?! Deb knows I exist?!!”), the lady whose website I read religiously and will buy cookware specifically to make what she writes about. My Hero. My Cooking Confucius.
I may or may not have squealed and clutched that to my heart like a teenybopper with her first boy band CD.
So thank you thank you thank you!! In every way possible, you made my #23 a truly a Smitten Kitchen Birthday.
Hi Joyce — I’m delighted that you enjoyed your gift. Another is coming, in a couple weeks. Shh. :)
Just to reiterate the many other fans of these ribs, let me say WOW. They were a huge hit at my dinner party tonight, kids included. In fact, my daughter, whose never eaten braised meat in 7.5 years, instantly became a fan.
I served the ribs with creamy polenta and roasted Brussels sprouts, with lots of sauce on everything. Thanks Deb!!
I am so looking forward to making this for Christmas this year. I think it’s going to be a Smitten Kitchen Christmas, since I’m also making your pound cake for dessert, with rum glaze. At this point, I might be ALMOST as big a devotee as Joyce, above (happy birthday Joyce!). Deb, I ope your holidays are as happy as can be, and here’s to a Smitten 2011!
I live in Alaska and haven’t been able to find bone-in short ribs. Weird. So, I was wondering if you had any idea what the equivalent of meat would be for boneless short ribs. I got 8 boneless short ribs totaling about 3.5 lbs. Does anyone have any thoughts?
It can really range but often one big bone-in short rib weighs out to a pound.
I am a newbie to the whole kitchen/cooking scene and have a quick and I hope not so annoying question for you.
This past New Years Eve I cooked your Braised Beef Short Rib recipe for a group of 12 and it was a smashing hit…simply deeeeelicious!!! However, I tripled the recipe and everything was perfect except I had so much darn stock leftover. It seems like I could have really cut down on the wine and port portion. I’d like to cook it again this weekend for a group of 8 and I was wondering if you could give me any tips on how much I should reduce the stock in relationship to the rest of the recipe. Any suggestions or should I just leave it be?
I just made these last night (along with a salad and desert from the same cookbook – salad w/ persimmons and pomegranate seeds was divine, lemon and chocolate tart didn’t firm up, but that’s another story). I was very happy to have your more humane version to follow (less pots, etc.). I did have a question though – I braised for 3 hours and while the meat only needed a fork, it didn’t seem quite tender. My oven does tend to run a little cold, I find. I’m just wondering whether you think that means I braised too long, or not long enough. Do short ribs go tender and then become a bit tough again if braised too long? It seems logical that no, they would just fall apart if “over” braised, but then again, three hours seems like it should be enough time!
Kara — I am going to go with not enough, especially if your oven runs cool. You could potentially cook short ribs so long that they’d become tough again, but I think that it would take many, many hours (far more than 3) and you’d also see that the bones had completely fallen out (during the super-ridiculously-tender stage) and what would actually be tough were the chunks of ribs floating around.
Carla — Thank you!
I have been reading your blog for years and have made many of your recipes. youu have helped me become a confident cook and hostess, someone who is known for hosting dinner parties and cooking for the entire extended family. I made these short ribs for my entire family last night and everybody raved about them. Thank you for the wonderful recipes, Deb. You have trulyy made a difference in my life with your great recipes, your sense of humor, and your willingness to share yourself with the world.
Swiss chard and kale – well, any greens, really – are my daughter (A 13 yr. old who loves greens. Crazy lucky, right?) and my favorite veggies so I was looking for a new preparation for them and came across this. Short ribs just happen to be my daughter’s favorite meat, so I feel like I hit the jackpot when I found this recipe. It looks phenomenal! I am making this tomorrow night. As a fellow foodie, I love your blog and have made many recipes from it including the swiss chard and sweet potato casserole – which has become a Thanksgiving staple.
The genius of this recipe is the part where you take the ribs out of the braising liquid and roast them in at 400 degrees–oh my goodness! It gives the ribs this wonderful texture that is almost barbecue-like. I will be making these again (and again, and…you get the picture).
Just wanted to thank you for this amazing recipe and echo the raves from all who have made this dish. I served the ribs at a dinner party recently and my guests went crazy for them! Lovely.
your recipes are great! paired this with your guiness chocolate cake for a wonderful winter valentine’s meal!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! We too made it for Valentine’s Day along with steamed artichoke and gratin dauphinois and it made for a delicious meal. We were out of horseradish so we made wasabi crème fraiche instead, which worked well.
what an amazing recipe-turned out perfect-thanks for another winner.
Deb –
It’s about time I FINALLY commented on your site, because I have been making recipes and following you for three years now! Somehow everything I make turns out wonderfully so you have a massive fan in my hungry fiance as well.
These short ribs are seriously…..amazing. I have made them at LEAST 8 or 9 times now. I have one friend who asks for them for her birthday and christmas!!! I am making them again this weekend – Ill make a couple of changes (although the original is amazing)- I dont fuss with the onions (love them, usually just dont have time on top of all the braise time) and during the final oven time I put a pinch of brown sugar on each rib so it carmelizes and turns into a crisp top.
Love, Love, Love your blog and I continuously hope to bump into you in the WV!
Cory
This is a great recipe! I made it for my anniversary, and we enjoyed it outside in the beautiful 73 degree Phoenix weather. Thank you for the amazing and easy to follow recipes.
Just found your site/blog today and I am in heaven..sigh…having a hard time pulling myself away to get to work! Absolutely cannot wait to try your recipes..luv your sense of humor!
happy cookin!
I made this meal for my husband’s birthday, following everything exactly except for making regular old mashed potatoes, and it was a huge success! The falling off the bone short ribs went perfectly with the horseradish creme and the veggies. My guests raved about the meal, which ended with a birthday pavlova. Thank you very much.
I made this recently, and substituted sweet vermouth with a few tablespoons of added sugar for the port, since we didn’t have any port. It worked really well.
Made this recipe last night for my boyfriend, we were in heaven for quite a while! Not much conversation, too much mmmmmm-ing! Didn’t do the whole “ricer” thing, just made the potatoes mashed, with the same ingredients. I have never made short ribs, but order them out quite often. The browning at the end sealed the deal for us. Much thanks, we will make this again!
:)
Do you think this recipe would translate into a slow cooker? Would you make any changes to the ingredients?
I made these for dinner tonight and they are spectacular. Thank you so much.
Your web site is my cooking “site of choice” when it comes to locating a recipe. I’ve made many, many recipes from your tutelage and in particular, thank you for teaching me to make pie crust.
Warm hugs for all you do.
I was looking at different braised short ribs recipes to get some ideas. Have you tried the traditional Korean braised short ribs dish (Kalbi-jjim)? This is what I usually eat/make, growing up Korean. It’s totally scrumptious (not that you can mess up short ribs). It contains garlic, ginger, soy sauce, honey, rice wine, sesame seeds, sesame oil, scallions, and braised with carrots, chestnuts, and jujubes (i prefer prunes) and topped off with some sesame seeds and pine nuts.
Hi There!
So i have a question for you about this recipe. I have made- and love the Cook Illustrated recipe for Short Ribs but an considering trying this one over the holidays. My two questions are: Which recipe do you think is better? And do you think this would freeze well if I made it in advance? We have rented a cabin w limited kitchen capacity but think this would be the perfect dish! It would only be frozen for a few days…Oh what to do!
I love your blog! Can’t wait for your cookbook!
Thank you for any all thoughts you may have!
I haven’t made the CI short ribs so I can’t say. But, I think there are very few bad recipes for short ribs.
I just made the ribs, skipping many steps, but… they were still good. Thanks for a relatively easy recipe (well, after I skipped half the steps!).
Any suggestions (please) on the wine & port? Name, vintage, etc., I am going to make these tonight for Sunday dinner tomorrow, so hopefully I’ll get some suggestions soon!!!
Thanks.
Christine — I didn’t use anything fancy. I rarely do for cooking. Just decent enough to drink.
Hey Christine!
Chanced to be reading this today to probably make tomorrow, and I always like to read the newest comments.
I’d probably use something like Graham’s 6 Grapes for a recipe like this. I’m of the “it should be good enough to drink but not something I’d cry to cook with” school of thought and 6 Grapes fits the bill. It’s pretty affordable and fairly easily available. (Here in Boston, it sells for $17ish.) Plus it’s tasty enough to enjoy on its own.
Hope that helps. :)
I’m embarrassed to ask this, but…well, the ribs are already browned. How much is a sprig??? The thyme I bought came with four or five 4-inch long slender branches on each small piece of twig. Is that whole thing the sprig (including all branches), or is each little branch a sprig?
ps I did google first, ’cause it seems like cooking 101. nothing! question for the ages apparently.
Can these be done in a slow cooker? Sorry if someone has already asked this and been answered. I’m trying to learn to cook in a slow cooker, if you have any suggestions I’d love to hear them?
I made this with boneless short ribs and broiled them to brown which worked great and wasn’t as messy as browning them on the cooktop. They were delcicious and I am going to make them again for Christmas eve. Can I prepare the chard halfway, to finish right before we eat? I am trying to minimize last minute cooking.
made these for Christmas Eve dinner this year. Such a hit, such a perfect recipe.
Made this menu, minus the pearl onions, for Christmas dinner this year and it was amazing, all the more so for being largely make ahead since I have a toddler and six-month old. That being said, I still had to enlist my husband’s aid in the final push and couldn’t imagine pulling this off solo and getting food onto the table at a decent temp or time, but having the ribs mostly done was a huge help. Also, I’d never used a potato ricer before but got one just for this recipe and it is definitely worth it. The potatoes were so creamy and indulgent, very different from a more rustic mash. Thanks for a great food memory! The compliments are still rolling in.
Oh. My. Goodness. This short rib recipe is a gift from the heavens. I just made it and I think it may be the tastiest thing I’ve ever cooked. Fall of the bone, amazing. Thank you 1000x!
Hi Deb & Alex,
First off, thanks for this recipe! Perfect meal for cold Toronto winters. There are almost no words for how amazingly tasty these ribs were last night–me and my roommate were only able to utter the ocassional ‘oh my god’ to each other. I’m throwing a a small dinner party at the end of the month just so I can taste it again and share the goodness w/ friends. No doubt, it’ll get rave reviews!
Thanks again!
These ribs are beyond delicious, and I don’t typically like meat very much. After the last bite, my husband asked if I’d marry him again.
Wow! These ribs look stunning. Bet they taste just as good! I’m definitely going to make these. Will report back with how they went down!
Thanks for the recipe.
Sian
Oh yes, I want these in my face immediately! Is it imperative that the short ribs marinate overnight or can I get away with just a few hours in the fridge? For instance, if it were 11:30am now and I stopped salivating over the computer long enough to run to the EV meat market right now, could I do these for dinner tonight or is it really better to wait (ugh) and plan this one ahead?
Hi Rae — They taste better after a rest but there’s no other reason why you cannot eat them sooner. Also, if you let them fully chill it’s easier to de-fat them (and short ribs are quite fatty). A question for you! What EV meat market do you speak of? I live in the East Village and don’t have a favorite.
Made these over the long weekend and it was such a delicious well balanced meal. Only recommend is that you trim the fat on the ribs a bit more before cooking but the chard and pearl onions were a great touch.! Will make this over and over for sure.
This was divine – I omitted the pearl onions (out of personal preference) and served it with my usual mashed potatoes. One more dish to break in my dutch oven :)
Hi Deb,
Made a different short ribs recipe last night but tried your potatoes. Think I must have missed something, since the 2lbs turned out to be nothing at all. Only added half the liquid and butter and had a soupy mess and had to quickly boil more potatoes. Thoughts? Are you going for a very wet consistency on these? Is there a typo in lbs of potatoes to use? Thanks!
Hi Allie — The recipe is correct (I use this formula on many variants of mashed roots). The serving size should be 4 on it, which is indeed on the low end for this amount of short ribs (serving 4 to 6). I will add a note about that, especially for parties that want more. About the soupiness — you didn’t puree the potatoes, did you? Doing so in a FP or the like will release more liquid, and usually makes gummy mashed potatoes.
I used a hand mixer (don’t have a ricer). The amount of potatoes just ended up being substantially less than I’d have thought. Maybe the scale is off at Whole Foods :)
Oh, you mean they rung up the potatoes at 2 pounds and you came home and they were 1 1/4 on your scale? Yup, that never happens when I shop there. Nope!
just made this. boyfriend said it was a 5 star meal, and I wholeheartedly agree. i made bleu cheese mashed taters and i puree’d them in my vitamix and they came out silky smooth and delicious. I amended cook’s illustrated recipe by omitting about 3 tablespoons of butter and only used a quarter cup (or maybe less…) of milk, not half and half. Then I added about a quarter cup of bleu cheese and fresh parsley and sage. I’m happy I cut back on both since you mentioned that using a food processor releases more moisture from the taters! personally, the pearl onions didn’t do much for me and I would make this without them when I make this again. I used kale instead of chard because some people are allergic to it and we’re lovers of kale here :) in any case, so glad I finally made beef ribs w/this recipe – usually I make them “korean style” but this was absolutely sensational!!! when you look up “fall off the bone” in the dictionary, there is a picture of this dinner!!!!
Made this dinner last night for a party of 5. Everyone ate *very* hearty portions (yum!) and we had a small amount of leftovers. If it had been a party of 6, probably would have wanted an appetizer and/or dessert to make sure everyone had enough. Deb, I’ve been making your short ribs bourguignon for years now and have wanted to try this recipe for a while now. So glad I finally did b/c I think this recipe is EVEN BETTER!
We had quite a bit of leftover braising juices, totally decadent and delicious! There’s enough natural gelatin in it that it could be cut it into cubes to freeze. Planning to use them to amp up things like ramen noodle broths, etc. Thanks again for all the inspiring recipes!
Thank you for posting, I made these tonight with rapini and they were amazing! Even though I had to sub the port for cassis, the red wine for rose, and the beef stock for chicken they turned out great (with a extra glug or two of balsamic to even things out).
I would also like to know where your cookbook will be available in Toronto. If you do a book tour up here I will be there!
Exquisite! By far the best short ribs I’ve ever had anywhere. The fragrance while they roasted was all the appetizer I needed. I didn’t have beef broth, so subsituted vegetable broth. I didn’t have port so used 3C merlot 1C zinfandel and about 3 TBSP Sherry. Soo amazing – worth every minute of prep! Thank you for posting this recipe!
Ok, these are braising in the oven…and the aroma is making the 3 hour wait seem like torture. I was going to have these for Sunday dinner, but not sure they will see tomorrow. I’m serving with creamy grits. Thanks for posting this winner, Deb.
I love short ribs…and the more robust the better. I love the balsamic in this for the added punch. I would definitely serve a big Paso Zinfandel…juicy and forward.
I made this recipe last New Year’s eve for a large-ish group of friends and family for what has become an annual event and it was by far the best of the seven courses. It was soooooo delish. Thanks for posting. I made it exactly according to the recipe and the meat was so flavorful and just fell off the bones. Together with the chard and mashed potatoes and onions, each bite was perfect. I’m writing this now in anticipation of recreating the dish tomorrow night. Can’t wait!
Hi Deb, This has been a go-to recipe for me for many a special occasion… it is the BEST. In fact, I’m planning on making it for an event this weekend, and wondering if I can bring it to the cook-it-the-day-ahead point and leave it in the fridge for 2 nights? Thanks for your help and for all the recipes and wit:)
I think it would keep fine for two nights in the fridge.
Hey Deb,
I’ve wanted to try your recipe for a long time! I can’t find another short rib recipe with such a beautiful roasted finish. But I’d like to do it with an Asian twist. I was wondering if you could suggest a way to modify these? Or if you would suggest another recipe? Thanks so much!
Hi Esther — I’ve made these before and they’re delicious.
Short ribs lend themselves to red-cooking — a Chinese cooking technique that involves braising meat in a mixture of soy sauce and water, spiked with a little dry sherry, and livened up with some aromatics (a few sliced scallions, a bit of fresh ginger) and some whole spices (star anise is essential, plus a cinnamon stick, a few cloves and some allspice). Some people throw in a bit of rock sugar or another sweetener (I don’t). You can brown the ribs first with a neutral oil, add the scallions, then the liquid and everything else, bring to the boil, and simmer. The ratio of soy sauce to water depends upon how salty your soy sauce is and your own taste. I buy soy sauce in Chinatown, not at a health food store, and use a 1:1 ratio, just enough to cover the ribs. You ca put this in a slow cooker and leave it for hours. Or cook on the stovetop or in a dutch oven, until the meat can be easily pulled from bone (but I leave it on) . If you like you can add some sliced carrots or turnips toward the end. I think this goes best with plained steamed white rice.
You can cook the sauce down if you like (removing the beef so it doesn’t disintegrate entirely).
i made these awhile ago & they were AMAZING…i’m making them again this weekend & i’m so excited! fun & yum. i just love to brown & braise, oh yes i do!
Hi, this recipe looks amazing. Just wondering if you ever tried it or something similar with grass-fed beef and whether you were just as happy. Thank you! Love your site and recipes!
Made the version in your cookbook, a Hanukkah present, and loved it (a double guiness and a black IPA). Instead of browning the ribs in the dutch oven I baked them at 450 covered for 40 minutes and another 20 minutes uncovered at 400. Although it takes longer, it freed me up to do some other things. I thickened the braise with a roux because it wasn’t thick enough. Served with mashed sweet, rather than white, potatoes.
It was a delectable “marry me” meal.
Hi there! I made this for Xmas dinner and it was absolutely terrific. So happy that I made the ribs the day before since there was so much fat to take off. Only variation was adding some roasted mushrooms the onions and chard. We had your red velvet cake for dessert. Fantastic!!
Hi Deb,
I love your site! And I just got your cookbook for Christmas and listened to you on NPR Christmas day :).
I don’t have a dutch oven and want to make these for my boyfriend, is there something else I can put them in? A big pot?
Thanks!
Alana — Any big pot that is overproof, preferably your heaviest one.
Can I make these without the port/wine? I need to cut out alcohol and wonder if this will work. My fingers are crossed because these look AMAZING!
Trying to decide between this recipe and the one in the cookbook….hmm
Made these for NYE dinner and they were glorious! I was intimidated at first but it was easier than I thought it would be. Will definitely be making again, probably sooner than I would like bc I’m already getting requests! The horseradish cream is a must, my boyfriend’s been putting it on everything.
Huge success last night. I placed the ribs on a a thin layer of puréed sweet potatoes. The sauce was reduced to a beautiful syrup. One guest said “4 star restaurant quality”! I also served the Pear Almond Tart. Also great.
I made them before but your right they were soft. The butcher talked me into trying them again the way you break it down is great I’ll let you know how it all goes!
made the short rib recipe from your cookbook and was disapointed. The meat was not falling off the bone and was tough. what did I do wrong? I had 10 short ribs from my favorite butcher and they were beautiful meaty marbled with fat in the right place. I seared them on all 6 sides (taking my time) used 2 bottles of beer (which in hindsight felt like I wasted and wish I would have just drank the beer). Baked in the oven for 3+ hours. What could I have done wrong?
I put the leftovers in dutch oven with the cooking liquid in the fridge hoping they will get better when I reheat them tomorrow night.
Hi Liz — Three hours (as I used here, too) is usually the right time for me (and my testers) but if yours wasn’t tender yet, just put it back in for longer, even another hour. The dish can totally be saved.
Hi Deb– so excited to try this recipe, but wanted to see if you have any thoughts on whether this could be prepared two days in advance? I wanted to serve next Friday but realized I don’t think i’ll have time to prepare Thursday night so wondering if i could do Wednesday and then leave till Friday. Suspect not, however some other recipes I saw suggested that this would be possible so figured i’d check with you. Thanks!
Megan — I think it would be fine.
These were really, really good! I knew I had to try the recipe, but had to wait until shortribs came down in price from outrageous to merely extortionate. Next time I’ll make sure to use the foil under the lid of my dutch oven–there was only a cup of sauce left for the half-quantity of ribs I made. We’re having a minor disagreement on the leftovers; does he get them or do I? I’m glad we have a second package of shortribs in the freezer.
If you’ve been unhappy with the tenderness of the ribs, check your oven temp. Turning it down and cooking longer might be better. I now make my mother’s pot roast by oven-roasting at 200° for 67 minutes per pound, not 300° for 45 minutes a pound. It falls apart at a harsh word!
Hi Deb! Total newbie here, completely inspired by your cookbook! I just came back from Macy’s with my new Dutch oven, and from Whole Foods, ready to make the balsamic and beer braised short ribs recipe. Only one problem..Whole Foods had no bone-ins, so I wound up with boneless. Considering this is my first attempt at such a “serious” meal, just wondering if I need to make any cooking/recipe adjustments?? Thank you!
I made this tonight for Valentine’s day. My husband told me to make a point to rate this a 5 star plus. Thanks for sharing.
What has been the consensus on type of port used? Ruby or tawny ?
Know you felt not necessary to spend too much money on the wine/port….. But want to give the sauce the best flavor with correct ingredients…..
Thanks for clarification !
Excellent, excellent, excellent! Made it over the weekend and it turned out beautifully. I don’t yet own a Dutch oven or any kind of braising pan (oh, the glory of being young, in love, fresh out of college and broke) so I covered a glass 9×13 with a double layer of tinfoil. Worked like a charm! Thanks for sharing this AMAZING recipe. :)
instead of horseradish sauce, i had my leftover ribs with a chimichurri sace (half cup cilantro, half cup parsley, 2 tbsp balsamic, 1/3 cup olive oil, oregano, red chili pepper flakes, salt and pepper) and a fried egg over rice. for those of you who live in LA, better than Chego!
oh woops cilantro and parsley and garlic chopped up in the food processor
here is how I (mostly) salvaged $65-worth of beef, wine and port:
after the first half of the cooking time, I opened the lid and to my horror, there was barely any liquid left, everything looked blackened and I thought the dish was ruined. I rearranged the meat, glugged more wine and port on top, and put it back for another hour and a half. It was only after I took them out again that I realized I HAD FORGOTTEN TO PUT IN THE 6 CUPS OF BEEF STOCK. And of course I had none in the pantry. Luckily I was working a day ahead. So the next evening (before company arrived), I doused everything in stock and cooked for another hour. Oven-braised for just a few minutes before serving. Meat was a BIT dry in places (but that’s what the gravy is for!), but overall an overall acceptable result given that I screwed up so. badly. I will try this again and do it right next time!
When short ribs are too expensive–or unavailable–we like to use a chuck roast cut into fist-sized chunks. The texture is the same as short ribs and the taste is just as wonderful. There is also more room in the dutch oven for meat, since bones aren’t taking up space.
I, too, had an overflowing dutch oven, leading to a new oven cleaning itself. Use a bigger casserole dish than you think you need, even if it means washing yet another pot!
My new favorite short rib recipe… I have been using A16 but prefer this recipe, great sauce and the horseradish cream was a great finish and added a nice flavor to the ribs. Tender fell off the bone and yum! Get the best beefiest short ribs you can find, I have found that I always ask the butcher for them special.
This recipe was simply spectacular. I love that you could make most of it a day ahead. I made it for a 10-person dinner, and when everyone tucked in to eat, you could have heard a pin drop as they savored each bite!
Quick question about how to put the ribs in the pot – you say bones standing up…does that mean to put the ribs into the pot vertically? Also, I know there are different cuts/styles of short ribs. Does it matter which one you choose for this recipe?
Hi there,
Am going to attempt your ribs tomorrow for an annual pot-luck Christmas Party. I am usually on dessert-duty…so this is a bit out of my comfort zone but I’m excited about the challenge and even more excited to sink my teeth into the finished (hopefully delicious!) end product. My question is how to transport the dish…ideally I’d like to finish the ribs in the oven right before serving, however, I don’t want to be “that” guest who comes in monopolizing the hosts oven! I will likely finish the dish at home…will be cooking in my Dutch oven. Do I put the sauce/gravy in a separate dish and put the meat in the Dutch oven, or should I throw it all back in the Dutch oven together? HELP!!!
Colleen — In general, I don’t think you ever want to separate heavy meats like this from their sauces for long or they get dry — so definitely transport with the sauce. Your Dutch oven might be able to keep it pretty warm for a while, but it might also be nice if you could top it off on the stove with extra heat once you get there. Another option is keeping it warm in a slow-cooker on low (wouldn’t monopolize the stove). The good news is that short ribs are EVEN better on day two (and three) so it’s to your advantage to get it out of the way sooner.
This is my go-to Christmas eve or Christmas dinner dish for the last several years. It is always awesome and makes me look like a kitchen goddess! This year I didn’t have any port and it still turned out great. This year I also forgot to leave the ribs overnight; I did the pepper and thyme a few hours before cooking and it still worked well. I take my time with all of the steps; I can fit six meaty, bone-in beef ribs in a 5 quart Dutch oven (the liquid covers them). Three hours is perfect.
Hello!
Really looking forward to surprising my boyfriend for his birthday. I have a quick question – is it possible to wait a couple of days in the pause period? Or can I only braise one day in advance?
Susie — You can definitely wait a couple days. But you’ll want to keep it in the braising liquid in the fridge while it rests. Lucky boyfriend!
Recipe looks great and I’m looking forward to trying it. One question — any luck/thoughts about using boneless short ribs? I’m having trouble finding bone-in. Thanks!
Jimbo — I think you could use them. It may need less cooking time.
I made this recipe for the first time for our NYE party. I made it a day ahead mostly because I doubled the recipe (that makes for a lot of browing time!) and simply warming something up for dinner allowed me to enjoy my guests more! This is an amazing recipe. I even shared it with the farmer who supplied me the short ribs! What a great way to ring in 2014!
With two main courses but only one oven for our upcoming dinner party, I’m comforted to know these can be cooked ahead of time but just reheated the evening of. About how long do you think it would take to reheat in a slow cooker? And is it possible to overcook them that way? Thanks!
Off-topic(ish) but just wanted to give shout out to the short ribs in your cookbook. Possibly the best dish I’ve ever made (parsnip puree made it completely over the top amazing). Made for my parents yesterday and it was absolutely perfect.
Best compliment: my mother, who currently doesn’t trust any cookbook not from a Food Network or PBS show, is rushing out to buy a copy of your book!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
Hi, I was thinking of making this with brisket for passover. do you think this will work? are there any adjustments you would make? thanks very much.
After reading your post on cooking this up for a dinner party, I have decided to try this myself for a group of 12. I did have a question though about the braising. Have you ever done this in a crock-pot instead of the oven? If so, do you have any tips for this step if I were to go this route (Cooking time, temperature?)? Finally, do you have a dessert that you think this would pair well with? Can’t decide between something chocolate or fruity…Thanks Deb!
Tara — I haven’t made it in a crock pot, but I know short ribs do well in one. I think you can easily pick a well-rated crock pot short rib recipe and use these ingredients instead. Hope that helps. As for dessert… you really can never go wrong with a simple chocolate cake. Maybe this one?
I made this about 2 months ago and it was incredible! Now I’m making it in the crock pot so my husband can take it to work every day!
I just had to tell you – I made your short ribs from the cookbook (with the parsnip puree) for guests on Saturday and it was so So SO luscious! It was a big hit with the non-vegetarians at the table (they got a fritatta). It was my first time making short ribs, and even though I had to go to two stores to find them, I can’t wait to try this recipe. I am having the leftovers tonight, though, and I am going to try the horseradish cream and mashed potatoes. Thanks, Deb!!!!
Deb, I’ve made 2 of your dishes: Chicken Pho and Peach Pie, both of which came out perfect, meaning delicious. This weekend I hope to make your recipe for Braised Short Ribs with Potato Puree, Swiss Chard and Horseradish Cream. I feel I have the same taste buds as yours.
I’m going to purchase your cookbook. Thanks for giving me fabulous recipes for free on the internet but you need to make some money for all you do in helping me learn.
Thank you.
Thank you for posting this fantastic-looking recipe! I look forward to making it this weekend. I’ve got two questions: 1) What type of short rib should I request when I order them? 2) Can you add instructions for making the short ribs ahead of time? Where and how do you pause the recipe, and how to you resume it?
Thanks!
Would I be able to make this in a pressure cooker? Any suggestions if I try?
Thanks!
Emily — I’m sorry, I bought one last winter and STILL have not become knowledgable enough to give advice. I can say this: if you’ve made any short ribs in it before, you can use the same cooking time/directions/etc. here.
Hi Deb!!
I’m making this recipe (my first time ever making ribs!) & I’m thinking of making your sour cream-allepo cornbread to go with it, possibly instead of the potatoes? Are the potatoes an integral part of the meal? Is there a method of making them in advance & reheating them that you would advise?
Thanks!
Love all your recipes & your writing!
Thanks a billion for this recipe, Deb, which I make every Christmas Day and which I have become famous for– even though I always tell everyone that all I did was carefully follow the Smitten Kitchen’s instructions!
I am wondering if I could keep the strained, slightly reduced stock (which I have a lot of this time around because I doubled the recipe) and use it to slow cook another batch of ribs in? Is that weird? I just can’t stand the though of throwing it out– it’s too amazing and there’s too much of it.
Is it really necessary to season the short ribs overnight? Can you make this omitting that part and what is the impact?
Lisa — You can get away without it. It’s more of a dry brine, which can improve texture and flavor, but I hardly think they’ll be lacking without the extra step.
This is a fantastic recipe. I doctor up the braising liquid with 2T of tomato paste and 1 14oz can of diced fire roasted tomatoes. When the ribs have finished braising and are removed from the pan, I bring the strained sauce to a rolling boil and reduce it by 1/2, make a slurry of 1T cornstarch and 1/4C cold stock and whisk that in to the sauce…the velvety result will be sopped up with every morsel of bread or mashed potatoes you have on the table. A wonderful dinner party dish everyone loved. Get really meaty short ribs from your favorite butcher…but be prepared…there are no leftovers!
Just came in here to say that I was reading the Lemonade cookbook and saw a braised beef short ribs recipe. I swore I had a weird sense of deja vu—I have made this dish before! I came over to your blog to look for it and here it is. I’ve written the original author because weirdly, the Lemonade one is almost line by line identical. Bizarre!
aimee — Strange, but I’d think/hope given that it’s a California cookbook, maybe Goin gave him permission? It seems weird to steal from chefs in your own yard, so to speak. I might just be hoping for the best, though. I’m sure her publishers (hey wait, we have the same publisher, heh) can duke it out otherwise.
I just put these in the oven for our Valentine’s dinner and my house smells so good! Can’t wait to eat them :)Love your site and have made many of your recipes.
made these over the weekend…what a success! this has easily jumped to one of my top 3 dishes to make….i subbed roasted brussel sprouts for the swiss chard, and totally forgot to make the horseradish sauce, and it was STILL amazeballs. i will definitely try it next time with the horsey sauce though.
also, the short ribs i got from our local co-op were ginormous (not cut into cute 2 to 3-inch pieces like i’m accustomed to) AND they were bone-in. since i don’t have a bone saw (and didnt realize this issue until last minute) i decided to just cut the meat off the bone and then cut each into two rectangular pieces. i put the bones in with my store-bought beef stock and let them stew for about an hour on medium-low, then strained and chilled until ready to use. best idea ever! soooo much flavor!
also, to people wondering if boneless work as well as bone-in, we didnt have any issues at all and simply cut back on the braising time about 20-30 minutes. seemed to do the trick! i couldnt part with all that delicious sauce, so we took some out to be reduced for the dinner and then used the rest to make a beef stew the next day. simply delicious! thanks deb! <3
I made these this morning for tonight’s and wow, they are amazing! I did use the thyme/pepper dry rub and let them chill overnight. The earthiness and texture really add something to the ribs so if you have time, I highly recommend this extra step. Thanks, Deb!
I am new to your blog and love everything I have made following your detailed instructions-Thank You!! I just need a quick clarification. I always read through all of the comments and responses before I make a recipe. You state in the recipe to have your oven set to 425, but when asked in the comments you state 325. I looked over at Anne Burrell’ s recipe and she does hers at 375. Sorry to ask again, but is it 425F? Thanks for all your great recipes! I will be buying your cookbook as you have a beautiful collection of recipes!
Hey Deb, I am wondering if it is possible to make this dish without the port and the red wine? What could I use in lieu of those? Thanks!
Love short ribs! Have you tried the Balthazar recipe? We tweaked that a little and they are awesome. I love your version (and theirs) with no tomato. I’m going to give yours a try soon.
I followed this recipe to the letter….browning for 45 minutes is way too long or my stove gets much hotter than yours. I like this blog A LOT so I used this recipe instead of the Daniel Boulud recipe I usually use for short ribs. These burnt. I completed the recipe. There was a black crust (not tasty…dark brown crust is tasty, black not tasty). The sauce was fantastic. I will try this again but will use my gut feeling for the browning stage.
Just wanted to say how awesome this recipe is – we’ve had it for Christmas every year since you’ve posted it!
Hey Deb – instead of browning the ribs in a pan, can I put them in the broiler for a few minutes on each side? My apartment’s smoke detector is super sensitive and pan-searing/browning sets it off in the building :/ also, how do these fare if made if the ribs are made a full 2 nights before (Wed) and then reheated as per your instructions 2 days later (Fri)? Thanks so much!
Kimberly — I haven’t done it but it makes a lot of sense. I think they’re going to reheat really well after 2 days.
At the risk of sounding pedantic, it’s actually not créme fraîche, it’s crème fraîche.
They look incroyable, by the way!
After browning the meat can I put the whole thing into a crockpot on low for 3 hrs instead of into the oven on 325?
I haven’t checked the time in my slow-cooker but if that schedule has worked for you with other short rib recipes, would definitely work here too. In general, though, short ribs are great from the slow-cooker.
There was a snowstorm coming and we thought this would be perfect food to hibernate with. It took a long time to make – started at 3:30 and ate at 8:15 so plan for that. The sauce was thin but velvety so we thickened it with a bit of flour. Next time I will buy the ribs by weight rather than by number – 6 ribs didn’t make very much once the fat rendered down. Served it with egg noodles but it would be good with couscous too. Delicious!
Wait!!! How do I time this whole dinner and still be the ring leader, I mean hostess, when folks are trying to make chit chat with each other?
Make them the day before; short ribs reheat fantastically.
Made this for a special family Sunday lunch. Probably the best thing I have ever made. Ever. Thank you!
This is my main dish for Christmas dinner this year. I made a test run last weekend, and I’m glad I did. I bought 5 lbs of short ribs at the local grocery store (Frys/Kroger) and it barely fed 2 of us. I ordered 7 lbs of short ribs from the gourmet specialty store for Christmas dinner (for 4 of us). I’m hoping these ones are much less fat and bone, and more meat. The bits of meat on the test run were delicious :)
I may tone down or skip the port, and possibly add garlic. I started my test run about 4:30 pm (should have read the recipe first!), and we didn’t eat til after 9. For Christmas, I am going to cook these on Christmas eve, and reheat on Christmas day. I will update this with anything relevant after the holiday!
Hi Deb! Love your blog. I made this for a family Christmas get together on Dec. 29th. It was a huge hit. Just wanted to mention that I made my own creme fraiche (also thanks to SK) for the horseradish sauce, so I had heavy cream and buttermilk lying around. Although I followed everything else pretty much exactly, for the mashed potatoes, I used cream and buttermilk instead of half and half and it was deeelicious. Turned out to be a great substitution considering we don’t keep half and half or milk in our fridge on a regular basis. Saved us some $$on our dairy purchases.
OMG these short ribs are amazing! I made them for our family’s Christmas dinner this year, and it was immediately requested for an upcoming family birthday dinner gathering. I made them exactly as you instructed, with the exception that for browning, I used the broiler method in the article you gave a link to in your intro to this recipe. I’ll do that from now on with any browning for any recipe, as it’s the first time I didn’t end up with a splattered messy stovetop to clean up. So flavorful, and we loved the texture after the final stint in the oven. Fabulous!!
I was so looking forward to this recipe as I have had amazing short-ribs at restaurants before but unfortunately I was a little disappointed. I made these for my fiance’s birthday and followed the recipe exactly. For something that took three days (seasoning over night on day one, searing and braising on day two, finishing it up and serving on day three), unfortunately the taste wasn’t much different than a pot roast I could have made in the crockpot. The meat was tender but the deep flavors I expected from browning the meat and the braising liquids just weren’t there. I welcome any tips for getting a better flavor next time.
Day 1 – seasoning takes about 5 minutes. You can season the short ribs w/salt and freshly cracked pepper (no thyme) on day of cooking, elminating one day of tiring cooking. Day 2 – tie a bouquet of thyme to a stick of celery, put that in the Dutch Oven, slice a fresh Garlic in half (no need to remove skin) and put that in the oven as well. Rather than pearl onions, use the regular onion plus a chopped shallot. Rather than beef stock, I use a mixture of Chicken Stock and Demi Glace. If you do not like the flavor of port, try sherry which is sweeter. I serve on Day 2. Day 3 – yes, it can be very tiring eating leftovers….
Made this and very roughly tripled the recipe.
It was phenomenal. I didn’t use short ribs- they were too hard to find in rural France- so I used “stewing meat”. The time wasn’t long enough for the meat to cook so I wound up throwing it in the pressure cooker for a few extra hours.
Served with pearl onions and kale and Ina’s goat cheese mashed potatoes. There were no leftovers! I made the potatoes and the meat several days in advance to help with the prep.
Absolutely LOVE this recipe! I want everyone to know about it, which is why I’d just like to politely call to your attention that it’s currently not tagged as “Beef” and doesn’t show up under the “Beef” tab from the recipes page. Would hate to think it’s not getting the love it deserves!
A perfectly beef recipe is probably my absolute favorite meal albeit one that I very rarely cook for myself – thanks for some useful tips, your braised beef looks wonderful and flavourful. Thanks for the awesome share.
Question – does bones standing up mean that the bones are at the bottom of the pan with the meat up? Or the meat touching the bottom of the pan with the bones up?
Bones standing up.
OK – now I am truly confused: are the short ribs standing up on end like little soldiers (vertically) or lying flat lengthwise with the meaty part of the rib touching the bottom of the pot and the bones on the top (horizontally) of the meat which makes sense to me?
I think a better way to think of it as the bones are perpendicular to the bottom of the pan, vertical as opposed to horizontal. Hope that helps!
Made this recipe for my husband’s birthday celebration, and it turned out perfectly! I had these huge gorgeous short ribs from our local grassfed butcher (splurged), and even though I forgot to sprinkle the thyme and pepper the night before AND forgot to take them out of the fridge an hour ahead of time, they still seared beautifully. The red wine and port braise was delicious, and my non-wine-drinking extended family still raved about it. Tender, deep flavor. The wonderful delight that anything you soak in a hot bath for hours will fall off the bone (including me). Oh, and I totally skipped the last browning step in the oven and thanks to the sear still had intensely flavorful edges.
Just love this recipe! Braising anything for a dinner party is my favorite way to go…most all the work done upfront so that I can enjoy the guests. Plus, the kitchen is clean when they arrive! I make extra when possible, using the leftover short ribs to recreate my own version of The Foundry’s short rib grilled cheese sandwich.
Usually braising is done at a lower, way lower temperature. Really 475?
The 425 is for the onions. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees F for the short ribs.
This has been our Christmas Eve dinner for about four or five years running. Revisiting it again for this year. It is absolutely delicious and always satisfies. I so love this blog, and turn to it whenever I am having company and need something new to cook. Thanks!!
OMG! I have to make this. I usually make soup with short ribs. ( roast the short ribs with fresh garlic and onions, then add it to beef broth with fresh sliced mushroom, carrots and barley) When cooked , I remove the short ribs- take out the bone, trim the fat, and cut into bite size pieces( it usually is so tender you can use a fork). I put the beef back into the soup.My husband says my soup is 5 stars! If I refrigerate it overnight , after It is cooked, then I can take off more of the fat. Soup taste even better!
I’ve had this recipe in my arsenal for quite a few years, and I must agree, it’s sublime! When I make this, heads turn, admiration abounds….
I could not decide what to make for Christmas Eve dinner until I read this today . Your recipes and explanation never fail me ! If making for 9 people how many ribs or pounds should I get ? Do I need to multiply the other ingredients or can the remainder of the recipe stay the same . Thank you and Happy Holidays !
I made this for Christmas Eve and just wanted to pop in with two things that might be helpful to others. The first is that I made the horseradish cream with cashew sour cream and it was still perfect. So if you can’t have dairy, use cashews and don’t skip the horseradish cream because it completes the dish. The second useful thing is that a microwave “baked” potato with a ladle of braising liquid and a dollop of horseradish cream makes a heck of a midnight snack or lunch.
So for a dinner party of 12 adults, how many pounds or pieces of short ribs are sufficient?
Earlier comments suggest 1 pound per person.
I made this on the weekend, and it turned out beautifully. I made one minor mistake. I should have covered my sheet pan with parchment before crisping the short ribs in the oven at the end. I lost some delicious meat bark to the pan. Sadness.
Just made this.. SO GOOD! Thank you or sharing the recipe!
The day before, we seasoned the ribs, but with dried thyme. We made this with 2.5 cups of red wine (no port), 3 dozen pearl onions instead of diced onions, we saved and ate the vegetables from the sauce, and we used about 5 pounds of short ribs, in longer strips than those pictured. Times were the same, and with an 11am start time, we ate a couple ribs for a late lunch at 3:30-ish. AMAZING thank you for this good recipe. It’s pretty bulky, we used a dutch oven AND a casserole dish to bake those ribs.
Has anyone made this using different type of onion rather than the pearl, say, shallots or walla wallas? Really don’t want to deal with the pearls but I think this braise will be delicious with onions. Thanks!
You got me at the port.. do I have to beg my husband to go out and buy a whole bottle or can I substitute. I have about everything else BUT port.
These look great!
Niggling editorial things: FYI for some reason the word “fraîche” appears as “”fraîche” where it says “…a glorious combination of crème fraîche and horseradish cream.” This is the case in Chrome, Firefox and Brave browsers (I didn’t check IE, Edge, or Safari). However fraîche displays properly in the recipe itself (though in the recipe the word “crème” has the wrong accent over the e: you have written “créme”).
Lol, HTML error, will fix.
Lately, beautiful boneless short ribs have been available in my local market. Can they be prepared the same as the bone-in ones?
Yes, but I do think they’ll cook faster.
Can you substitute beef stock for chicken or veggie? I keep kosher so it’s hard to find beef stock.
Yes, of course.
Cooking today! Question on quantity. 16 oz each? So 6 1lb short ribs?
“6 large beef short ribs, about 14 to 16 ounces each (if ribs are tinier, buy by weight, not number)”
Nm. Found my answer.
Yes!
Made this last night for a dinner party of 6 . Made 10 and had 3 left over because one piece was really fatty so we didn’t eat it. 1 good size rib per person is plenty. We had 3 side dishes and a salad with It. I had a lot of sauce left over and it was thin. My suggestion would be to make a cornstarch slurry and put it into the sauce. But no one complained about the sauce either. I do not have a braising Pan so I used a cast iron skillet to sear them in coconut oil and then put them into a deep dish lasagna Pan to braise covered with foil. At the end, instead of a sheet Pan I used the same emptied out lasagna Pan to Brown them in the oven. Everyone loved them. Even the kids. My butcher was careful to cut the ribs pretty uniformly in size which helped the cooking process.
Note, I am referring to the broth sauce not the cream sauce Which I didn’t even make because I forgot to buy horseradish
Would you ever prepare this dish in advance? If yes, would you stop prior to the crisping up step and do that before serving? I am hosting approximately 20 people for Christmas and will have to work Christmas Eve. In an attempt to not be completely crazy on the day, I am looking for a make ahead recipe that can be reheated or finished on the day. Thanks so much for the feedback. Just made the granola crusted nuts for a hostess gift last night! Everything I’ve made from your blog and cookbooks has always been SO GOOD!
Almost always! Short ribs are so much better on the second day, and even third.
I made this on Sunday for dinner with friends last night. The friends wound up not coming over because their whole family is sick, but my husband and I ate it last night. I didn’t add the port and didn’t blend up the vegetables in the sauce, but otherwise followed the recipe. It tasted ok on Sunday, but last night it was delicious. I served it with mushrooms and mashed potatoes and it was perfect. It is a great alternative for brisket, so I might make this and triple the amount for Passover. Another winner Deb. Thanks!
I made this with bison short ribs and it was amazing! I made a few modifications based on what I did/didn’t have on hand: a general mix of red wines, but no port and chicken stock rather than beef or veal.
The braising juices just finished the meat perfectly. Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipes!
Made this for my bday dinner. So good!! It did use a lot of pans but it’s my bday so the husband is in charge of dishes! Ha! Deb, you never disappoint.
We made these for passover dinner and they were insanely delicious. The short ribs I received from the butcher were longer in form than yours and so my cooking times were off. They were also a good deal more fatty. Can you tell us how we order these from the butcher? We had simply asked for large beef short ribs
Just made this (all recipes in this post) and came out Great!!! For those who want to do slow cooker, double recipe and make in advance, I successfully did this so thought I’d share my details since I didn’t find too much specifics scrolling through old comments and I would have found any details helpful as a semi novice cook. First I nearly doubled short rib amount (10 large) I therefore doubled the veg and herb but i read comments that original recipe made a lot of liquid so instead of doubling that I just added rest of bottle of the red wine and another splash of port—-I still had a ton of liquid that would not fit in my crock pot, so I don’t think there is a need to double liquid You would have a LOT of liquid. Ok so First night I rubbed thyme and pepper and fridges over night like Deb. Next day I continued to follow all the directions up until braising in oven (I browned short ribs on stove and cooked veg/liquid mixture just like instructions). Then I put it in slow cooker on low instead of oven (ribs standing up so they could all fit) and poured in liquid so they were almost covered (discarded rest of liquid as I couldn’t think what to do with it). Then it cooked on low for 7 hours—-that was mostly because we were at my in laws for dinner longer than I meant to be;) but I took them out and they were perfect! Super tender easily fall off bone but I carefully took them out with tongs as to not separate Meat from bones, I then put them and liquid into another pot to cool down on counter then in fridge overnight and before serving the next day I just put that pot on low on stove to warm, took out meat to brown in oven and strained and reduced sauce, it made the day-of work a breeze, I also made mashed potato the morning of and put pads of butter on top which helps for reheating and they were soo good and made Swiss chard right before but I roasted pearl onions and peeled them in AM so that was quick make right before dinner. All of it was so good, my family was really impressed, yours will be too:)
Can boneless beef short ribs be used?
Yes. They often take less time.
I accidentally posted this as a reply yo someone else’s comment… Just asking again! Am I supposed to discard the cooked onion/carrot/celery mix? I mean there were enough delicious bits that it’s not like they’re missed, but it did seem a bit of a waste.
First time making short ribs and WOW!
Yes, I usually do. They’ve done their part and aren’t adding further flavor at this point. However, if you’d prefer not to, you can puree them into the sauce.
Hello. Happy Hanukkah.
Is it possible to do this in the Instant pot? I am a big of yours
Thank you. I have not specifically tested this recipe in the IP, however, for this short rib recipe, we find that 35 minutes on high pressure is perfect and I’d expect it to be the same here.
I’ve made these so many times and I adore them but I’m wondering…Could I sub another cut of meat here? Maybe brisket? Short ribs are so expensive here.
Wow! This was a huge hit w our friends visiting from Lyon (although they said our smoked duck gumbo reigned supreme)! I made the dish 1 day in advance, reduced the sauce for a good 2 hours but didn’t quite get the consistency I wanted. I’d held on to the aromatic veggies — which I added more than recipe stipulated–put liquid w veggies in a Vitamix and (as our French friend would say) voila! the perfect viscosity! NO Hoisin sauce (which it seemed to beg for) subbed a little Red Boat fish sauce & Trader Joe mushroom umami along w a lot of hearty dried herbs. The potatoes were divine; I used 3 lbs. 3 large bunches of chard and we barely had enough for 4. I did add some garlic & balsamic to the chard. My ONLY disappointment–it was 77 degrees outside (next day plummeted to 40!) and ALL of us wished the next day we’d had it then! DEFINITELY a keeper. Of course AFTER I made it, Whole Foods had beautiful ribs $10 lb. (got mine on sale earlier & frozen) so tempted. NEXT: Short rib & onion soup!!!! Thanks Deb for the grand recipe! That makes 3 of your recipes in 1 week!
Can I make this in the Instant Pot, following the recipe for the balsamic and beer-braised short ribs in “The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook” and the instructions for the Korean short ribs on the website?
Yes. :)
My 6o requested “Short ribs” after trying them at the school cafeteria. I rarely ever cook meat, so this was quite the endeavor. But when my extremely picky eater requested a food, I jumped at the opportunity. This dish was excellent and devoured by many!
We absolutely love this recipe and make it every year for Christmas Eve. This year, we’ll have a vegetarian guest. Do you have a suggestion for an equally delicious vegetarian main to serve alongside this dish?
So are you supposed to pour off most of the fat after searing the meat? Or just leave it all in there for sautéing the mirepoix? After searing 6.5 lbs of ribs, there’s quite a lot of fat and juice in the pan — at least a cup or so. I’m sure there’s a lot of flavor in there too but don’t want the dish to turn out too greasy….
Same question! I think I had more than a cup. We ate it-too greasy for sure. I think we were supposed to cook it off with the vegetables?
Yes, there is a lot of fat but if you make a day ahead and chill overnight in the fridge as Deb recommends, you can easily just scrape the congealed fat right off the top. I always do that to avoid a greasy gravy. Plus brisket always tastes better made a day ahead anyway 🙂
Making this a day or 2 ahead. Is it necessary to do the last step of crisping in 400 oven, and finishing of sauce right before serving or can that also be done anytime ahead? Thanks!
If it’s done ahead of time, it will likely lose the crisp but it will still keep well, flavorwise.
As I’m writing this my short ribs are in the oven for a dinner party tomorrow. I’ve made this recipe so many times that I thought I’d try the beer and balsamic recipe from your cookbook for a change. So, I will take them out of the fridge tomorrow and let them come to room temperature. Do I need to reheat the whole pot with the ribs in the liquid, or can I simply put the ribs on the cookie sheet to crisp them. Not sure this will warm them enough. Thinking I should warm them in the liquid at 350 for maybe 30 minutes and then proceed from there.
Love this recipe! Making it again tomorrow, and I was wondering: Is there any reason why I couldn’t/shouldn’t thicken up the sauce with a bit of roux to make it more gravy-esque? I am serving a few bigtime gravy lovers, so I was thinking of doing that but I wanted to check if there’s any reason it would be a bad idea to do so!
Is the short rib weight correct. 14-16 oz each?Those are some big short ribs. I have made thses and they are delicious but with much smaller short ribs, about 6-8 oz each
It’s correct but they can range a lot depending on the butcher and the animal. Simply use more if they’re smaller.