This recipe is so simple, and yet so flavorful! It is simply our favorite way to cook short ribs. Classic recipes like this are considered classic for a reason. They usually come down to just few, simple, flavorful ingredients. We’ve added our own twist by adding Worcestershire to give a broader depth of flavor to the braising liquid without any additional work. Combine all of that with fresh rosemary and the smell in your house will make you drool!

Short ribs are perfect for serving over garlic mashed potatoes or our creamy cheddar parmesan polenta. Round out your meal with our honey roasted carrots.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Only requires a handful of simple ingredients.
  • A largely hands-off recipe frees you up to work on delicious side dishes.
  • The smell is intoxicating with the rosemary acting as an aromatic.
An overhead birds-eye view of beef short ribs in a braising pan.

Braising is a combination cooking method where you first sear the food with a dry heat and then slowly cook it for a long period of time in a wet heat — usually a braising liquid with a lid to trap in the heat. Tough cuts of meat that require long cooking times to reach a tender, pleasant texture are great candidates for braising. If you have ever used a slow cooker, you have most likely braised meat without even realizing it!

Ingredient Notes

An image showing the ingredients needed to make braised beef short ribs: short ribs, beef broth, red wine, olive oil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary.
  • Short Ribs: either boneless or bone-in can be used without altering the recipe. This recipe has been fully tested with both options.
  • Beef Broth: use a low-sodium option for better control over the sodium content and flavor.
  • Red Wine: enhances the flavor in this dish, but if you prefer not to cook with wine you can simply substitute with 1 cup of additional beef broth.
  • Garlic and Onion: use fresh for best results, but onion powder and garlic powder can also be used.
  • Fresh Rosemary: used as an aromatic in this recipe. While you discard it without eating, the flavor infuses itself into the meat and braising liquid as it cooks.
A collage of images showing some of the steps for making braised beef short ribs.

What to do with your braising liquid

This braising liquid is too delicious to go to waste! Remove the meat and pour the juices into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until sauce reduces, about 15 minutes.

You can also make it into a gravy. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Add in 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk together into a paste. Slowly pour in strained juices and heat over medium-high heat until thickened. If your juices are straight from the oven and still piping hot this will only take a minute or two.

A fork shredding a braised beef short rib served over mashed potatoes.

Storage and Reheating Instructions: 

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Be sure to include some of the braising liquid to ensure moisture.

Microwave in 30-second increments on high until heated through.

More Braised Beef Recipes

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Watch the video below where we will walk you through every step of the recipe with a video demonstration.