Braised Short Ribs (with Red Wine & Mushrooms)

Braised Short Ribs with yellow polenta on a plate.

Braised Short Ribs (with Red Wine & Mushrooms)

My braised beef short ribs are fork-tender, restaurant-quality comfort food with a glossy red-wine sauce, sweet carrots, and meaty cremini mushrooms—perfect for entertaining, special holidays, or a cozy weeknight dinner. Make it in the oven, in an Instant Pot, or in a Slow Cooker.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword braised short ribs, short ribs recipe

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 25

Servings

Calories 999kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

Braised Short Ribs

5 lb bone-in beef short ribs (8 ribs)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion diced
3 large carrots peeled and diced
2 stalks celery chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
Small handful of fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups dry red wine Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 cups low-sodium beef stock more if needed
8 ounces cremini mushrooms halved or quartered if large
Fresh parsley roughly chopped (for garnish)

Creamy Yellow Polenta

1 cup uncooked coarse or medium-grind polenta (not instant)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or water + 1 chicken bouillon cube)
1 cup whole milk or half-and-half
3 tablespoons salted butter
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional but delicious)
½ teaspoon salt (start here and adjust)
Black pepper, to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Pat ribs dry, then season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven (at least 5 quarts) over medium-high heat. Sear ribs on all sides until deeply browned, about 10–12 minutes total. Remove ribs and set aside.
In the same pot, add onion, chopped celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften, about 5–6 minutes.
Stir in garlic, thyme, rosemary sprigs, and bay leaves, and cook for 1 minute.
Add tomato paste, coating the vegetables, and cook for 1–2 minutes until the paste has darkened slightly.
Pour in red wine and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 8–10 minutes.
Add beef stock and return ribs (with juices) to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Add more stock if beef isn’t covered.
Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 ½ – 3 hours depending on the size of your ribs, until ribs are fork-tender and falling off the bone.
About 30 minutes before the beef is done cooking, sauté mushrooms in a skillet with olive oil, salt, and pepper until golden and most of the moisture has evaporated, about 8–10 minutes. Stir them into the Dutch oven with the ribs.
Discard herb stems and bay leaves. Skim excess fat from the sauce if desired.
Optional: Remove the meat and vegetables, leaving the sauce. Simmer on the stovetop for 5–10 minutes to thicken. Return ribs and vegetables to the pot.
Serve hot over creamy polenta, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or creamy parmesan garlic orzo.
NOTE: I provide helpful step-by-step photos + tips below this recipe card. ⬇️⬇️

How to Make Creamy Yellow Polenta

While you braise the short ribs for several hours, prepare the polenta.
Bring 4 cups chicken broth and 1 cup milk to a gentle simmer, then slowly whisk in 1 cup polenta and reduce the heat to low.
Cook for 30–40 minutes, stirring every few minutes and adding small splashes of whole milk (or half-and-half or heavy cream) if it thickens too quickly.
When the grains are tender and the texture is silky, stir in 3 tablespoons butter, ½ cup Parmesan (if using), and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve right away while it’s still creamy, as polenta thickens as it sits.
You can also make the creamy mascarpone polenta using this recipe link below. You can use cream cheese or ricotta instead of mascarpone:
https://juliasalbum.com/lamb-shoulder-chops-recipe-shiitake-mushrooms-swiss-chard-mascarpone-cheese-polenta/#recipe

Notes

The nutrition information DOES NOT INCLUDE the polenta! The estimated nutrition info only includes the short ribs.
Searing, browning, and caramelizing the short ribs is an important step to imparting deep flavor. Don't skip it!
Don’t rush the cooking process! Cooking low and slow is the best way to get incredibly tender short ribs. Increasing the temperature will only make the meat tough and chewy and possibly burn to the bottom of the Dutch oven.
Salt the sauce to taste only at the end and not during the process. The sauce will cook down and concentrate while it’s in the oven so seasoning it prior to finishing could lead to an overly salty sauce.
I recommend making this in a Dutch oven that is at least 5 quarts or larger. If you are using a larger sized pot, you may need to use extra broth to fully cover the short ribs.
Can I make this dairy-free/gluten-free? It’s naturally dairy-free. It’s gluten-free as written if your Worcestershire and stock are GF.
Which wine is best? I recommend Cabernet for a bolder, darker sauce; Pinot Noir also works great, the sauce would be a bit lighter, silkier vibe. Both are great.

Variations

Add extra veggies: Don’t be shy! Add in those veggies if you like! I recommend chunks of parsnips, fennel, leeks, and/or bell peppers!
Silky: Add in about 4 tablespoons of butter for a silky finish!
Tacos or sandwiches: Instead of serving the short ribs with a side of polenta or mashed potatoes, try shredding the meat and putting them into your favorite tortillas or between toasted bread for a sandwich!

Alternative Cooking Methods

Using a crockpot instead? Follow the recipe up until the point where you would add the Dutch Oven into the oven. Instead, add everything into your crockpot, set it to low, and cook for about 5-6 hours, or until tender, depending on the thickness of your ribs. Add the sauteed mushrooms to your Crockpot 30 minutes prior to serving.
How to Make It In An Instant Pot. Use the Sauté setting to sear the ribs. Remove and set aside. Sauté onions, carrots, and garlic with tomato paste, then deglaze with red wine and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up bits. Add the ribs back with stock and herbs, seal the lid, and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Add sautéed mushrooms and simmer (using Sauté mode) to thicken the sauce before serving.

Storage, Reheating, Freezing, Make-Ahead

Fridge: Cool, then refrigerate in the sauce (airtight) for 3–4 days. The sauce will gel—perfect.
Reheating: Reheat covered at 300°F until warmed through (20–30 minutes) or gently on the stovetop. Add a splash of stock/water if the sauce is too thick.
Freezing: Freeze ribs and sauce (airtight) up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge; warm gently.
Make-Ahead (my favorite): Braise a day ahead, chill, then lift off solidified fat (super easy). Rewarm, finish the mushrooms, and serve. Even better flavor on Day 2.

You'll Need These Supplies / Equipment

Knife
Cutting board
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
5 quart or larger Dutch Oven or similar sized pot
Saute pan

Nutrition