Boneless Short Ribs Recipe with Red Wine Sauce
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What Makes My Braised Boneless Short Ribs Recipe So Good
I’ve been making this one for years, especially for special occasion, and it’s one of those recipes that never gets old. The red wine sauce alone is worth making this on repeat.
- The cut is built for braising. Heavy marbling and connective tissue melt into the meat and sauce as they cook, creating incredible tenderness and body.
- The red wine sauce is a game changer. Wine, vinegar, tomato paste, and herbs build a sauce that’s deeply rich without being heavy.
- Shallots over onions. More delicate, slightly sweet, and they melt beautifully into the sauce.
- Better the next day. Like my braised beef short ribs and short ribs chili, the flavors deepen overnight. Make it ahead for a dinner party and you’ll be glad you did.
- Incredibly versatile. Spoon it over perfect mashed potatoes, pasta, or polenta. The sauce makes everything it touches taste amazing.
Table of Contents
What Are Boneless Short Ribs?
Despite the name, boneless short ribs don’t come from the ribs at all.
- Most boneless short ribs sold in U.S. grocery stores are cut from the chuck, the hard-working shoulder area of the cow, which explains all that marbling and connective tissue.
- They need low, slow, moist heat: a long braise melts the collagen into gelatin, so you end up with tender beef and a silky, full-bodied sauce.
- You’ll sometimes see boneless country-style beef ribs sold right next to them. Those also come from the chuck and braise well, but the pieces vary a lot in thickness, so keep an eye on the timing.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Boneless short ribs: Look for thick, meaty pieces (1.5-2 inches thick) with good marbling. Thin, lean pieces won’t braise as well and will dry out. If the pieces are very large, cut them down to roughly 3-inch chunks.
- Shallots: Shallots look like small, elongated onions with a purple-ish/copper skin. They’re milder and slightly sweeter than a regular onion, with a hint of garlic. If you can’t find shallots, a small sweet onion will work.
- All-purpose flour: works to thicken the sauce. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- Red wine: Use a dry, full-bodied red you’d actually drink. Cabernet Sauvignon is my go-to for braised beef, but Malbec, Merlot, or Zinfandel all work well. Avoid anything labeled “cooking wine,” it contains added salt and tastes different, which will throw off your sauce. Don’t use sweet wines.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds brightness and balances the richness of the wine and beef. Substitute red wine vinegar or champagne vinegar if needed.
- Beef stock: Homemade beef stock is fantastic here, although store-bought works fine. Just choose low-sodium so you can control the salt.
- Tomato paste: Adds depth, color, and a touch of natural sweetness. Also helps the sauce emulsify and thicken. Make sure to use tomato paste and not tomato sauce.
- Brown sugar: Balances the acidity of the wine and vinegar. Use either light or dark, it won’t make too much difference here.
- Bay leaves, dried thyme, dried oregano: Classic beef braising herbs that add earthy, aromatic depth to the sauce.
Can I Make Boneless Short Ribs Without Wine?
Yes. Replace the wine with an equal amount of extra beef stock and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar for depth and acidity and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire to bump up the umami.
How To Make Braised Boneless Short Ribs: Step-by-Step
PRO Tip: You can use a Dutch oven to braise boneless short ribs from sear to bake, or a cast iron skillet to sear them and then, transfer the meat into a 9×13 casserole dish. Just make sure the Dutch oven is large enough!
Take short ribs out and let them rest and warm up while you prepare all other ingredients before starting to cook.
Pat the beef completely dry with paper towels. Moisture on the surface is the enemy of a good sear. Season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
Preheat a large pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add oil. Sear the short ribs in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan. Overcrowding drops the temperature and causes the meat to steam instead of sear.
Sear on all four sides until deeply golden brown. This step takes some patience but creates a massive amount of flavor. Set them aside while preparing the sauce.
Using the same pan (all those browned bits are flavor gold), add a bit more oil if needed and add the sliced shallots. Sauté until softened and starting to turn golden. Add the minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 to 60 seconds.
Sprinkle the flour over the shallots and garlic and stir to coat. Pour in the red wine slowly while deglazing: stirring and scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Those bits are where deep, savory flavor lives.
Stir in the apple cider vinegar, beef stock, tomato paste, brown sugar, and seasonings. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for a few minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
Pour the sauce evenly over the short ribs in the casserole dish, making sure the meat is nestled well. (Or nestle the meat back into the Dutch oven if that’s what you’re using.)
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook in the oven for 2.5 hours. Remove the foil, flip the ribs, and cook for about another 1 hour uncovered.
The uncovered time allows the sauce to reduce and concentrate and gives the exposed meat a chance to develop more color.
Remove from the oven and let the meat rest in the baking dish for about 15 minutes before serving. This lets the juices redistribute.
How to tell when boneless short ribs are done: The meat should be fork-tender and pull apart easily. You can use the internal meat thermometer to check the center to register about 200 to 205°F inside. If it’s still tough, it simply needs more time. Every oven is a little different and every batch of short ribs can vary. If needed, cover loosely with foil and continue braising checking every 30-minute or so until tender.
Ways to Serve Boneless Short Ribs
- Potato side dishes: mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower, or roasted potatoes – anything creamy or fluffy that soaks up the sauce.
- Vegetable sides: honey butter glazed carrots, sauteed mushrooms, roasted green beans and mushrooms, roasted zucchini or Italian roasted asparagus.
- Try it over pasta: egg noodles, bowtie, or fettuccine are all great for catching the red wine sauce.
- Wine to serve with braised short ribs: a glass of whatever you cooked with works perfectly. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Zinfandel or Merlot are all excellent with braised beef.
How To Make-Ahead, Store, Freeze, and Reheat Boneless Short Ribs
- Make-ahead: This dish is genuinely better the next day. The flavors continue to develop overnight and any solidified fat on the surface can be easily lifted off and discarded before reheating. Cook the ribs completely, cool to room temperature, cover the dish tightly, and refrigerate. Reheat covered in a 325°F oven for about 30 minutes or until heated through.
- Freezing: Braised boneless short ribs freeze beautifully. Let the dish cool completely, transfer to a freezer-safe container with the sauce, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Storing leftovers: Store in the casserole dish or Dutch oven, covered airtight, or transfer to a container with a lid. Leftovers will keep well for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or rewarm the whole batch in a 325°F oven, covered with foil. Add a small splash of beef stock if the sauce has thickened too much.
Short Ribs in Red Wine Sauce Recipe FAQs
Yes, absolutely. A Dutch oven is actually ideal because you can sear the meat and build the sauce in the same vessel, then cover and slide the whole thing into the oven. Just make sure it’s big enough as there are more boneless short ribs in 4.5 lbs.
Yes. Sear the meat and build the sauce on the stovetop first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours. The flavor won’t be quite as concentrated as the oven braise, but it will still be delicious.
They just need more time. Different ovens, different thicknesses of meat, and different individual cuts can all affect cooking time. Cover the dish with foil and continue braising in 30-minute increments until the meat yields easily to a fork. Some batches can take up to 4 to 5 hours total.
Yes! Cremini or baby bella mushrooms are a wonderful addition. Add them at the same time as the shallots so they have time to soften and pick up the fond from the pan.
A true braise needs time, but you have two faster options. My Instant Pot short ribs get you fall-apart tender beef in a fraction of the time. You can also cook boneless short ribs like a steak: sear or grill them over high heat to medium (about 130°F), rest them for 10 minutes, and slice them as thin as possible against the grain.
More Recipes From Me
- Braised Beef Short Ribs
- Mexican Style Braised Short Ribs
- Pan Seared Filet Mignon
- Beef Stew
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
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Braised Boneless Short Ribs Recipe
Ingredients
- 4-4.5 lbs boneless short ribs
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- coarse or sea salt
- black pepper
Red Wine Sauce:
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 2-3 shallots
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour*
- 3 cups red wine
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups beef stock
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 4 tsp brown sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- coarse or sea salt
- black pepper
Instructions
Before cooking:
- Take short ribs out of the refrigerator and out of the package. Let them rest and warm up on the cutting board, on the counter, for about 30 minutes before cooking.
- Slice shallots and set the aside. Peel, smash, and mince garlic and set it aside as well. Measure remaining ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
- Pat the beef dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
Sear short ribs:
- Preheat a large pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Sear the meat in batches so they are not overcrowded. Sear them on all 4 sides until golden brown.
- Take the meat out and set it in a large 9×13 casserole baking dish.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Red wine sauce:
- Using the same pan where you seared the meat, add a little more oil if needed and add sliced shallots. Sauté until softened and starts to brown.
- Add minced garlic, stir, and sauté until fragrant.
- Sprinkle flour over onions and garlic and mix until they're coated.
- Pour in the wine slowly while slowly stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot. Stir in apple cider vinegar, beef stock, tomato paste, and seasoning.
- Mix in seasonings and let it come to simmer. Simmer for a few minutes until sauce starts to thicken.
- Pour the sauce over the beef in the casserole dish and make sure it's nestled well.
- Cover the dish with the aluminum foil and cook in the oven for about 2 1/2 hours. Tip: for thinner short ribs, the cook time may be less. If you have thin boneless short ribs, start checking after an hour and a half. If you have thick short ribs (around 2 inches thick, you can cook up to 3 hours).
- Take the aluminum foil off and flip the short ribs. Cook for 1 more hour. Note: if the short ribs are not fork tender yet, you may need to cook them longer in the oven. Check the liquid and if you notice it's cooking out more than 2/3 of the way up the short ribs, mix in some more beef stock.
- Take the dish out of the oven and let it rest about 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- *Gluten Free Notes: This boneless short ribs dinner can easily be made gluten free by using gluten free all-purpose flour in the sauce. Remaining ingredients should already be gluten free but double check the labels on the packaging.
- Doneness: Short ribs are done when the meat pulls apart easily with a fork. If still tough, cover with foil and continue braising in 30-minute increments. Oven temperatures and rib thickness vary, so some batches may need up to 4 to 5 hours total. If you’re looking too much liquid, add a splash of beef broth.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in January 2022.
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Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Hi. I would like to try this recipe. Can I incorporate cremini mushrooms into this and if so when should I add them.
Yes, you can definitely add cremini mushrooms! I’d add them at the same time as the shallots, I think they’ll go really well in this recipe!
Can I do this in a Dutch oven?
Hi Erin,
Yes, you can make this in a Dutch oven, just make sure it fits well. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Great recipe. Thank you for sharing. It could have had a little longer in the oven but the flavour was wonderful..
So glad you liked it!
Wonderful results! Served this for Christmas dinner and everyone loved it. I did cook it an additional 1 hour covered, so 2 1/2 hours covered, then 1 hour uncovered. Lovely!!
I am so glad you liked it!
How can this same recipe be done in an instant pot?
I actually have a instant pot version you can find the recipe here https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/instant-pot-short-ribs/
This recipe was quick, easy, and had great flavor. The only thing is that It actually took me 6 hours to bake for it to be super tender. The 2 and a half hours was not enough time.
I’m so glad you ennjoyed it, Shar! Yes, the time can vary based on thickness of the short ribs, amount of marbling, and how long the meat converts the collagen to gelatin so make the meat soft and tender.
On the braised short ribs, after removing foil and flipping do I put foil on for last hour?
Hi Norm, No once you remove the foil you want to cook it for the last hour without it. Hope this helps.