This is my tried-and-true recipe for slow-braising boneless short ribs in the oven. With just a few ingredients, including red wine, garlic, and herbs, you get deeply flavored, fall-apart tender beef in a glossy, tangy sauce. It’s pure comfort food, the kind of dinner that makes the whole house smell incredible.

Chunks of braised beef short ribs in a white enamel baking pan, garnished with garlic, fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs.

What I love most about this recipe is how minimalist it is — not oven onions, celery, carrots, or tomato paste, and still it turns out unbelievably tender and savory. Simple ingredients let the flavor of the beef shine. Every time I make it for friends or family, it’s gone before I can even get a second helping!

  • The meat doesn’t need to be marinated ahead of time.
  • The short ribs sear and braise entirely in the oven (no need to brown the meat in a separate pan or simmer on the stovetop). It makes clean up so much easier.
  • Pair with a simple vegetable side dish — these quick steamed Brussels sprouts with butter are a great choice.
Photo of a baking pan filled with raw beef short ribs, a head of garlic and a bottle of red wine and herbs on the side.

Key ingredients

  • Boneless beef short ribs: This cut of meat comes from rib sections that start at the chuck (shoulder), plate or back ribs of the cow. You can also use 5 pounds of bone-in beef short ribs to make this recipe.
  • Dry red wine: Use a dry red wine you enjoy drinking. See notes below on which wine is the best.

How to prep short ribs

  • Making braised short ribs isn’t necessarily difficult. Depending on how they’re made, the cooking process can involve multiple steps. But it’s pretty easy to make tender, tasty braised short ribs in the oven without much fuss.
  • Use bone-in or boneless ribs.
  • Season them generously with salt.

Oven-braising short ribs

I usually use an enameled Dutch oven for braising meat because I like the results even more than using a slow cooker. It’s the same type of pot I use to cook my slow-cooked red wine beef stew.

But for these short ribs, a rectangular baking dish or small roasting pan actually works perfectly. Choose one that’s about 14 inches long by 11 inches wide and you’ll be good to go!

  • A baking tray with several cooked red wine short ribs, browned and arranged unevenly across the metal surface. The tray has some grease and roasted bits around the ribs.
    1. Sear for 20 minutes in a hot oven on a sheet pan. The pan just has to be large enough that the ribs can lay flat and about halfway submerged in the braising liquid.
  • A metal baking sheet with a wooden-handled spatula rests on it, showing remnants of red wine short ribs and oil on a white surface.
    2. Deglaze with some of the red wine.
  • Red wine short ribs braised in a white roasting pan with rich red wine sauce, garnished with fresh herbs and a halved head of garlic in the center.
A bowl of creamy polenta topped with tender red wine short ribs, garnished with fresh rosemary and grated cheese, on a light fabric background.
Serving ideas: The savory juices and fork-tender meat falls off the bone, and they are perfect served over this creamy, cheesy polenta. You can also shred the beef and use in olive oil mashed potatoes or simply as a filling for some absolutely delicious tacos.

Best red wine for braising short ribs

The best red wines for braising short ribs are dry, full-bodied varieties.

  • Zinfandel, chianti, cabernet sauvignon or malbec are good choices, and they’re often affordable.
  • An inexpensive (under $15) blend from Cotes-du-Rhone or Bordeaux would also be delicious for braised short ribs.
A bowl of creamy polenta topped with tender red wine short ribs, garnished with fresh rosemary and grated cheese, on a light fabric background.
4.67 from 116 ratings

Incredibly Tender Red Wine Boneless Short Ribs

Karen Tedesco
This is my tried-and-true recipe for slow-braising boneless short ribs in the oven. With just a few ingredients, including red wine, garlic, and herbs, you get deeply flavored, fall-apart tender beef in a glossy, tangy sauce. It’s pure comfort food, the kind of dinner that makes the whole house smell incredible.
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Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 50 minutes
Resting Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients
 

For the short ribs

  • 3 pounds (1.3 kg) boneless beef short ribs, about 6 pieces, or 5 pounds bone-in short ribs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups (500 ml) full-bodied dry red wine, such as Cotes du Rhone or Malbec
  • 1 cup (250 ml) chicken broth, or beef broth
  • 1 head of garlic, sliced in half horizontally
  • 3-4 fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs, or use 2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence

Instructions
 

  1. Heat oven to 475 (245C) degrees.
  2. Put the ribs on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the meat liberally on all sides with salt (I use about 2 tablespoons Diamond brand kosher salt) and black pepper.
  3. Roast the ribs 20 minutes, until they're sizzling and forming a brown crust. Transfer the ribs to a roasting pan or 14"x 10" baking dish large enough to hold the ribs in one layer. Turn the oven down to 275 (140C) degrees.
  4. Pour ½ cup of wine onto the baking sheet and scrape up any brown bits, then pour all the liquid over the ribs. Add the remaining wine and water. Toss in the garlic and herb sprigs.
  5. Cover the pan tightly with foil and return to the oven for 3 ½ hours, until the meat is very tender and breaks apart when prodded with a fork. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest, covered, for 20 minutes. Shred the meat with a fork and pour over pan juices to keep them moist (skim the fat if you like).
  6. Serve over egg noodles, polenta or mashed potatoes.

Notes

  • Braised short ribs will keep refrigerated up to a week, or frozen for 1 month.
  • Reheat in a 350 oven about 25 minutes, covered.
  • Use about 5 pounds bone-in ribs instead of boneless ones if you prefer.
  • Serve over my cheesy polenta, olive-oil mashed potatoes, or cooked egg noodles.
Short ribs recipe adapted from Poole’s: Recipes and Stories.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 566kcal Carbohydrates: 14g Protein: 49g Fat: 27g Sodium: 336mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 3g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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