Luxurious Short Ribs

Short ribs are fatty beef ribs, cut literally into short pieces. They sometimes referred to as flanken style, to differentiate them from spare ribs.

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When short ribs are braised, the meat becomes soft, tender, and velvet-like.

Similar to pulled pork, the tender texture of prepared short ribs is why I love this cut of meat. Plus, you serve the meat with the accompanying red wine-based reduction that is rich and flavorful. Once prepared, these ribs pair perfectly with a potato mash, polenta, or risotto, for an extra-special meal.

I chose risotto for my “side,” and decided to make it green using spinach. The combination of short ribs and risotto is a meal you could have at an upscale restaurant, for which you would pay dearly! But short ribs are truly simple to make. Plus, they are relatively inexpensive – not what you’d think from the menu price!

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Braised Short Ribs

Approximately 5 pounds of short ribs
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Flour, about 5 tablespoons
Olive oil for browning the ribs
2 onions, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups beef broth
1 bottle red wine
2-3 bay leaves
3 tablespoons paprika creme
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste

Season the meat with the salt and pepper, then toss in the flour in a large bowl.

When you’re ready to start cooking, heat some oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Brown the ribs on all sides, no more than four at a time. Turn the ribs with tongs and brown all sides.

Place the ribs in a large bowl and continue with the remaining short ribs. Add a little more oil if necessary, and make sure to bring the oil to high heat before the browning process.

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Turn down the heat to medium, and add the chopped onion. Sauté the onion for a few minutes, stirring as necessary. Add the garlic and bay leaves, and stir until you smell the garlic.

Add the broth and wine and stir well. Bring the liquid to a soft boil, then reduce the heat and cook the liquid for at least 15 minutes.

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Place the browned ribs in the liquid – ideally they are all submerged in the liquid.

Cover the pot, lower the heat, and simmer for about two hours, occasionally moving around the ribs in the liquid.

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After cooking, the sauce has reduced slightly, and the meat should be falling off of the ribs. Let everything cool slightly.

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Using tongs or a slotted spoon, place the ribs in a bowl, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight.

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The next day, remove the Dutch oven from the refrigerator and remove the grease from the top of the sauce. There will be grease.

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Warm the sauce a little on the stove, and then, using a hand immersion blender, blend the sauce to thicken it. If it’s still too thin, reduce for 30 minutes or so. Then blend in the paprika creme and tomato paste, and taste for saltiness.

Remove the rib meat from the bones, and place the meat in the sauce. Heat gently and slowly.

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When the meat has heated through, serve the ribs with spinach risotto or your desired side dish(es).

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For a bit less traditional dish of short ribs, add cumin to the spices and use a generous amount of ancho chile paste, and serve these short ribs over cheddar grits.

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Or, add hoisin sauce and chili paste for a Chinese-inspired dish served with cellophane noodles or grilled vegetables!

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Leftover short ribs are wonderful in quesadillas and sandwiches, so get creative with this luxurious meat!

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As you can see, the short rib meat is tender, and smothered in the rich sauce. A perfect meal for a winter day.

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For the accompanying risotto, I simply added chopped fresh spinach towards the end of the cooking time, before the grated Parmesan. I also used some white pepper, which is optional.

By Published On: January 7th, 201667 Comments on Luxurious Short Ribs

About the Author: Chef Mimi

As a self-taught home cook, with many years in the culinary profession, I am passionate about all things food-related. Especially eating!

67 Comments

  1. sallybr January 7, 2016 at 8:06 AM - Reply

    Haven’t made short ribs yet this year, but I see them on our menu soon…. one of my favorite recipes is from Fine Cooking, Asian Style, but I think I’m up for something different this time….

    comfort food at its best!

    • chef mimi January 7, 2016 at 8:49 AM - Reply

      That’s what I love – you can really make them inspired by many different cuisines. In Hawaii once, I had Asian shortrib quesadillas with pickled onions and it was incredible.

  2. Cecile January 7, 2016 at 8:14 AM - Reply

    O M G – I want to eat this RIGHT NOW… and it’s only 9:30 in the morning. I’ve only had short ribs a few times and loved them. I’m printing this out immediately, as well as ‘pinning’ it because I NEED to make this very soon. Great post – as always!! ; o )

    • chef mimi January 7, 2016 at 8:50 AM - Reply

      And, they’re cheap! At least where I live! Thank you Cecile!

  3. Jenny January 7, 2016 at 8:25 AM - Reply

    These short ribs look amazing! I have never made them, but my son would love this meal. The sauce looks delicious too. You have inspired me to try this!

    • chef mimi January 7, 2016 at 8:51 AM - Reply

      My husband used to hesitate because of the fat quantity, but the fat is easy to remove, and then they’re just decadent pieces of meat! Do try them!

  4. Cecile January 7, 2016 at 8:27 AM - Reply

    Mimi – just wanted to let you know that, somehow, WordPress didn’t keep one of your sentences together. The first part is above the photo and a word gets broken up. Its right here…..

    “Remove the rib meat from the bones, and place the meat in the sauce. Heat gently and slowly.

    When the mea”

    I’ve had times when my photos ended up in a totally different way than they looked as I was working on the post… then I’d have to try to figure out why. “It ain’t always easy!!”

    • chef mimi January 7, 2016 at 8:47 AM - Reply

      My head hasn’t been in the game with this darn grandbaby! I was supposed to proofread one more time today, and I thought it was scheduled to post tomorrow! So thanks for the heads up. Definitely my mistake!

      • Cecile January 7, 2016 at 9:36 AM

        I’ve been out-of-touch and haven’t been keeping up with my blogging friends, like you. I didn’t realize you have a grandbaby! That’s wonderful!! About the proofreading – I just found a mistake I made yesterday… It’s always hard to proofread your own work….

      • chef mimi January 7, 2016 at 11:48 AM

        It really is and I don’t proofread enough! Yes, Charlotte is on her way to being 16 months old! She’s a holy terror – Christmas was really challenging yet so much fun!

      • Cecile January 7, 2016 at 7:59 PM

        We can’t wait until the can walk… and then all hell breaks out!!! ; o )

  5. Sarah January 7, 2016 at 8:33 AM - Reply

    Mimi these ribs look just lovely…I mean that gravy is begging to be sopped up by some french bread… lovely post , I will have to give this recipe a try soon… Sarah

  6. thesinglegourmetandtraveller January 7, 2016 at 8:49 AM - Reply

    These look gorgeous!

    • chef mimi January 7, 2016 at 8:51 AM - Reply

      Thank you Kay!!! I could eat short ribs on a daily basis!

  7. Jeff the Chef January 7, 2016 at 9:19 AM - Reply

    This one of my favorite winter meals. I like to throw sausage in with it, and add rigatoni in thefew minutes of cooking. Now you’ve got me in the mood to make a pot full.

    • chef mimi January 7, 2016 at 11:49 AM - Reply

      Yes, that all sounds wonderful. I could just drink the sauce!!!

  8. Mary Frances January 7, 2016 at 9:53 AM - Reply

    Luxurious, spectacular, heavenly…all perfect to describe this recipe! I love this :)

  9. StefanGourmet January 7, 2016 at 11:07 AM - Reply

    Looks great, Mimi. Unfortunately short ribs are almost impossible to find here, and expensive if I can find them. Have you tried them sous-vide?

    • chef mimi January 7, 2016 at 11:47 AM - Reply

      Oh that’s too bad. I haven’t tried them sous vide but I must say I love cooking them the traditional way!

  10. Francesca January 7, 2016 at 11:47 AM - Reply

    This looks stunning and I like the idea of adding fresh spinach to the risotto!

    • chef mimi January 7, 2016 at 12:11 PM - Reply

      Thank you! I love adding everything to risotto!!!

  11. centerforcreativework January 7, 2016 at 11:57 AM - Reply

    Reblogged this on Empires, Cannibals, and Magic Fish Bones and commented:
    I love this type of slow cooking and it’s perfect for the season. Definitely let those short ribs sit overnight. I suggest pairing this with a deep, chocolate-rich red blend, the music of Tobias Hume, and Isaac Bashevis Singer’s short story “Henne Fire.” Bon appétit!

  12. Nadia January 7, 2016 at 1:08 PM - Reply

    Oooh! I love short ribs. Pity I struggle to find them here in France.

    • chef mimi January 7, 2016 at 2:57 PM - Reply

      Someone in Holland said the same thing!

  13. Lana-Once Upon a Spice January 7, 2016 at 3:29 PM - Reply

    Mimi! These look & sound incredible!! Bravo!!

    • chef mimi January 8, 2016 at 7:27 AM - Reply

      Thank you Lana! And they’re so easy!

  14. aranislandgirl January 7, 2016 at 4:40 PM - Reply

    That’s just how I love my meat but struggle to get it so tender. Thanks for sharing the secret. Xx

    • chef mimi January 7, 2016 at 6:05 PM - Reply

      You can’t go wrong with short ribs, if you can find them!

      • aranislandgirl January 7, 2016 at 6:09 PM

        Would most butchers have them?

      • chef mimi January 7, 2016 at 6:54 PM

        I don’t know why they couldn’t cut them to order. However I have heard from bloggers in France and Holland that they are hard to come by…

  15. Laura @ Feast Wisely January 7, 2016 at 7:50 PM - Reply

    Mimi – such a great recipe for short ribs – you can’t beat cooking them long and slow and the meat is always so tender.

    • chef mimi January 8, 2016 at 7:28 AM - Reply

      I love how the sauce is so rich and flavorful as well!

  16. anotherfoodieblogger January 7, 2016 at 7:53 PM - Reply

    Oh your food styling is just gorgeous for these awesome short ribs! We have some short ribs in the freezer from our new cow, I might just have to finally purchase some of that delicious paprika creme and try this recipe soon. Can you get it on Amazon? I got an Amazon gift card for Christmas. :)

    • chef mimi January 7, 2016 at 8:06 PM - Reply

      You can … Sometimes. They sell it at Fortheloveofpaprika.com, and there are different varieties. You could also use a Demi-glacé for a deeper flavor, I just like playing with the paprika Creme!

  17. Jordan Skaggs January 7, 2016 at 9:39 PM - Reply

    I’ve had short ribs on my list to make for awhile! This seems like the perfect recipe for me to try, it looks & sounds absolutely amazing. Just what I want to eat on snowy, winter day.

    • chef mimi January 7, 2016 at 10:00 PM - Reply

      So are so delicious and tender, and if you don’t have to use paprika Creme, you could just add some Demi-glacé to enrich the sauce.

  18. cookingwithauntjuju.com January 8, 2016 at 7:19 AM - Reply

    Love your recipe – sure looks good. I am not a big fan of fatty meats but I will make an exception here!

    • chef mimi January 8, 2016 at 7:25 AM - Reply

      I understand – my husband is the same way. But at least when you braise them the day before, you are able to remove 95% of the fat!

  19. emmabarrett1508 January 8, 2016 at 9:19 AM - Reply

    Looks mouthwatering Mimi! xx

  20. David Scott Allen January 8, 2016 at 9:53 AM - Reply

    These ribs look truly amazing, Mimi! My parents grilled short ribs quite often but I have never made them – or spare ribs for that matter! I will definitely try this recipe over the winter! Thanks!

    • chef mimi January 8, 2016 at 4:54 PM - Reply

      You know, I’ve never made spare ribs either, mostly because they’re so messy to eat. But that’s not a good enough reason! See? So much food, so little time!!!

  21. Fine Dining at Home (@fdathome) January 8, 2016 at 4:48 PM - Reply

    Oh Mimi, what a subject you’ve just opened up. I love these types of short ribs. I’ve just googled why they are so called as they’re generally quite big (6in) the ones I get.

    I now feel like I’ve had another beef epiphany. Oh well, short ribs for dinner tomorrow. Yee ha.

    • chef mimi January 8, 2016 at 4:53 PM - Reply

      Hahahahaha! Mine were more like 5″, but then they shrink, of course. Reminds me of a joke but I’ll keep it to myself…

  22. Loretta January 9, 2016 at 8:00 AM - Reply

    These look like lip-smacking, gorgeous ribs Mimi. Love the step by step instructions, will definitely give it a try.

  23. Amanda | What's Cooking January 10, 2016 at 10:59 AM - Reply

    I love that you made these! They look so tender and delicious. I judge a restaurant by the quality of their short ribs. I just had some last night because if they’re on the menu I have to order them. I love all the combinations of spices that go into flavoring them. Your step by step photos are great. That falling off the bone quality gets me every time. Great post.

  24. dianeskitchentable January 10, 2016 at 2:17 PM - Reply

    I absolutely love short ribs. I’ve usually made them in the crock pot but I like your idea of using the Dutch oven and putting it in the fridge to easily get the fat off. Great switch risotto on the side too.

    • chef mimi January 10, 2016 at 2:33 PM - Reply

      Thank you Diane! They’re simple yet very decadent, aren’t they?!!

  25. Heather @ Sweet Precision January 11, 2016 at 10:09 AM - Reply

    Luxurious certainly is the right word for how delicious these short ribs look! I like your idea of adding cumin and ancho chile paste and serving over cheddar grits… sounds divine!

    • chef mimi January 11, 2016 at 11:27 AM - Reply

      I’ve made them southwestern-style before and they’re fabulous! Chipotle, adobo, all of those flavors are good with the ribs.

  26. Gerlinde de Broekert January 11, 2016 at 9:19 PM - Reply

    Mimi, this is such a good looking winter dish. I am very fond of braised meat and your short ribs look delicious . Thank you.

  27. anna @ annamayeveryday January 13, 2016 at 4:52 AM - Reply

    These look so delicious Mimi, I haven’t made ribs yet this winter, can think why, will now!

    • chef mimi January 17, 2016 at 8:54 AM - Reply

      I understand – they’re a must! Especially when you can use the leftovers in so many fun ways!

  28. ChgoJohn January 16, 2016 at 1:32 PM - Reply

    This looks delicious, Mimi, and that sauce divine!

  29. bitsandbreadcrumbs January 18, 2016 at 6:34 PM - Reply

    Luxurious is the perfect adjective for these glossy and inviting short ribs. They look divine.

  30. milkandbun January 19, 2016 at 12:10 PM - Reply

    Mimi, ribs look indeed mouthwatering! A week ago or so when I did my grocery shopping, I saw ribs but had no idea what and how prepare them. Thanks for sharing such an easy and tasty recipe! :)

    • chef mimi January 19, 2016 at 12:23 PM - Reply

      Oh, well now you do! It’s just a simple braise, not unlike a stew. But you must remove the grease.

  31. Teagan R. Geneviene March 8, 2018 at 6:51 AM - Reply

    Delicious! Love the step by step photos. You are an inspiration, Mimi. Hugs.

    • chef mimi March 8, 2018 at 7:43 AM - Reply

      Well isn’t that sweet! Thank you.

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