French chefs discovered that Burgundy wine's tannins break down collagen faster than any other wine, creating silk-textured meat.
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with our Red Wine Braised Short Ribs! These tender, fall-off-the-bone morsels are simmered to perfection in a rich blend of robust red wine and aromatic herbs. Join us on this culinary adventure—check out the full video on our YouTube channel and elevate your dinner game tonight!
Prep
30
min
Cook
240
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This technique migrated from medieval French monasteries to American ranch kitchens via 1800s cattle barons who hired French chefs—what started as monks slow-cooking tough monastery beef in Burgundy wine became the foundation for Texas barbacoa, where Mexican vaqueros swapped the Pinot Noir for local Tempranillo and buried the whole affair underground for proper cowboy braising.
Regional Twist
In Provence's Vaucluse region, they swap the red wine for local Châteauneuf-du-Pape and add sun-dried tomato paste instead of regular, finishing with herbes de Provence rather than plain thyme for that lavender-scented mountain twist.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 pieces carrots
- 1 piece celeriac
- 2 pieces celery
- 1 piece leek
- 500 ml milk
- 2 pieces potatoes
- 4 pieces shallots
- 4 pieces short ribs
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- all-purpose flour (to taste)
- bay leaves (to taste)
- beef stock (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- red wine (to taste)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- thyme (to taste)
- vegetable oil (to taste)
- vinegar (to taste)
- wholegrain mustard (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Pour the red wine into a large saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce by half until slightly syrupy.
- 2
Preheat your oven to 140°C (275°F). Pat the ribs dry, season well, and dredge lightly in seasoned flour. Heat oil in a heavy, ovenproof pot and sear ribs on all sides until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
- 3
Tip off excess fat, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pan. Add shallots first and cook over medium heat until lightly caramelised. Then add carrots, celery, leek, and garlic. Cook until golden brown, scraping up any fond from the bottom. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- 4
Add the reduced wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the base clean. Return the short ribs (and any juices) to the pot. Pour over the beef stock — enough to almost cover the ribs. Add bay leaves and thyme.
- 5
Transfer to the oven and braise for 3½–4 hours, until tender and falling off the bone. Let the ribs cool in the liquid for 30–45 minutes before removing them gently. Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve — discard the veg.
- 6
Simmer the strained liquid until slightly thickened and glossy. Whisk in mustard and a splash of vinegar.
- 7
Make the celeriac purée: Simmer the celeriac and potatoes in milk with a pinch of salt until soft. Blend with a knob of butter until smooth and glossy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Reduce your red wine by exactly 50% to concentrate flavors and remove harsh alcohol notes while creating natural gelatin that will thicken your final braising liquid.technique50% reduction
- ✓Sear short ribs at high heat (400°F+ pan surface) to trigger the Maillard reaction, which creates over 600 flavor compounds that will infuse throughout the 4-hour braise.technique400°F+ surface temp
- ✓Cook tomato paste for exactly 2 minutes to caramelize its natural sugars and eliminate raw acidity, but not longer or it will become bitter and burnt.timing2 minutes
- ✓Maintain oven temperature at 275°F because collagen converts to gelatin optimally between 160-180°F internal temperature, which this low heat achieves without drying the meat.equipment275°F oven temp
- ✓Cool ribs in braising liquid for 30-45 minutes so muscle fibers contract gradually and reabsorb moisture, preventing the meat from falling apart when handled.timing30-45 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
30
min
Cook
240
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
French chefs discovered that Burgundy wine's tannins break down collagen faster than any other wine, creating silk-textured meat.
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with our Red Wine Braised Short Ribs! These tender, fall-off-the-bone morsels are simmered to perfection in a rich blend of robust red wine and aromatic herbs. Join us on this culinary adventure—check out the full video on our YouTube channel and elevate your dinner game tonight!
The Story
This technique migrated from medieval French monasteries to American ranch kitchens via 1800s cattle barons who hired French chefs—what started as monks slow-cooking tough monastery beef in Burgundy wine became the foundation for Texas barbacoa, where Mexican vaqueros swapped the Pinot Noir for local Tempranillo and buried the whole affair underground for proper cowboy braising.
Regional Twist
In Provence's Vaucluse region, they swap the red wine for local Châteauneuf-du-Pape and add sun-dried tomato paste instead of regular, finishing with herbes de Provence rather than plain thyme for that lavender-scented mountain twist.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 pieces carrots
- 1 piece celeriac
- 2 pieces celery
- 1 piece leek
- 500 ml milk
- 2 pieces potatoes
- 4 pieces shallots
- 4 pieces short ribs
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- all-purpose flour (to taste)
- bay leaves (to taste)
- beef stock (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- red wine (to taste)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- thyme (to taste)
- vegetable oil (to taste)
- vinegar (to taste)
- wholegrain mustard (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Pour the red wine into a large saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce by half until slightly syrupy.
- 2
Preheat your oven to 140°C (275°F). Pat the ribs dry, season well, and dredge lightly in seasoned flour. Heat oil in a heavy, ovenproof pot and sear ribs on all sides until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
- 3
Tip off excess fat, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pan. Add shallots first and cook over medium heat until lightly caramelised. Then add carrots, celery, leek, and garlic. Cook until golden brown, scraping up any fond from the bottom. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- 4
Add the reduced wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the base clean. Return the short ribs (and any juices) to the pot. Pour over the beef stock — enough to almost cover the ribs. Add bay leaves and thyme.
- 5
Transfer to the oven and braise for 3½–4 hours, until tender and falling off the bone. Let the ribs cool in the liquid for 30–45 minutes before removing them gently. Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve — discard the veg.
- 6
Simmer the strained liquid until slightly thickened and glossy. Whisk in mustard and a splash of vinegar.
- 7
Make the celeriac purée: Simmer the celeriac and potatoes in milk with a pinch of salt until soft. Blend with a knob of butter until smooth and glossy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Reduce your red wine by exactly 50% to concentrate flavors and remove harsh alcohol notes while creating natural gelatin that will thicken your final braising liquid.technique50% reduction
- ✓Sear short ribs at high heat (400°F+ pan surface) to trigger the Maillard reaction, which creates over 600 flavor compounds that will infuse throughout the 4-hour braise.technique400°F+ surface temp
- ✓Cook tomato paste for exactly 2 minutes to caramelize its natural sugars and eliminate raw acidity, but not longer or it will become bitter and burnt.timing2 minutes
- ✓Maintain oven temperature at 275°F because collagen converts to gelatin optimally between 160-180°F internal temperature, which this low heat achieves without drying the meat.equipment275°F oven temp
- ✓Cool ribs in braising liquid for 30-45 minutes so muscle fibers contract gradually and reabsorb moisture, preventing the meat from falling apart when handled.timing30-45 minutes