Traditional Braised Beef Short Ribs

Why This Traditional Braised Beef Short Ribs Works

At the start, the short ribs are browned in hot oil so the outside firms up and gets a deep, dark crust. That crust keeps the meat from drying out later and gives the pot lots of tasty browned bits stuck to the bottom. When the onions and garlic go in, they loosen some of those bits, then the tomato paste and wine finish the job. The wine also starts to soften anything stuck on the meat and in the pot.

As the pot goes into the oven and sits at low heat for a few hours, the tough parts in the ribs slowly break down. All the connective tissue that feels chewy at first melts into the broth and wine. Over time, the liquid thickens a little and soaks into the meat, while the carrots and celery soften and blend into the braising liquid. By the time it is done, the ribs are so tender they almost fall off the bone, but they still hold together in big, juicy pieces.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the ribs braise for too short a time leaves the connective tissue tough, so the meat clings hard to the bone instead of sliding off. The liquid will look hot and bubbling, but the ribs stay chewy and stringy instead of soft and spoon-tender.

Starting with ribs that aren’t well browned in the pot leads to a pale, flat-tasting sauce and greasy meat. Without that deep browning, the fat doesn’t render as much, so the braising liquid stays thin and oily and the ribs taste more boiled than braised.

Pouring in the wine and broth without scraping the bottom of the pot leaves the browned bits stuck there, where they can burn in the oven. Those burnt spots darken the sauce in a harsh way and give the whole pot a slightly bitter, ashy edge.

Adding too little liquid so the ribs aren’t mostly submerged causes the exposed parts to dry out and go leathery. The top of the meat bakes instead of braising, so one side turns tough while the part under the liquid becomes tender.