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Beer Braised Short Ribs

Braised Short Ribs: Fall-off-the-bone tender short ribs slow cooked in dark stout gravy. It’s pure comfort food.

Looking for more easy dinner recipes? Check out this Instant Pot Butter Chicken, Easy Pesto Risotto, and The BEST Chili!

It is absolutely no secret that if we go out to a restaurant and short ribs are on the menu… I’m getting them. Braised Short Ribs are one of those indulgent recipes for me. They feel fancy and impressive, but really they’re just damn delicious.

What are Braised Short Ribs?

Short Ribs come from the chuck section of a beef animal. The most popular preparation of short ribs is to braise them – this not only infuses intense flavor, it breaks down the muscle fibers to create the most tender fall-off-the-bone meat.

I get it, braising sounds intimidating but really your work takes a handful of minutes and then you let the oven do the rest. For this Braised Short Rib recipe, you cook the veggies for a few minutes then, you sear the ribs quickly on each side in a dutch oven, pour your braising liquids and stick that sucker into an oven and let it slow braise for several hours.

I have two ways I like to prepare my braising liquid. Red wine is a great option as a base but, for this particular Braised Short Rib recipe, I was prepping them for use in my favorite Shepherd’s Pie recipe (coming soon!) and I wanted to infuse some dark flavors into the meat. I used a dark stout beer braise which really enhanced the overall flavor of the dish. Plus, a dark stout beer just pairs better with Shepherd’s Pie.

Ingredients for Beer Braised Short Ribs

  • Bone-in short ribs – Bone-in ribs are a must here. Boneless will not yield the same results.
  • Kosher salt and Fresh ground black pepper – used for seasoning the beef and vegetables
  • All-purpose flour – aids in creating a crust on the short ribs as well as to thicken the sauce
  • Unsalted Butter – allows the chef to control the amount of salt in the recipe. Olive oil or vegetable oil can also be used in place of butter
  • Carrots, Celery, Onion – used to create a Mirepoix – which is a French flavor base common in many recipes
  • Tomato paste – this allows the base to transform from a mirepoix to a pinçage flavor base
  • Garlic cloves – because… garlic!
  • Dark Stout beer – adds a full bodied flavor to the braising liquid
  • Beef broth – used to increase and enhance the flavor of the braising liquid
  • Worcestershire sauce – used to enhance the overall flavor of the braising liquid
  • Soy Sauce – used to enhance the overall flavor of the braising liquid
  • Fresh Rosemary – aromatics
  • Fresh Thyme – aromatics
  • Dried Bay leaves – aromatics
  • Stone Ground Dijon mustard – adds a rich complex bite to the end of the gravy
  • Corn Starch – used to help thicken the gravy
  • Cold Water – used to help dissolve the corn starch
  • Mashed potatoes or egg noodles, for serving

How to make Braised Short Ribs

Searing the Short Ribs: Clean and thoroughly dry the ribs. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat a dutch oven and add butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the short ribs thick side down Cook for about 5 minutes. Then, turn and cook all remaining side of the ribs for 2-3 minutes each. Remove and set aside.

Making the Mirepoix: Turn the heat down to medium. Add the carrots, celery, and onion to the pot and cook until tender.

Transforming the Mirepoix to a Pinçage: Add the tomato paste and garlic – making sure to thoroughly coat the carrots, celery, and onion.

Braising the beef: Next, add the beer to the pot and cook down for about 5 minutes. Add the beef back to the pot – try your best to lay them in a single layer. Then, add the beef stock, Worcestershire and soy sauces and stone ground mustard. Add the aromatics. Cover the pot and bake at 300*F for 3 hours (turning half way through).

Making the gravy: Once short ribs are cooked, remove from the pot and set aside. Allow the sauce to sit for about 10 minutes. Skim the fat off the top of the sauce. Create a slurry and add half and allow the sauce to come to a slow simmer and thicken. If the gravy needs to thicken a little more, add the rest of the slurry.

Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles!

Can this be made in the Instant Pot?

Yes! These Beer Braised Short Ribs can be made in the Instant Pot. It won’t fully develop the intense complex flavors as if it was slow cooked. But, it’ll still be pretty irresistible!

I do suggest searing the beef on the stove as opposed to the Instant Pot. It will go a little quicker and the stove will provide a more even sear. This doesn’t mean that you can’t use the Instant Pot to sear, it will just take longer.

NOTE: You will need to cut back on the beer and beef stock. Slow cooking allows for the sauce to thicken more and be absorbed by the meat better. You will need 10 ounces beer and 1 1/2 cups beef broth. Keep all other measurements the same.

Once the beef has been seared. Sauté the carrots, celery, and onion. Add the tomato paste and garlic and stir together. Add the beer, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and mustard. Allow to cook for several minutes. Then, add the beef back to the Instant Pot, then add the aromatics. Add beef broth.

Next, place the over on the Instant Pot and set vent to seal. Cook on the Stew function for 50 minutes. Once the cook is over, allow to naturally pressure release. Remove cover and take out the short ribs and set side. Then, follow the remainder of the instructions to finish the gravy

Tips and Tricks for the Best Short Ribs

A heavy bottomed pot is essential to the success to making the best short ribs. A Dutch oven is the perfect dish to use for this recipe.

It is important to allow the ribs to rest and come to room temperature after being removed from the refrigerator. Once they reach room temp, they must be thoroughly dried. This will help impart a nice even sear on the beef.

I know that it will be tough to not dive into these right after they are done. However, you have to give the sauce at least 10 minutes to sit to allow the fat to rise up to the top. The last thing you want is a greasy gravy to finish this incredible dish off! Next, skim the fat off the top or use a gravy separator. I love my gravy separator – it is so easy to pour the sauce in and then pour the gravy back into Dutch oven and finish the gravy. Saves time and aggravation!

This is the ULTIMATE comfort food. It also makes a really impressive meal for guests, special occasions or even during the holidays.

Plate of Braised Short Ribs on a bed of mashed potatoes

Braised Short Ribs

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Braised Short Ribs: A perfect indulgent meal. Fall-off-the-bone tender short ribs slow cooked in dark stout gravy. It's pure comfort food.

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds Bone-in short ribs
  • Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoons Butter
  • 2 large Carrots, diced (~ 1 cup)
  • 2 ribs Celery, diced (~ 1/2 cup)
  • 1 medium Onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Tomato paste
  • 6 Garlic cloves, minced
  • 15 ounces Stout beer
  • 2 cups Beef broth, plus additional, if needed
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Soy Sauce
  • 2 sprigs Fresh rosemary
  • 6 sprigs Fresh thyme
  • 2 large Bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon Stone Ground Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Corn Starch
  • 1 tablespoon Cold Water
  • Mashed potatoes or egg noodles, for serving

Instructions

  1. Remove short ribs from the fridge and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes before prepping.
  2. Preheat oven to 300*F. Remove all but one rack from the oven. Adjust the remaining rack to the bottom position of the oven.
  3. Once the Short Ribs have sat for at least 20 minutes, clean them and pat dry with paper towels. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper on all sides. Dredge ribs through flour, shake off excess and set aside.
  4. Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven – careful not to let the butter burn. Over medium-high heat, add the short ribs, meatiest side down and allow to brown until a nice crust has formed – 4-5 minutes. Turn and cook all each remaining sides for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from Dutch oven and set aside.
  5. Add carrots and allow to sauté for about 4 minutes until they begin to soften. Add celery and onion, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add tomato paste and garlic. Stir until vegetables are coated. Cook for roughly 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
  6. Next, add the dark stout. As the stout cooks, scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven to break up any brown bits. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Then, add the Worcestershire and Soy sauce and stone ground Dijon mustard to the liquid.
  7. Place the short ribs back into the Dutch oven. Try to place them in a single layer, if possible. Add the thyme, rosemary and bay leaves to the mixture. Make sure that the liquid is covering them. Next, stir in the beef broth. The liquid should cover the short ribs about ¾ of the way.
  8. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover and move to the oven. Braise for 90 minutes. After 90 minutes, turn the short ribs in the liquid. Recover and cook for another 90 minutes.
  9. Remove from the oven. Carefully uncover and remove the short ribs from the liquid. Tent plate with aluminum foil to keep warm. Allow the liquid to sit for a few minutes. This allows the fat to rise to the top. Carefully skim the top of the liquid with a spoon or use a gravy separator to remove the excess fat.
  10. Begin to reheat the liquid on medium. Mix corn starch and cold water together until well combined. Add a tablespoon of the corn starch/water mixture to the simmering liquid. Allow it a few minutes to thicken to sauce. If the sauce still needs to be thickened, add the remaining corn starch/water mixture.
  11. Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

Notes

View the post for Instant Pot directions

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1811Total Fat: 123gSaturated Fat: 55gTrans Fat: 7gUnsaturated Fat: 64gCholesterol: 515mgSodium: 1450mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 126g

The nutritional values above are auto calculated by a nutrition program and can vary based on brands of ingredients used.

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13 Comments

  • Beth
    September 9, 2020 at 10:09 am

    This is definitely going to be my husband’s favorite! So excited to make this!

    Reply
    • Kerri
      September 9, 2020 at 11:03 am

      I’m excited for you to try it!

      Reply
  • Amanda
    September 9, 2020 at 6:35 pm

    This looks absolutely amazing!

    Reply
  • Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
    September 9, 2020 at 9:06 pm

    This Braised Short Ribs is seriously making me hungry!

    Reply
  • Patricia @ Grab a Plate
    September 9, 2020 at 9:08 pm

    Wow! These look just amazing! What a great meal they must make!

    Reply
  • Toni Dash
    September 10, 2020 at 11:14 am

    Adding this to our favorite meals!! It is so good!

    Reply
  • Erika
    September 10, 2020 at 12:35 pm

    These short ribs are so mouthwatering and delicious! Love the use of stout beer too!

    Reply
  • Haley D. Williams
    September 10, 2020 at 12:35 pm

    Comfort food at its best! The dark stout gravy is simply delicious. I wanted to soak up every last bit!

    Reply
  • Heidy Linn`
    September 10, 2020 at 1:00 pm

    I made your recipe for Beer Braised Short Ribs and they were so tender they fell off the bone, My husband loved them and requested I make them again next week, Saving this recipe!

    Have a great weekend!

    Reply
  • Amy
    September 10, 2020 at 1:18 pm

    I am like you and have to order short ribs when I see them on a menu. These look so good and makes me want to go make some short ribs!

    Reply
  • Amanda Marie Boyle
    September 11, 2020 at 7:28 am

    This looks fantastic!

    Reply
  • katerina @ diethood.com
    September 11, 2020 at 9:54 am

    Oh my goodness, these ribs are incredible!! I can’t wait to try these!

    Reply
  • Beti | easyweeknightrecipes
    September 11, 2020 at 9:54 am

    I am definitely making these tonight! SO GOOD!!

    Reply

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