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Restaurant-style red wine braised short ribs – slow-cooked, low effort, and worth staying in for.

My ultimate date night = not having to leave the house. Slippers on, wine poured, and these slow-cooked Red Wine Braised Short Ribs quietly doing their thing in the oven. If you’ve never cooked short ribs before, or you want something low-effort that delivers big, restaurant-level flavour, this is the recipe you need to make.

Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs with broccolini and mashed potato
The finished plate. Creamy mashed potatoes soak up the rich red wine gravy, while broccolini (tenderstem broccoli) adds freshness and balance. Simple sides, big payoff.

The idea of paying a fortune for dinner at a restaurant when I know I could make it at home absolutely pains me. I try to talk myself into taking a night off from cooking every now and again … and then somehow end up cooking anyway. 😂 But the truth is, I love the satisfaction of recreating the meals I’d normally order out – for a fraction of the cost, with full control over the ingredients and none of the disappointment.

Beef short ribs are an accessible cut you’ll find at most major supermarkets, and while they’re not a “cheap” option, they’re far better value when cooked at home – I can make four generous serves for what one plate would cost eating out. They’re also hands-down one of the easiest cuts of beef to cook. There’s no prep. No chopping. No slicing. No chopping board to wash. Just open the packet, season with salt and pepper, and you’re done.

Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs Recipe Ingredients
Everything you need to make red wine braised short ribs – simple, unfussy ingredients that transform with slow-cooking: beef short ribs, olive oil, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, tomato paste, plain (all-purpose) flour, red wine, beef stock, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, salt and pepper.

The ribs are quickly seared, then the classic flavour base (carrot, celery and onion) goes into the pan with red wine (which you can omit if you’d like it to be more family-friendly) and a few pantry staples. From there, it’s straight into the oven, where everything slowly transforms into meltingly tender beef and a rich, veggie-packed red wine gravy. Add mash, some greens, maybe another glass of red, and suddenly dinner feels very special – without the babysitter, THE expensive menu, or the pressure of putting shoes on. 😂 It’s also a brilliant dish for entertaining as it’s impressive but hands-off to make, so you can enjoy more time with your guests.

This is one of my favourite recipes, and it’s included in my second cookbook, Simple Dinners Every Day.

Browning Beef Short Ribs in Heavy Pot
Browning the ribs adds depth and colour to the final sauce. Don’t rush this step – a good sear means more flavour without extra ingredients.
Example of Perfectly Seared Beef Short Rib
This is what you’re aiming for: deeply golden ribs with colour on all sides. The caramelisation here is what gives the sauce its restaurant-style richness.
Set aside the Seared Beef Short Ribs
Set the ribs aside while you build the sauce. They’ll go back into the pot shortly, but this step keeps the beef tender and prevents overcooking early on.
Sauteing Carrots Celery Onion for Beef Short Ribs Recipe
Cooking the carrot, celery and onion first builds the flavour base of the sauce. Take a few minutes here – softened vegetables equal a richer, more balanced gravy later.
Adding plain flour to the vegetable base
The flour thickens the sauce as it braises, giving you a rich, silky gravy without needing extra steps later. Stir well to coat the vegetables evenly.
Returing Beef Short Ribs to Pot to Stew
Nestle the ribs back into the sauce, cover, then let the oven do the work. From here on, it’s hands-off cooking – slow heat, minimal effort, maximum flavour.

What should I serve with Red Wine Braised Short Ribs?

  • Mashed potatoes – My go-to. Creamy mash is perfect for soaking up the rich red wine gravy.
  • Roast potatoes – Always great. Try The BEST Roast Potatoes or Hasselback Potatoes.
  • Steamed broccolini (tenderstem broccoli) or green beans – Something green and simple to balance the richness of the beef.
  • A fresh green salad – Try a simple Green Leafy Salad with Balsamic Dressing.
  • Creamy polenta – A great alternative to mash if you want something a little more restaurant-style.
  • Buttered egg noodles or pappardelle – Ideal if you want to turn this into more of a pasta-style dish.
  • Quinoa or brown rice – Great lighter options that still work well with the sauce.
  • Lentils (plain or lightly seasoned) – Surprisingly good with the rich gravy if you want something hearty but a little different. I like using brown or puy (tiny blue-green) lentils best.
  • Crusty bread – Perfect for mopping up the sauce if you’re keeping things very low effort.
Two plates of Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs
A restaurant-style dinner made at home for a fraction of the cost of dining out. This recipe is ideal for date night, entertaining, or when you want something special without the stress.

Can I leave the red wine out?

You can. If you prefer not to cook with wine, simply replace it with extra beef stock. The flavour and colour will be slightly lighter, but you’ll still end up with tender beef and a delicious, rich sauce.

What’s the best red wine to use?

Use a red wine you’d happily drink. It doesn’t need to be expensive – a mid-range shiraz, cabernet sauvignon or merlot work well. If you’re not sure what to use, ask at the store for a cooking-friendly red with a dry, full-bodied profile.

Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs shredded with fork on plate
Fork-tender short ribs that pull apart effortlessly after slow-cooking. This is your visual cue that they’re done – if they shred easily, the beef is perfectly cooked and meltingly tender.

Which beef short ribs should I buy?

I recommend buying the short, chunky beef short ribs (also known as Jacob’s Ladder in the UK) rather than the long flanken-style ribs (Argentinian-style/Korean-style). The shorter cut is meatier, easier to fit into the pan, and generally cooks more evenly, which makes it ideal for slow braising.

That said, the longer ribs will also work if that’s what you prefer or what’s available – just be aware they can take up more space in the pan and may need a little extra time to become tender.

If you enjoyed Red Wine Braised Short Ribs, I think you’ll love

Slow-cooker Beef Stew Recipe
Beef Casserole Recipe
Slow-cooked Traditional Goulash Recipe
Red Wine Lamb Shanks Recipe
Easy Oven-baked BBQ Pork Ribs Recipe

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Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs with broccolini and mashed potato

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

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These Red Wine Braised Short Ribs are slow-cooked until meltingly tender in a rich, veggie-packed gravy. With barely any prep and simple pantry ingredients, these beef ribs are a restaurant-style dinner you can make at home – perfect for date night, entertaining, or when you want something special without the stress.

  • Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4–5 bone-in beef short ribs (1.2–1.5 kg/23/4–31/4 lb total) (see note 1 for more information about the cut)
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
  • ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, plus extra to serve
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 2 cups (500 ml) red wine (see note 2)
  • 2½ cups (625 ml) beef stock
  • 3 thyme sprigs, plus extra to serve
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 dried bay leaves

TO SERVE

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven – Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) (160°C/325°F fan-forced).
  2. Season the beef – Sprinkle the beef short ribs with salt and pepper on all sides.
  3. Sear the beef – Heat the olive oil in a large, deep, heavy-based ovenproof pan over medium–high heat. Cook the beef in batches for 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden and browned. Set aside on a plate.
  4. Add the vegetables – Reduce the heat to medium. To the same pan, add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until softened.
  5. Add the remaining ingredients – Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes. Stir the flour into the pan and, once dissolved, add the red wine and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes. Add the beef stock, thyme, oregano and bay leaves. Stir to combine, then return the beef to the pan. Try to submerge as much of the meat as you can into the liquid. Bring back up to a simmer.
  6. Bake – Cover (with a lid or double layer of foil) and braise in the oven for 3 hours, or until the beef can easily be pulled apart with two forks. Check at the halfway point and turn the beef over if it’s starting to look dry on one side.
  7. Serve – Serve with mashed potatoes and broccolini. Spoon the pan juices over the top right before serving. Sprinkle with extra thyme leaves and black pepper, if desired.

Notes

Note 1 – I recommend buying the short, chunky beef short ribs (also known as Jacob’s Ladder in the UK) rather than the long flanken-style ribs (Argentinian-style/Korean-style). The shorter cut is meatier, easier to fit into the pan, and generally cooks more evenly, which makes it ideal for slow braising. That said, the longer ribs will also work if that’s what you prefer or what’s available – just be aware they can take up more space in the pan and may need a little extra time to become tender.

Note 2 – Use a red wine you’d happily drink. It doesn’t need to be expensive – a mid-range shiraz, cabernet sauvignon or merlot work well. If you’re not sure what to use, ask at the store for a cooking-friendly red with a dry, full-bodied profile. If you prefer to omit the red wine, just use extra beef stock.

Make Ahead

See leftover instructions below.

Leftovers

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze in portions, fully submerged in the sauce, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Reheat on the stovetop or in the oven at 160°C (325°F) (all oven types) until piping hot. Add a splash of water to the sauce, as needed, if it has thickened.

  • Author: Nicole
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 hours
  • Category: Beef
  • Method: Oven-braised
  • Cuisine: Modern Australian
  • Diet: Dairy-Free

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