Dutch Oven Braised Short Ribs

There's just something magical about throwing everything into one dutch oven and letting it work its magic. That is exactly what these dutch oven braised short ribs are all about.

You sear the meat right in the pot to get that delicious crust, pile in some aromatics, a splash of wine, broth, and let it braise until the ribs are so tender they basically fall off the bone. No juggling a million pans or making a mess-just one pot, start to finish.

Tips and Key Reminders

1. For the short ribs to become as tender as possible, they need to be cooked low and slow. Short ribs are considered a tough cut of meat and need time for the muscle to render down and soften.
2. Use a dry red wine when making this recipe. The dry wine will give a lot of flavor without making the broth too sweet. Some dry reds I recommend include a cabernet sauvignon or a chianti.
3. Be sure to brown the short ribs in the dutch oven before braising. Scrape any remaining browned bits at the bottom before adding in the liquids and deglazing the bottom of the dutch oven. The browning and the browned bits at the bottom of the pot give a robust flavor.
4. Add in just enough braising liquid to cover the majority of the meat, but not entirely submerged. Adding too much liquid will actually do the exact opposite of making them meat tender, it'll make the meat super chewy.. I've done this in two of my recipe tests and it just doesn't taste good.
5. Be sure to season the meat with kosher salt and cracked black pepper before searing.

Key Ingredients

1. Short Ribs: Bone in beef short ribs are easily found in may grocery stores and butchers. I like supporting my local butcher and typically get my cuts of meat there, but any grocery store is great.
2. Carrots and Zucchini: When these absorb the liquid, they cook until fork tender and pair well with the meat. For best results, do not add the zucchini until there is around 30-45 minutes left. If you add the zucchini in earlier, it will fall apart.
3. Broth/Stock: I like to use vegetable stock to get more vegetable nutrients, but beef stock works well too. As long as you use enough braising liquid (3-4 cups) you can use whichever you prefer.
4. Coconut aminos: Adds an additional flavor profile for the meat. It creates a sweet but savory flavor, and goes really well with the red wine and the short ribs.
5. Dry red wine: This is going to help braise the short ribs, and add a whole lot of flavor.
6. Fresh Herbs: I like to add in a bundle of fresh thyme and rosemary, including bay leaves.

Simple Swaps

You can easily use boneless short ribs instead of bone in. Another swap instead of using short ribs is brisket. When braised correctly, brisket will become very flavorful and tender just like short ribs. You can also use stew meat, chuck roast, or a pot roast, similar to my pot roast sliders in the slow cooker.