Red Wine Braised Short Ribs (in Dutch Oven)

These red wine braised short ribs are my go-to for Christmas dinner and cozy Sunday nights. Everything happens in one Dutch oven: sear the short ribs until they're deeply browned, soften the aromatics in the same pot, then pour in a good splash of red wine and broth. After spending hours in the oven, the meat is so tender it slides right off the bone, and the wine cooks down into a rich, glossy sauce.

This recipe is entirely made in the dutch oven, and produces the most tender and flavorful short ribs you will ever taste. No juggling pans and no mess, just one pot from start to finish. Even better, they taste best the next day, so you can make them ahead and simply reheat before guests arrive.

TL; DR Summary - Red Wine Short Ribs

👩🏼‍🍳 Cook Level: Easy
⏱️ Cook Time: ~ 2 hours 45 minutes
🗝️ Key Ingredients: Bone-in short ribs, red wine, carrots, celery, broth, zucchini.
📖 Dietary Info: Alcohol, coconut
😋 Taste: Savory, umami, salty, buttery
💖 Why You'll Love: These short ribs are fall off the bone tender and make a great holiday main for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, or a family dinner on the weekend.
🍽️ Best Paired With: You must make my creamy red mashed potatoes or homemade creamed corn with these short ribs. Another notable side includes roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes with pancetta.

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TL; DR Summary - Red Wine Short Ribs
Short Ribs Reminders and Key Tips
The Main Ingredients
Short Ribs Swaps and Substitutions
How to make red wine short ribs in a dutch oven
Mistakes I've Made (so YOU don't have to!)
Bone-In Short Ribs FAQs
Check out these other incredible dutch oven recipes:
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

Short Ribs Reminders and Key Tips

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.
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 Sangiovese or a Chianti.
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.
Add in just enough braising liquid to barely cover the top of the short ribs, 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.
Be sure to season the meat with kosher salt and cracked black pepper before searing.

The Main Ingredients

Short Ribs: Bone-in beef short ribs are easily found in many grocery stores and butchers. I like supporting my local butcher and typically get my cuts of meat there, but any grocery store is great.
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 minutes left. If you add the zucchini in earlier, it will fall apart.
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 cups) you can use whichever you prefer.
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.
Dry red wine: This is going to help braise the short ribs, and add a whole lot of flavor.
Fresh Herbs: I like to add in a bundle of fresh thyme and rosemary, including bay leaves.

Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.

Short Ribs Swaps and Substitutions

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.

How to make red wine short ribs in a dutch oven

Step 1: Pat dry the short ribs and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil into the dutch oven on the stove over a medium heat, then add the short ribs. Sear the short ribs on all sides for 4-5 minutes.

Step 2: Once the short ribs are browned on all sides, pour in the broth, add in coconut aminos and wine to deglaze. Add a pinch more salt and pepper and cover. Bring to a low heat and cook for 2 hours. After the two hours are up, add in the veggies and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Mistakes I've Made (so YOU don't have to!)

Do NOT add so much liquid that it fully covers the short ribs. You need to let the short ribs have some breathing room when they cook. I used to believe that the meat needed to be completely drenched in the braising liquid, but it makes the meat way tougher.
Do NOT forget to lower the flame to a low or simmer during those two hours of cooking. This recipe is meant to be done low and slow, so remember to bring the flame low before setting it to cook on the stove. Too high of a heat will boil the liquid and can potentially decrease the liquid too quickly.
Do NOT forget to season the short ribs as they cook, as well as prior to searing. The whole point to "season to taste" is to keep a pulse on how things taste as you cook. Add a pinch here and there until you're happy with how the liquid tastes. The flavor of the liquid will directly impact the flavor and texture of the short ribs.

Bone-In Short Ribs FAQs

How do I store the leftover short ribs?

This recipe does well in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for up to 5-6 days.

What type of wine is best for these short ribs?

Any red wine that is on the dry side such as Chianti, Sangiovese, or Cabernet Sauvignon. That way the sauce when it cooks down does not get too sweet.

Do I really need a dutch oven for the short ribs, or can I use a slow cooker?

Using a slow cooker does take away the "one pot" aspect of this, but if you don't want to schlep to a store to buy a dutch oven, you can sear the ribs before adding to the slow cooker. Pour the stock, vegetables, and fresh herbs into the slow cooker, and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

How do I know if the short ribs are done cooking?

The short ribs meat will literally fall off the bone when lifted out of the dutch oven, and if you insert a fork into the meat with no resistance, it is done.