Braised Short Ribs with Mushrooms

These melt-in-your-mouth short ribs are braised low and slow in red wine with earthy mushrooms and aromatic vegetables until they’re fall-apart tender. We’re using dry aged short ribs here for their incredible depth of flavor, but regular boneless short ribs work beautifully too. The wine-enriched braising liquid becomes a rich, glossy sauce that’s perfect for spooning over creamy polenta or mashed potatoes.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

For the short ribs:

• 3lbs boneless short ribs, we used dry aged here
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the braise:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, oyster), quartered
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups full-bodied red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
• 3 cups beef stock
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Instructions

1. Prep the meat: Remove short ribs from refrigerator 1 hour before cooking. Pat completely dry and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
2. Sear the ribs: Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear short ribs in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
3. Sauté the vegetables: Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the pot. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add mushrooms and tomato paste: Add mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Deglaze: Pour in red wine, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer and let reduce by half, about 10 minutes.
6. Braise: Add beef stock, thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary. Return short ribs to the pot along with any accumulated juices. The liquid should almost fully cover the meat. Bring to a simmer.
7. Oven time: Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2½-3 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and nearly falling apart.
8. Rest and serve: Remove short ribs from the pot and let rest. Skim excess fat from the braising liquid. If desired, simmer the liquid on the stovetop to reduce and thicken. Strain the sauce if you prefer it smooth, or serve it rustic with the vegetables.
9. Plate: Serve short ribs with the mushrooms, vegetables, and sauce spooned over the top. Pairs beautifully with creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or buttered egg noodles.

Cooking Tips:

• The dry aging adds incredible depth of flavor, so don’t overshadow it with too many competing spices
• A full-bodied red wine is essential – use something you’d enjoy drinking
• For an even richer sauce, whisk in a tablespoon of butter at the end
• This dish is even better the next day as the flavors meld together

Enjoy!