Braised Short Ribs (with Red Wine & Mushrooms)

My braised beef short ribs are fork-tender, restaurant-quality comfort food with a glossy red-wine sauce, sweet carrots, and meaty cremini mushrooms—perfect for entertaining, special holidays, or a cozy weeknight dinner. Make it in the oven, in an Instant Pot, or in a Slow Cooker.

📝 Ingredients

• 5 lb bone-in beef short ribs ((8 ribs))
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion (diced)
• 3 large carrots (peeled and diced)
• 2 stalks celery (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• Small handful of fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups dry red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cups low-sodium beef stock (more if needed)
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms (halved or quartered if large)
• Fresh parsley (roughly chopped (for garnish))
• 1 cup uncooked coarse or medium-grind polenta ((not instant))
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth ((or water + 1 chicken bouillon cube))
• 1 cup whole milk (or half-and-half)
• 3 tablespoons salted butter
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan ((optional but delicious))
• 1/2 teaspoon salt ((start here and adjust))
• Black pepper, to taste

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. 2Pat ribs dry, then season generously with salt and pepper.
3. 3Heat oil in a large Dutch oven (at least 5 quarts) over medium-high heat. Sear ribs on all sides until deeply browned, about 10–12 minutes total. Remove ribs and set aside.
4. 4In the same pot, add onion, chopped celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften, about 5–6 minutes.
5. 5Stir in garlic, thyme, rosemary sprigs, and bay leaves, and cook for 1 minute.
6. 6Add tomato paste, coating the vegetables, and cook for 1–2 minutes until the paste has darkened slightly.
7. 7Pour in red wine and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 8–10 minutes.
8. 8Add beef stock and return ribs (with juices) to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Add more stock if beef isn’t covered.
9. 9Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 ½ – 3 hours depending on the size of your ribs, until ribs are fork-tender and falling off the bone.
10. 10About 30 minutes before the beef is done cooking, sauté mushrooms in a skillet with olive oil, salt, and pepper until golden and most of the moisture has evaporated, about 8–10 minutes. Stir them into the Dutch oven with the ribs.
11. 11Discard herb stems and bay leaves. Skim excess fat from the sauce if desired.
12. 12Optional: Remove the meat and vegetables, leaving the sauce. Simmer on the stovetop for 5–10 minutes to thicken. Return ribs and vegetables to the pot.
13. 13Serve hot over creamy polenta, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or creamy parmesan garlic orzo.
14. 14NOTE: I provide helpful step-by-step photos + tips below this recipe card. ⬇️⬇️
15. 15--- How to Make Creamy Yellow Polenta ---
16. 16While you braise the short ribs for several hours, prepare the polenta.
17. 17Bring 4 cups chicken broth and 1 cup milk to a gentle simmer, then slowly whisk in 1 cup polenta and reduce the heat to low.
18. 18Cook for 30–40 minutes, stirring every few minutes and adding small splashes of whole milk (or half-and-half or heavy cream) if it thickens too quickly.
19. 19When the grains are tender and the texture is silky, stir in 3 tablespoons butter, ½ cup Parmesan (if using), and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve right away while it’s still creamy, as polenta thickens as it sits.
20. 20You can also make the creamy mascarpone polenta using this recipe link below. You can use cream cheese or ricotta instead of mascarpone:https://juliasalbum.com/lamb-shoulder-chops-recipe-shiitake-mushrooms-swiss-chard-mascarpone-cheese-polenta/#recipe