Slow Cooked Beef Short Ribs (Printable Version)

Tender beef ribs braised in rich red wine sauce served over creamy polenta.

# What You Need:

→ Beef Short Ribs

01 - 4 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
02 - Kosher salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 large onion, diced
06 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 2 cups dry red wine
11 - 2 cups beef broth
12 - 1 cup crushed tomatoes
13 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme
14 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
15 - 2 bay leaves

→ Creamy Polenta

16 - 4 cups water
17 - 1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)
18 - 1 cup whole milk
19 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
20 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
21 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Set oven temperature to 325°F (165°C).
02 - Pat beef short ribs dry and season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown ribs on all sides in batches if necessary. Transfer ribs to a plate.
04 - Add diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
05 - Incorporate tomato paste into vegetables and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
06 - Pour in dry red wine, scraping the bottom to release browned bits. Simmer for 5 minutes to slightly reduce.
07 - Add beef broth, crushed tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Return short ribs and accumulated juices to the pot and bring to a simmer.
08 - Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2.5 to 3 hours until ribs are fork-tender and meat easily separates from the bone.
09 - About 30 minutes before ribs finish, bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Gradually whisk in polenta, reduce heat to low, and cook stirring frequently for 20–25 minutes until thick and creamy.
10 - Stir in whole milk, unsalted butter, and grated Parmesan cheese into the polenta. Season with salt and pepper to taste and keep warm.
11 - Remove ribs from oven, discard herb sprigs and bay leaves, and skim excess fat from the sauce. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve ribs and sauce over creamy polenta, garnished with extra Parmesan or fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The meat becomes so tender it practically dissolves on your tongue, no knife required.
  • You can prep everything in 25 minutes, then walk away while the oven does the real work.
  • It tastes like you've been cooking since dawn, even though you haven't.
  • The polenta soaks up every drop of that wine-dark sauce like it was designed for this moment.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial browning step—that crust on the meat is where the deepest flavor lives, and it makes the difference between good and unforgettable.
  • If your polenta lumps up, you can strain it through a fine-mesh sieve while it's still warm, but the real trick is adding the cornmeal in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly.
  • The sauce will taste good after 2.5 hours, but 3 hours is where the ribs become truly fork-tender and the flavors meld into something more sophisticated.
03 -
  • Brown the ribs in batches even if it takes longer—crowding the pan drops the temperature and you'll steam them instead of searing them.
  • Save a ladle of braising liquid before skimming fat; it's liquid gold for adjusting the sauce's consistency at the end.

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