Wine Braised Short Ribs with White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

These tender wine braised short ribs are the best cold-weather comfort food. Beef short ribs braised in a dutch oven and served over creamy mashed potatoes with white cheddar cheese! 

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'Tis the season for braising and wine-ing and mashed potato-ing and snuggling up under a blanket with a bowl of warm, cozy comfort food!

And this braised short rib recipe? It has "warm cozy comfort food" written allllll over it.

Braising is our FAVORITE way to cook short ribs - the low, slow heat in the oven and a hearty red wine help them develop SO much flavor. All you need is one pot, a few staple ingredients, and a bit of time for the best beef short ribs recipe (seriously. It's melt-in-your mouth delicious).

These easy short ribs are made in the oven, with a sturdy Dutch oven pot and low heat to cook them low and slow until they're fall-apart tender. Pair the braised short ribs with fluffy mashed potatoes, pasta, zucchini noodles, a side salad, or roasted veggies!

Here's the basic order of operations for this short rib recipe:

• Season and sear the short ribs (boneless or bone-in are both fine!) then set them aside for a minute.
• Cook some garlic and onion up in your favorite Dutch Oven. Then add some mushrooms, tomato paste, and a few glugs of red wine (I like a cabernet sauvignon or a merlot here).
• Throw the short ribs back in the pot, cover it up, and pop it in the oven to braise for a few hours until they're soft and tender. (Also, until your entire house smells TOTALLY AMAZING).

I paired these beef short ribs with my favorite white cheddar mashed potatoes (recipe below) but you can use any side dishes you like!

Braised beef short ribs recipe FAQ:

• Can I make these short ribs ahead of time? Yes! Make short ribs and mashed potatoes up to 3 days in advance, let cool completely, and store each dish in a separate airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to serve. When you're ready to reheat the short ribs and mashed potatoes, warm them each in their own pan or skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until hot. You can also freeze the cooked short ribs and mashed potatoes in an airtight container for up to 3 months without losing flavor.

• Can short ribs be cooked quickly in the Instant Pot? Yes! We have a whole post about it: Instant Pot Red Wine Short Ribs.

• Can I use a slow cooker instead? Absolutely! We recommend using a skillet on the stovetop to follow the recipe as written through step 11 (when the wine has been added), then transferring everything to your slow cooker for 7-8 hours on low.

• Can I make these short ribs without wine? Definitely! These short ribs work just as well with a great beer (We love using a stout or a dark IPA, similar to our slow cooker French dips). Beef broth is also a great substitute if you'd like to make braised short ribs with no alcohol.

• Can I make these without a dutch oven? Yes - just follow the recipe as written through step 11 (when the wine is added) then transfer to an oven-safe baking dish and cover with foil. You can also braise on the stovetop using a pot with a tight-fitting lid over very low heat. Use a very thick, sturdy pot for best results here.

Serve these braised short ribs and mashed potatoes with some easy crusty bread, a quick arugula side salad, roasted or sautéed vegetables, or our 10-minute cauliflower creamed corn! We also love these short ribs over pasta or zucchini noodles.

VIDEO: HOW TO MAKE WINE BRAISED SHORT RIBS

📖 Recipe

Wine Braised Short Ribs with White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

★★★★★ 4.6 from 17 reviews

• Author: Jessie
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 hours
• Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
• Category: Main Dish
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Hearty red wine braised short ribs and creamy white cheddar mashed potatoes.

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Ingredients

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FOR THE SHORT RIBS:

• 1.5 pounds boneless beef short ribs (use 2 pounds if using bone-in ribs)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or ghee (clarified butter)
• ½ large yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 2 cups red wine (we like a hearty merlot or cabernet)
• Fresh chopped parsley (optional), for garnish

FOR THE MASHED POTATOES:

• 2 pounds yukon gold or butter potatoes, cleaned and cut into 2-3" pieces
• 3 ounces unsalted butter (about 6 Tablespoons)
• salt and pepper to taste
• ⅔ cup half and half
• 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

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Instructions

FOR THE BRAISED SHORT RIBS:

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Heat oil in a dutch oven (I love my Le Creuset) over medium heat.
3. Generously season all sides of the short ribs with salt and pepper.
4. Add short ribs to hot oil and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until browned. Try not to move the short ribs once you put them down!
5. Remove short ribs from dutch oven and set aside. They won't be fully cooked yet - that's ok!
6. Return dutch oven to stovetop over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. If the pan looks too dry, add another splash of olive oil. Sauté 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent.
7. Add mushrooms to dutch oven and stir to combine. Cook 5-7 minutes more, until mushrooms have reduced and onions have begun to caramelize.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Add tomato paste and stir to combine.
10. Add red wine to dutch oven to deglaze. Make sure to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon!
11. Bring the mixture up to a simmer, then turn off the heat.
12. Add short ribs back to the dutch oven, nestling them in with the onions and mushrooms.
13. Cover dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. Bake at 250 degrees F for 4-5 hours until short ribs easily pull apart with tongs or a fork.
14. Remove short ribs from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Skim off any fat that's risen to the top.
15. If the broth looks too watery, you can bring it to a simmer over medium heat on the stovetop and cook it until it's reduced to a consistency you like.
16. Serve immediately over White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes (optional - recipe below). Garnish with a bit of fresh chopped parsley if desired.

FOR THE WHITE CHEDDAR MASHED POTATOES:

1. Cook potatoes in lightly salted water (I use 1 Tablespoon of Kosher salt per 6-8 cups of water) until they are easily pierced with a fork, about 30-45 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes and set aside.
3. Return pot to stove over medium heat. Add butter, salt, pepper, and half and half to pot and cook, stirring frequently, until barely simmering. Turn off the heat.
4. Return potatoes to pot and mash with a potato masher.
5. Add shredded white cheddar cheese and stir until cheese has melted fully into the mashed potatoes. Taste and add seasoning if necessary. If the potatoes are too dry, add another splash of half and half or a little more butter.
6. Top mashed potatoes with wine braised short ribs and fresh chopped parsley (optional) and serve immediately.

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Notes

Additions and Substitutions. Add two bay leaves to the red wine mixture before braising if you like. Add an ⅔ cup water in addition to the wine for a thinner sauce or if you plan to braise for longer than 6 hours. Add 2 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar just after sautéeing the onions and garlic for extra flavor. Add ¼ cup brown sugar for extra sweetness. Use a dark beer or beef stock in place of the wine if you like.

This recipe makes approximately four 6-ounce portions of beef. If you'd like more meat per person, you can double the short rib recipe.

How to make the best mashed potatoes. Make sure you cut your potatoes into evenly-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate! Peel your potatoes or leave the skins on - either way is tasty! Read more about our favorite mashed potato techniques (with a complete breakdown of tools, equipment, and more!) in Mashed Potatoes 101.  For a healthier twist on mashed potatoes, or to make them dairy-free, check out our easy cauliflower mashed potatoes!

To make these short ribs ahead of time, follow the recipe as written, let cool completely, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop.

To make braised short ribs with an Instant Pot, check out our Instant Pot Short Rib recipe! 

To make this recipe in a Slow Cooker, use a skillet on the stovetop to follow the recipe as written through step 11 (when the wine is added), then transfer everything to your slow cooker for 7-8 hours on low.

No Dutch Oven? Use a large skillet to follow the recipe as written through step 11 (when wine is added) then transfer everything to an oven-safe baking dish and cover with aluminum foil (or an airtight lid, if your baking dish has one) and bake as directed. Check the short ribs at the 3-hour mark - if they look dry, add an extra splash of water. You can also braise on the stovetop using a pot with a tight-fitting lid over very low heat.

Serve these short ribs with roasted veggies, pasta, zucchini noodles, or a quick side salad!

Equipment. We love our Le Creuset French Oven for this recipe. For a lower-cost option, we've also been loving this dutch oven from Marquette Castings!

This recipe was updated in 2019 for ease and clarity. Bay leaves and water were removed from the short rib recipe, and the quantity of mashed potatoes was reduced slightly. (It tastes better than ever!) 

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 629
• Sugar: 6.1 g
• Sodium: 269.1 mg
• Fat: 42.7 g
• Carbohydrates: 32.5 g
• Protein: 29.6 g
• Cholesterol: 128.1 mg

Keywords: dinner, beef, entertaining