Try these braised short ribs in Guinness for a comforting, hearty winter meal.
The holidays are all about comfort food. And in my book, there’s nothing more comforting than braised short ribs. These hearty and delicious meaty treats are often made with red wine, but I like to switch things up with a rich stout beer instead. The result is a dish that’s every bit as rich and flavorful as its counterparts, but with an added depth of complexity and richness that can only come from the dark malts used in stouts like Guinness and Murphy’s Irish Stout.
Why braised short ribs are good
Braised short ribs are a classic dish and for good reason. The meat is succulent, flavorful, and tender—and it’s pretty easy to make. Short ribs can be tough because of the connective tissue in the meat; braising them makes them much more palatable by breaking down that tissue into rich gelatin that moistens and softens the meat.
But braising short ribs can be time-consuming, and it’s easy to end up with a dry or tough piece of meat if you don’t know what you’re doing. This guide will show you how to make braised short ribs that are fall-off-the-bone tender every single time.
Picking the best short ribs
The first thing you need to do is choose your short ribs. Look for meaty ones with plenty of fat on them; this will ensure that the meat stays moist during braising. If you can’t find short beef ribs, try veal or pork.
The cut of meat you use will also affect how long the braise takes and what temperature you should cook it at. For instance, pork ribs are leaner than beef ribs; this means they require longer cooking times and lower temperatures so that they don’t dry out.
Why braising short ribs is best
Braising is a classic technique that’s used to soften connective tissue in meat. It works incredibly well with short ribs, which are a cut of beef with lots of connective tissue and therefore can be tough if not braised correctly. Braising gives you succulent and flavorful meat that’s perfect for pairing with potatoes or polenta (or just eating by itself).
The trick to braising is to cook the meat low and slow. The idea is that you want to keep the temperature in your oven between 300°F and 350°F so it’s just simmering, not boiling. You also want to brown the meat before adding it to the pan with liquid—this caramelizes some of its natural sugars, which adds a rich flavor.
How to make braised short ribs in Guinness
The first step to making short ribs is to trim off any excess fat. You want to leave some on for flavor, but too much will make your dish greasy and unappetizing. Next, marinate the short ribs in Guinness for 12- 24 hours, turning them over at the halfway mark to make sure everything gets evenly beered up. (The longer you marinate the meat, the beerier — and better — it will be.).
Take the ribs out of the fridge and sit them on the countertop for about an hour, until they come up to room temperature. Next, season the meat with salt, pepper, and garlic powder before browning it in a skillet on both sides (about 3 minutes per side).
Once the meat is browned, remove it from the pan and add olive oil, onions, celery, and carrots. Cook these for about 10 minutes until they’re soft and fragrant. Add in the tomato paste and cook an additional 30 seconds. Next, add in the flour to make a quick roux.
Once you try these short ribs, you’ll be back for more. They’re so flavorful and tender that they fall off your fork when you try to eat them. You can serve them with mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered noodles, or if you want something lighter, just a green salad should do the trick!
Ingredients
Short Ribs
- 5 1/2 pounds bone-in beef short ribs or 4 pounds boneless short ribs
- 2 12-ounce bottles Guinness, plus 1/2 cup for finishing the dish
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons corn oil
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion rough chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 celery stalks cut into large chunks (about 1 cup)
- 1 large carrot peeled and cut into large chunks (about 1 cup)
- 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups cheap red wine the cheaper the better
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups beef broth or low-sodium chicken broth
Onion puree and finishing
- 2 tablespoons corn oil
- 1 large Vidalia onion or other sweet onion sliced (1 1/2 cups)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup fresh celery leaves for garnish
Instructions
For the ribs
- The day before you want to serve the ribs, put the meat in a baking dish or other large container and soak it with 2 bottles of the Guinness. Cover the ribs with plastic wrap, and let them marinate in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours, turning them over at the halfway mark to make sure everything gets evenly beered up. (The longer you marinate the meat, the beerier — and better — it will be.)
- Take the ribs out of the fridge and let them sit on the countertop for about an hour, until they come up to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Pull the ribs out of the beer, pat them dry with a paper towel, and season them generously on all sides with the salt and pepper.
- Heat the corn oil in a very large ovenproof pot or casserole with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. When the oil is smoking, put the short ribs in the pot. Let the meat cook, turning each piece every couple of minutes with a pair of tongs, for about 8 minutes, until the ribs are chocolate-brown and caramelized on all sides, like a good steak (they should smell like a good steak, too). This is a smoky process, so you might want to open a window or two before you start (and maybe think about pulling the battery out of that smoke alarm).
- Use a pair of tongs to pull the ribs out of the pot and put them on a plate. Then pour the oil out of the pot and use a paper towel to wipe down the insides, so the caramelized stuff doesn’t burn and flavor everything.
- Return the pot to the stove on medium heat. Pour in the olive oil, and then add the onions, celery and carrots. Cook the vegetables, stirring regularly to stop them from sticking, for about 4 to 5 minutes, until they’re roasted and caramelized; they should be soft, with some brown color.
- Add the tomato paste and mix it in well, so the vegetables are coated in the paste. Let the mixture cook for about 30 seconds, until you can smell the tomato caramelizing.
- Add the flour, mix it in and let it toast for about 30 seconds, being careful not to let it burn on the bottom of the pot.
- Add the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to release the fond (the base of the sauce — the good stuff that’s caramelized down there). Then add the thyme and bay leaves.
- Raise the heat to high and let the sauce cook for about 5 minutes, until it thickens up and the wine has reduced by three quarters. This is a good time to wipe down the sides of the pot above the cooking mixture with a wet cloth, so that anything that’s splashed onto the sides doesn’t burn and fall into the sauce, wrecking the flavor.
- When the sauce is a thick chocolate color, pile the ribs back into the pot. Add the beef broth and 2 cups of water, so the short ribs are submerged in the liquid. Give everything a stir to bring it together, wipe down the sides of the pot again, and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Cover the pot and put it on the middle oven rack. Cook the ribs for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, turning them every hour. They’re ready when they’re fork-tender.
For the onion purée
- Heat the corn oil in a medium-sized saucepan over high heat. Add the onions, stirring them around and shaking the pan so they’re coated in the oil. Cook the onions for about 1 minute, until you start to get a little caramelization. Then turn the heat down to medium and keep cooking for about 5 minutes, until the onions are golden brown.
- Add the salt and pepper and 1 1/2 cups of water. Stir to combine everything, and continue cooking for about 10 more minutes, until the onions are very soft and all the sharpness has gone out of their flavor.
- Pour everything in the pan — onions and liquid — into a blender, and blend (starting on low speed and working your way up) for about 30 seconds, until everything’s liquified. Pour the onion purée into a bowl and set it aside.
For the finishing
- Pull the meat from the pot with tongs, and pile it on a serving platter.
- Strain the cooking juices into a medium-sized saucepan. You’ll end up with a thick mush in the strainer: take a spoon and push everything through so you get all the good stuff.
- Add the last 1/2 cup of Guinness and the onion puree to the saucepan, and stir everything together; if the sauce has cooled down, warm it up over medium heat.
- Pour the sauce over the short ribs. Sprinkle the celery leaves on top, and serve the ribs right away — with more Guinness, of course.
