Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Celery Root Purée
jump toRECIPE
Nothing is more comforting in chilly weather than a rich and hearty braise. The tender meat falls off the bone and can be eaten with just a fork, no need for cutting. These classic red wine braised short ribs pair perfectly over this celery root purée or they can be paired over mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower or polenta!
The moist heat from the method of braising (roasting meat with a liquid at a low temperature over a long period of time) causes the connective tissue in the meat to soften and transforms well marbled, fatty and often tough cuts of short ribs into incredibly tender meat with a rich sauce.
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Celery Root Purée
Table of contents
More About Short Ribs
Short ribs come from the cut of the cow referred to as the “short plate” – the large pieces of rib that extend down from the ribeye. The primal cut of meat is a tougher cut so it’s the perfect pairing for the method of braising. While it’s risen in price and popularity in recent years it’s fairly widely available.
For this recipe I prefer to buy them with the bone attached. English-cut short ribs means that when the ribs are separated from each other the meat sits on top of the bone. This makes for an impressive presentation. I portion one short rib per person.
Why You Should Braise Meat
Braising is the method of cooking meat at a low temperature for a long period of time in a tightly sealed container like a Dutch oven. It’s a forgiving method of cooking. Slowly cooking the meat allows for tough, lean (and often cheaper) cuts of meat to break down and become tender and juicy. I love a good braise because you really can’t mess it up. With this “hands-off” method, the meat is first seared to lock in the juices. It’s then added to a tightly covered oven-safe pot. Cook it for a long time at a low temperature, so you don’t run the risk of overcooking as you would using other methods.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Short ribs – I use bone-in beef short ribs in this recipe though boneless can be substituted as well. When purchasing short ribs, look for well-marbled, short ribs with a good meat to bone ratio. They’re one of my favorite cuts of beef because when they are cooked slowly over a long period of time, they retain a meaty, beefy flavor and the collagen melts into the sauce all in one pot.
- Flour – The short ribs are tossed in a bit of flour to add a seared crust to the short ribs and to thicken the sauce as the braise cooks.
- Celery root – The winter vegetable celery root may not be the prettiest vegetable out there – but here I puree this knobby produce with some potatoes and cheese for the perfect base and accompaniment for the beef and sauce. Celery root puree has a mild flavor brought out by simmering the vegetables in milk before straining and blending until smooth.
- Beef stock – Beef stock is typically made from bones as well as aromatics and vegetables while beef broth is made with the meat. How does that affect their flavor? Beef stock has a much richer, more robust flavor which comes from the collagen released from the simmering bones. On the other hand, beef broth is much more mellow in flavor.
- Red wine – Red wine rounds out the flavor of the braised short ribs. Use a dry red wine won’t overpower the dish by making it too sweet. While I will use just about any red wine in a pinch I prefer cooking with pinot noir. The biggest tip when cooking with wine is to use good quality wine – never cook with anything you wouldn’t drink!
How to Make Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Step 1: Season the short ribs.
Preheat the oven to 325ºF (170ºC). Thoroughly dry the ribs with a paper towel then season the short ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. Toss the short ribs in the flour so they are evenly coated.
Step 2: Sear short ribs.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. In batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pot, add the short ribs to the pot and sear until they are browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside. Continue with the remaining short ribs and set aside.
Step 3: Sauté vegetables.
Return the pot to medium heat then add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic, sautéing until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Add braising liquid and short ribs.
Add the tomato paste and stir to combine before adding the red wine, beef stock, rosemary, bay leaf and short ribs (and any remaining juices) to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat then cover the pot and place in the oven.
Step 5: Braise the short ribs.
Cook, rotating the short ribs about every 45 minutes, until the meat is fork tender, about 2½ to 3 hours. Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 5 minutes then skim off any fat from the top and discard.
Step 6: Add root vegetables to pot.
Add the celery root, potato and onion to a large saucepan. Add the milk, salt and 3 cups of water over the top and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Step 7: Boil root vegetables.
Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork, about 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the vegetables, discarding the cooking liquid.
Step 8: Blend celery root puree.
Add the vegetables to a blender with the butter and Parmesan cheese and blend until pureed. Season to taste with salt.
Step 9: Assemble and serve.
Spoon celery root puree into bowls and top with braised short ribs. Ladle the braising liquid over the top. Serve with roasted vegetables on the side (optional).
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Swaps and substitutions
- Try swapping the rosemary for another fresh herbs like thyme.
How to Make This Recipe in a Slow Cooker
Brown the short ribs and sauté the vegetables in a large pot or skillet as instructed below. Then add to a crock-pot. Cook in the Crockpot on low heat and cook for 6 to 8 hours. Move the meat around occasionally so it cooks evenly. After the ribs are finished cooking and meat is tender, remove meat and skim the fat off the top of the pot.
How to Store Short Ribs
If entertaining, you can make the red wine braised beef short ribs up to two days ahead of time. Making the ribs ahead of time also allows the flavors to meld together. I recommend storing the short ribs and sauce refrigerated in a large resealable container.
How to Reheat Braised Short Ribs
I have two methods to reheat the short ribs without drying them out before serving.
- On the stove. Add the short ribs and the sauce to a pot on the stove over medium heat until warmed, about 20 minutes.
- In the oven. Add the short ribs and sauce to a pot then cover and heat in the oven at 350ºF (180ºC) for 15 to 20 minutes.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this red wine braised short ribs recipe, give these a try:
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Celery Root Purée
Ingredients:
For the red wine braised short ribs:
- 3½ pounds bone-in English-cut beef short ribs (about 4 short ribs)
- Kosher salt, as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups dry red wine (I use cabernet sauvignon)
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
For the celery root puree:
- 2 large celery roots, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes (about 1½ pounds)
- 1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
- ½ medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
For the red wine braised short ribs:
- Preheat oven to 325ºF (170ºC). Thoroughly dry the ribs with a paper towel then season the short ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. Toss the short ribs in the flour so they are evenly coated.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. In batches if needed to avoid over-crowding the pot, add the short ribs to the pot and sear until they are browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside. Continue with the remaining short ribs and set aside.
- Return the pot to medium heat, then add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic, sautéing until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and stir to combine before adding the red wine, beef stock, rosemary, bay leaf and short ribs (and any remaining juices) to the pot. The ribs should not be completely covered by the liquid. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat then cover the pot and place in the oven.
- Cook, rotating the short ribs about every 45 minutes, until the meat is fork tender, about 2½ to 3 hours. Remove from oven and let sit for at least 5 minutes then skim off any fat from the top and discard.
For the celery root puree:
- Add the celery root, potato and onion to a large saucepan. Add the milk, salt and 3 cups of water over the top and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork, about 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the vegetables, discarding the cooking liquid.
- Add the vegetables to a blender with the butter and Parmesan cheese and blend until pureed. Season to taste with salt.
To serve:
- Spoon celery root puree into bowls and top with braised short ribs. Ladle the braising liquid over the top. Serve with roasted vegetables on the side (optional).
DID YOU MAKE THIS?
TAG ME ON INSTAGRAM TO BE FEATURED ON MY STORIES! @cookingwithcocktailrings
)
)
What would be best substitute for red wine in this recipe? Thank you!!
I recommend substituting the wine with an additional 2 cups of the beef stock!
Made these braised short ribs for Christmas Eve dinner it turned out perfect. Definitely a new go to meal for me. So easy and low maintenance. The low and slow braising makes it really easy to finish all your side dishes and serve everything hot and together since you can’t really mess up the ribs once they are in the oven.
Thank you so much for sharing Ryan! I’m glad they came out well!! Braising is a favorite cooking method of mine!!
Ever since I bought my Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, braised short ribs have been at the top of my bucket list. I finally remembered to look for them at Costco, but when I took them out of the package, they were cut the wrong way, read: perpendicular to the bone, instead of like a traditional rib. I was disappointed that my inaugural attempt would not be picture perfect, but they still turned out SO well. The flavor is amazing, and my house smelled bomb all day. Plus, you can serve them with the rest of the wine that you opened, making it a perfect pairing!
This is my new “I want to impress these people” dinner menu!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Shannon! I agree it’s perfect to pair them with the rest of the wine! Thanks for sharing!