By Melissa Clark
- Total Time
- 1 hour, plus 2 to 3 hours’ cooking
- Rating
- 5(1,063)
- Notes
- Read community notes
When it comes to short ribs, you have choices. Boneless short ribs are easier to serve to a crowd and can be substituted pound for pound in your grandmother’s time-honored brisket recipe.
Bone-in short ribs require a very large pot and are somewhat more awkward to plate. The upside is that they have even more flavor because the marrow that seeps out of the bones seasons the sauce.
You can buy them either cut across the bone, called flanken, or along the bones, often called English style — the way it is done in fancy restaurants. You’ll need about three-quarters of a pound of bone-in short ribs per person. If you cook the beef the day before and chill it overnight, you’ll be able to lift off much of the fat that hardens on top of the sauce.
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Ingredients
Yield:8 to 12 servings
- 8pounds bone-in short ribs, rinsed and patted dry
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 to 5tablespoons olive oil, more as needed
- 8shallots, 6 finely chopped, 2 thinly sliced
- 6garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3medium leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
- 2celery ribs, finely chopped (save leaves for garnish)
- 1(750-milliliter) bottle white wine, not too dry
- 2cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
- 1cup dry vermouth
- 6fresh thyme sprigs
- 1small bunch fresh parsley, stems separated (save leaves for garnish)
- 1fresh rosemary sprig
- 3medium carrots, diced
- ¼cup white wine vinegar
- 2tablespoons honey
- Flaky sea salt, for garnish (optional)
- 1small bunch chives, roughly chopped
- 1small bunch fresh mint, leaves roughly chopped
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
1653 calories; 138 grams fat; 58 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 64 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 56 grams protein; 1486 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
If you have time, the night before or several hours before cooking, season the meat generously with the salt and pepper (you will need at least a tablespoon salt and 1½ teaspoons pepper). Wrap and refrigerate until needed. (You could do this just before cooking, if necessary.)
Step
2
Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a very large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Working in batches, arrange as many of the short ribs as fit comfortably in a single layer and brown on all sides. Take your time with this and let them get good and brown, and don’t crowd the pot or else they will steam and never develop a tasty, caramelized crust. Transfer the ribs to a bowl once they have browned, and add more oil to the pot as needed.
Step
3
Add another 2 tablespoons of the oil to the pot if it looks dry, and stir in the chopped shallots, garlic, leeks, celery and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables until softened, about 7 minutes, stirring constantly and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom. Add the wine, chicken broth and vermouth, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, 10 to 15 minutes.
Step
4
Arrange the short ribs in the liquid in the pot. Using kitchen twine, tie together the thyme, parsley stems and rosemary, and drop into the pot. Bring the liquid to a simmer on the stove, then cover and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook, turning the ribs every 45 minutes or so, until the meat is tender but not yet falling off the bone, about 2 hours. Add the carrots and let cook until tender, about 30 minutes longer.
Step
5
Use a slotted spoon to remove the short ribs and most of the carrots. Discard the herb bunch. Bring the liquid to a simmer, reducing it until it thickens slightly. If serving right away, spoon off some of the fat from the surface of the sauce. Or pour the sauce back over the meat and chill overnight in the pot, then spoon off the fat. Reheat if necessary.
Step
6
To serve, combine the sliced shallots, vinegar and honey in a bowl. Place short ribs on a platter and top with some of the sauce. Sprinkle with the flaky salt, chives, mint, parsley leaves and celery leaves, and scatter the shallots and vinegar mixture over the top.
Ratings
5
out of 5
1,063
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Cooking Notes
J. David Nelson
This may be the best short-rib recipe ever. I was concerned that using white wines, instead of red, was not the way to go. My friends raved about the taste! I would not change a thing.
Bob
I think the purpose of rinsing is to get rid of any bone fragments and clotted blood that may have been created when the ribs were cut. It's the same idea behind rinsing veal bones before making stock.
Rex
The US Department Of Agriculture says that rinsing any meat sprays bacteria over the kitchen and isn't needed as cooking the meat at the proper temperature will make it safe to eat.
Michele
Addendum - This is an exceptionally delicious recipe. Followed the recipe exactly (using kosher wine & vermouth), except for adding more garlic. Praised by everyone at our extended family table, ages 18-91. We've served it with rice, with kasha and with quinoa (quinoa at Pesach; rice or kasha at other times).
Gary
Rinse your meat to remove the old dried blood (and extra salt if salted). Clean and sanitize your sink afterwards.
Eric in Oakland
Liked it, didn't loooove it. In some ways, it's a bit more effort than it's worth...and my first attempt was much better after I cooked the meat for 4 hours, not just two.
The shallot, vinegar, and honey sauce is a revelation. The flavors combine to make the meet seem lighter and springlike.
All in all, I'm unsure if I'll do this again. Darn good, but a lotta work.
EB
Outstanding. Don't skip the honey & vinegar step, it's very special.
Made 1/2 the recipe with 4lbs/4 short ribs, enough for two meals for two hungry folks.
Diana Hodgson
I just put down my fork and had to run in here to tell you that this recipe does NOT disappoint! Make it as written. DON'T leave out the condiments! The addition of the vinegar, honey & shallots made a difference along with the fresh herbs. I purchased boneless short ribs at Costco and made the recipe as written. Today was a very cold and snowy in PA and I was happy to have a warm oven running all day. We'll save the rest to eat another day.
Es
Very yummy. Interesting in that it uses white wine and vermouth, not a hearty red wine. Yet it works beautifully. I didn't have the herbs for the garnish but did add shallots in a little bit of vinegar and a tiny bit of honey. Not necessary but it worked too. Wonderful on an evening when the temperature is expected to go below 0.
sdschorr
This was truly special -- don't skip the shallots/herbs (I only used mint/parsley) Also, bones will slip out-just discard. Don't bother with fishing out carrots per instructions -just cut in small dice and put in w/leeks, etc. MAKE AHEAD: cook day before, allow to cool overnight to skim enormous amount of fat and enrich flavor. "Pickle" the shallots in am and keep in fridge - don't pour all of the shallot dressing on meat as I think that'd be overpowering
Michele
Most vermouths and wines are not kosher l'Pesach. If you are keeping the holiday kashruth, you need to purchase kosher l'Pesach wine and vermouth.
The only vermouth brand I've been able to find is Kedem. It can be ordered from kosherwines.com because it is otherwise quite hard to find.
Dennis
This is a wonderful recipe. To insure the best result you must prepare a day in advance, place the short ribs and carrots in separate dishes, and strain the braising liquid over the ribs (discard the solids) and refrigerate. The next day discard as much of the solidified fat as possible and reward at 300-350. The result is spectacular.
lbswink
seriously? rinsing the meat? I do not give a hoot about the US DoA (bought and paid for by big AG), BUT--rinsing the meat? Totally not necessary.....
Lemmonee
I used boneless beef ribs. Our household is small and 2 are over 80 so two ribs a piece. I kept the rest of the recipe the same. In my experience more gravy, or sauce is a good thing. I echo the call to make a day ahead. Even though ingredients list is long with prior prep of vegetables it was fairly easy to prepare. I wasn't sure about the white wine with beef but it is wonderful. I made some nice creamy potatoes to go with. My parents who eat like birds cleaned their bowls. Make again yes
DNcgo
Browned the meat well in a large skillet. Then, discarded a copious amount of fat (but not the brown bits) before sautéing vegetables. Added all to clean dutch oven before proceeding. A lot of fat was eliminated in the cooking process - but to my taste, no flavor. Great recipe.
Emily
Note there are different cuts of short rib - flanken and English cut. I think this would work best with the English cut with a large piece of meat on it, not the flanken. Would it work with brisket?
Jon
I made this for the 3rd time this weekend for Easter. Amazing as always. The herbs (especially with the celery leaves and fleur de sel) and the honey/vinegar/shallot sauce take it over the top -- do NOT skip! I've made this with dry riesling, which is perfect. It's a ton of work to brown all those 6-sided short ribs in 4 batches(!), but it's so worth it when your guests are apoplectic with their compliments! DEFINITELY cook the previous day -- so to remove congealed fat that rises to top.
Carl
Lots of work but worth the effort. Made one change. Added heavy cream to the sauce.
Berkeley Mom
Made these for a dinner party. Apparently my meat had lots of fat and the sauce was very greasy. I cooked the night before so was able to easily take fat off the next day, I added vegetable broth to cut the grease in sauce. I reheated the sauce stove top and the meat in 200 degree oven covered with foil. Turned out to be a nice presentation with meat sitting on top of sauce and shallot/honey sitting on top of meat. My guests raved, my husband said it was his favorite short rib recipe ever
Erica
Addition: Strong recommend to cook it the day before, cool it and remove the fat. I took 1.5 cups of fat out of the pot. I am REALLY glad I did. The sauce was exceptional and not at all greasy.
Erica
Killer recipe. Fantastic, flexible, dinner party recipe. Friends loved it! Polished off the dish and were living for dunking hunks of crusty bread into the gravy. Make it! You will not be disappointed!
Emily B
Delicious! I recommend making the dish the day before so you can more easily spoon off some of the fat. The dish is too rich for my tummy without doing this. I agree with the many comments saying don't skip the shallot vinaigrette - this really ties it all together! I served the beef with Martha Rose Shulman's Kohlrabi and Celery Root Purée (in the NYT Cooking database) and enjoyed that pairing.
JoJo in New Orleans
This is amazing- everything is perfect. It might be nice to serve over pomme/celery root/turnip purée. I may add diced root vegetables next time at the end with the carrots. Absolutely delicious
Lemmonee
I used boneless beef ribs. Our household is small and 2 are over 80 so two ribs a piece. I kept the rest of the recipe the same. In my experience more gravy, or sauce is a good thing. I echo the call to make a day ahead. Even though ingredients list is long with prior prep of vegetables it was fairly easy to prepare. I wasn't sure about the white wine with beef but it is wonderful. I made some nice creamy potatoes to go with. My parents who eat like birds cleaned their bowls. Make again yes
Debra
Super tasty. Couldn't find bone-in so I used boneless. Followed the recipe as is. Served over pasta (orecchiette) with a small green salad. I'll be making this for company sometime in the future.
Chris
Absolutely delicious...made as per recipe! Will definitely be making again!
Karen N
It was good, but I can’t say I would make it again. I wonder why the recipe is called “Vermouth-Braised Short Ribs” when it called for a whole bottle of white wine versus a cup of vermouth. The meat was indeed tender from the braising, but for us, the flavours just didn’t wow. I also question the use of extra herbs like chives and mint. They didn’t really add anything to the dish.
Berkeley Mom
I added all the herbs....celery leaves, parsley, chives and mint.....For me that was what made it special.....and with the honey/shallots....divine.
Charles Pascual
Terrific dish! Followed the recipe as written - only reduced the quantities to serve two. Everything works - don't leave anything out. This is a keeper - we'll make this again.
Sarah
This is splendid.
mitra
Is it possible to make this in slow cooker instead of oven?
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