This post may contain affiliate links.
Boneless Short Ribs are the cozy, fall apart tender dinner I braise when I want something that tastes fancy with barely any effort, and the house smelled incredible the first time I made them on a cold Sunday with the family hovering around the stove. Seared then slow simmered in a rich red wine and herb sauce, they melt over a pile of mashed potatoes. If you love an easy beef dinner, our Mississippi steak bites are another comfort food win.
A quick sear and a low slow braise turn budget friendly Boneless Short Ribs into the most tender, restaurant worthy dinner.
Boneless Short Ribs Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 2 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 169kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Rich, savory, and fall apart tender with red wine, herbs, and deep beefy flavor
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a simple sear and braise like our Mississippi cubed steaks
Quick Answer
To make Boneless Short Ribs, pat them dry, season with salt and pepper, and sear on all sides in a Dutch oven until browned. Saute onion, garlic, and carrot, stir in tomato paste, then deglaze with red wine and add beef broth, Worcestershire, and herbs. Return the ribs to the pot, cover, and simmer low for about 2 hours until fork tender, then serve over mashed potatoes or polenta.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Searing builds deep flavor. Browning the Boneless Short Ribs first creates a savory crust and the fond that flavors the whole braise.
- Tomato paste adds richness. Cooking the tomato paste with the vegetables deepens the sauce with savory, slightly sweet umami.
- Red wine deglazes and adds depth. Scraping up the browned bits with wine pulls all that flavor into the sauce for a restaurant quality braise.
- Low and slow makes them tender. A gentle two hour simmer breaks down the connective tissue so the Boneless Short Ribs turn meltingly tender.
- Boneless is easy to serve. Without bones, the short ribs are simple to portion and serve over potatoes or pasta with no waste.
- One pot, big payoff. Everything cooks in a single Dutch oven, so cleanup is easy and the flavor is huge.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Melt in your mouth tender. A slow braise makes these Boneless Short Ribs fall apart with a fork.
- Tastes fancy, easy to make. A simple sear and simmer delivers restaurant quality results at home.
- Pure comfort food. Rich, saucy, and cozy, perfect over mashed potatoes like our loaded mashed potatoes.
Key Ingredients
These Boneless Short Ribs use simple ingredients that build a rich, savory braise. Here are the key players.
- Boneless beef short ribs: The star. They turn meltingly tender after a low, slow braise.
- Red wine and beef broth: The braising liquid that becomes a rich, deeply flavored sauce.
- Onion, garlic, and carrot: Aromatic vegetables that build the savory base of the braise.
- Tomato paste and Worcestershire: Add umami depth and a savory backbone to the sauce.
- Fresh thyme and rosemary: Earthy herbs that infuse the short ribs as they simmer.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These Boneless Short Ribs are easy to make your own. Try these ideas.
- Bone in version: Prefer the bone? Try our braised beef short ribs on the bone.
- No wine: Skip the red wine and use extra beef broth with a splash of balsamic.
- Slow cooker: Sear first, then transfer everything to a slow cooker and braise on low for 7 to 8 hours.
- Add mushrooms: Saute sliced mushrooms with the vegetables for extra savory depth.
- Thicker gravy: Remove the ribs and simmer the sauce, or whisk in a cornstarch slurry.
- Serve it different: Spoon the short ribs over polenta, egg noodles, or rice.
How to Make Boneless Short Ribs
- Pat the boneless short ribs dry, season generously with salt and pepper, and sear on all sides in olive oil until browned, then set aside.
- Lower the heat and saute the onion, garlic, and carrot for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
- Pour in the red wine, scraping up the browned bits, then add the beef broth, Worcestershire, thyme, and rosemary.
- Return the short ribs to the pot, partially submerged, and add the herbs.
- Cover and simmer for about 2 hours until fork tender, then discard the herb stems and serve over mashed potatoes.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Pat the ribs dry. Dry meat sears better, giving the Boneless Short Ribs a deep brown crust.
- Do not crowd the pan. Sear in batches if needed so the ribs brown instead of steaming.
- Scrape up the fond. Those browned bits are pure flavor, so deglaze well with the wine.
- Keep it at a low simmer. A gentle simmer, not a boil, keeps the short ribs tender and juicy.
- Make it ahead. Braised Boneless Short Ribs taste even better the next day as the flavors meld.
- Skim the fat. Spoon off excess fat from the sauce before serving for a cleaner, richer gravy.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Boneless Short Ribs are the ultimate comfort food dinner, best spooned over a big mound of creamy mashed potatoes with plenty of that rich sauce. Polenta, egg noodles, or rice all soak up the gravy beautifully too.
Round out the plate with a simple vegetable side. They are wonderful next to our green bean stir fry or some crispy smashed potatoes.
This is a perfect special occasion or Sunday supper main. Add a glass of the same red wine you braised with and some crusty bread to mop up every last bit of sauce.
Boneless Short Ribs FAQs
Boneless Short Ribs are beef short ribs with the bone removed, or a similar well marbled cut from the chuck. They have rich, beefy flavor and turn fork tender when braised low and slow.
Yes. Sear the short ribs and build the sauce on the stove first, then transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours until the Boneless Short Ribs are fork tender.
No. The red wine adds depth, but you can leave it out and use extra beef broth with a splash of balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire for richness in your Boneless Short Ribs.
Boneless Short Ribs are classic over mashed potatoes, polenta, egg noodles, or rice to soak up the sauce. Add a green vegetable or salad to round out the meal.
Store Boneless Short Ribs in their sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave. They taste even better the next day.
Yes. Cool completely, then freeze the short ribs in their sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently so they stay tender.
Craving more cozy beef dinners? Try our Mississippi steak bites next.
Craving something cozy? Our slow simmered Pork Stew is pure comfort.
Round out a meat lovers menu with grilled steaks using our ribeye steak marinade.
Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs
Ingredients
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small carrot diced (optional)
- ½ cup 120 ml beef broth
- ½ cup 120 ml red wine (optional, for depth)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- Fresh thyme and fresh rosemary or ½ tsp dried each
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Pat the boneless short ribs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, then remove and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, garlic, and carrot. Cook about 5 minutes until softened, then stir in the tomato paste and cook 2 more minutes.
- Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, and simmer 3 minutes. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary, and stir to combine.
- Return the short ribs to the pot, partially submerged in the liquid. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until fork tender.
- Discard the thyme and rosemary stems and serve the short ribs over mashed potatoes, pasta, or polenta.
Notes
- Room temperature meat sears better. Pull ribs from fridge 20 minutes early.
- Scrape the bottom of the pan after wine goes in; those brown bits equal flavor.
- If sauce seems thin at the end, remove ribs and simmer liquid uncovered 10 minutes.
- Taste, then salt. Beef stock brands vary in sodium.
- Skim fat with a spoon or chill and lift the solidified layer. Your waistline will thank you.
- Serve over starches that soak up gravy: mashed potatoes, polenta, buttered noodles, or crusty bread.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
Follow @ThisSillyGirlsKitchen on Instagram and @danadevolk on Pinterest for more!
Incredible recipe – we had so much fun making it!