Boneless beef short ribs are an inexpensive cut and easy to prepare when braised, and will deliver stunning results. This cut has a beautiful marbling of fat intertwined within the meat, which melts during cooking guaranteeing moist, tender melt-in-your-mouth texture and a rich, flavorful pan sauce. Be sure to choose thick, meaty ribs because they will shrink down while cooking, and I recommend skimming off some of the fat that will render out.

In this recipe, I’ve braised my short ribs in a cabernet wine with fresh herbs, and of course, the holy trinity of carrots, celery, and onions. I like to top my ribs with a piquillo pepper tomato sauce that’s something like a Romesco minus the almonds. The combination of sweet tomatoes and peppers with a touch of spicy heat pairs wonderfully with the cabernet-braised beef. Spoon the sauce liberally on top of the short ribs just before serving.

Red Wine Braised Boneless Short Ribs with Piquillo Tomato Sauce

Ingredients
2 lbs. (6-8) boneless beef short ribs
4 carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
2 medium yellow onions, finely diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 heaping tablespoons Better than Bouillon roasted beef base, dissolved in
5 cups hot water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups cabernet red wine
2-3 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
7 springs fresh parsley (stems/leaves)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil, for browning ribs
Flour to dredge the beef
Freshly cracked black pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 300’F

Heat a large cast-iron dutch oven or large, lidded pan over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, pepper ribs liberally before dredging in flour. When the pan is hot, add oil to the pan and when it starts to shimmer, add ribs a few at a time, turning to brown on all sides. After the meat has been seared, transfer to a plate. Add butter to the pan along with onions, carrots, and celery. Cook on medium heat until onions begin to brown.  Add garlic and cook for two minutes, then add tomato paste, wine, and beef stock while stirring to combine. Add fresh thyme, parsley, and bay leaves. Return the ribs to the pot and cover, place in preheated oven and braise until beef becomes tender about three hours. Remove pot from oven and skim the fat before serving. Plat ribs on a bed of mashed potatoes and top with a generous streak of piquillo sauce.

Piquillo Tomato Sauce

Ingredients
1-pint grape or cherry tomatoes
8 piquillo peppers, thinly sliced, from a jar or the olive bar (these are brined in vinegar).
*If you can’t find piquillo peppers, you can use a 12oz jar of roasted red peppers in water, drained.)
1 tablespoon capers, drained
7 large green olives, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup cabernet wine
1 small shallot, minced
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo dried pepper flakes (red chili flakes will work as well)

Preparation

Heat a saucepan on medium and add the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook until translucent. Add the peppers, capers, olives, garlic, and tomatoes to the pot, simmer for 15 minutes until tomatoes break down. Add red wine and pepper flakes, stirring to combine. Simmer an additional 10 minutes. Serve on top of the short ribs.