Fall-off-the-bone tender, these Beer Braised Short Ribs are slow-cooked in the oven for maximum flavor. If you’ve only ever made short ribs with wine, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. Serve with creamy Garlic Confit Mashed Potatoes or Vermicelli Rice. More Pairing and menu ideas below!
If you like braised beef, also try my Braised Chuck Roast and Pasta alla Genovese recipes!
Beer Braised Short Ribs: Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 30 mins
Servings
4 People
Calories*
695 kcal
Difficulty
Easy
Main Ingredients
Short ribs, dark beer, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, herbs and spices.
Technique
Searing the beef, sautéing the aromatics, building the braising base, and braising the meat.
*Calories are estimated
5-Star Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I really enjoyed this meal. The addition of the beer adds a nice richness and it was delicious with creamy mashed potatoes. I added a side of broccoli to complete it.” – Liz
Table of Contents
Why My Recipe Works
- Mostly hands-off: Sear the ribs and build the braising liquid on the stovetop, then let the oven do the rest.
- A good fit for cooler weather: A long, gentle braise turns a hearty cut of beef into a warming fall or winter dinner.
- Tested and reliable: Groceries can be expensive! All my Main Dish recipes are tested by me, my team or recipe testers before posting.
Ingredients
Everything used in this recipe is easy to find at any grocery store. Ask the butcher or person working at the meat counter to cut the short ribs into smaller pieces before wrapping them up to make things go a bit faster at home. Here is what you will need:
- Beef Ribs: Chuck short ribs will be the most common cut available and work perfectly for this recipe. You can also use plate short ribs, but they’re harder to find. If you like short ribs, try my Short Rib Ragu and Pomegranate Short Ribs recipes too!
- Tomatoes: Canned crushed tomatoes are great. But you can also use my more savory Roasted Tomato Sauce or even Homemade Marinara Sauce.
- Beer: Guinness is going to be the easiest dark beer to find in most places, and it works perfectly, but another stout beer can be substituted. You can use a 0% beer if you prefer to keep this alcohol free, or use a rich beef broth instead.
- Herbs: For the herb bundle, woody herbs like rosemary and thyme are ideal. Top with parsley for a bit of extra color and flavor, and include it in the herb bundle as well if you’d like.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Beer Braised Short Rib Recipe
These ribs take about three and a half hours to make from start to finish, but only about 20-30 minutes of that is active cooking time. Sit back, relax, and enjoy your meal after the braising is finished.
Step 1. Preheat Oven and Sear Ribs. Preheat your oven to 300F/150C. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and sear on all sides. Don’t crowd the pot (Image 1). Transfer seared short ribs to a plate.
Step 2. Cook the Aromatics. Add the diced carrots, celery, onion and garlic to the same pot and cook until softened (Image 2).
Step 3. Cook the Tomato Paste. Add the tomato paste along with the garlic powder then cook for another couple of minutes (Image 3).
Step 4. Add Back the Ribs. Transfer the ribs back to the pot (Image 4).
Step 5. Add the Liquids. Add the beer, crushed tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce (Image 5).
Step 6. Add the Herbs. Add the herb bundle and bay leaves (Image 6).
Step 7. Braise. Cook the ribs for about 2½ to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender (Image 7).
Step 8. Garnish and Serve. Top with fresh parsley and serve with any sides you like (Image 8).
Pairing and Menu Ideas
While you can go for a more old-fashioned meal with classic meat and potatoes, it’s not the only option!
For a classic dinner, I like to serve the ribs with my Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes or Garlic Confit Mashed Potatoes. For a vegetable side, try my Roasted Cabbage Wedges with Tahini and Chili Crisp or Braised Cabbage with White Beans.
If you like rice, pair the ribs with my Vermicelli Rice (Lebanese Rice), Mediterranean Yellow Rice Recipe (with Turmeric), Middle Eastern Vegetable Rice Pilaf or even Spanakorizo (Greek Style Rice with Spinach).
A nice lemony salad would also help counter the richness of the short ribs. Purple Cabbage Slaw with Apples and Walnuts, No Mayo Coleslaw with Lemon Sumac Dressing, Maroulosalata (Classic Greek Lettuce Salad), or Kale Chickpea Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing would work nicely.
Expert Tips
Braised short ribs are easy to make at home if you follow the recipe and check through all the notes and tips listed here.
- Use a braiser or Dutch oven: while a braiser is the ideal option due to the low sides (meaning a lower risk of steaming when you want to sear the meat) a Dutch oven is a good option due to the thick, insulating walls.
- For a slow cooker: these are best made in the oven, but the ribs can also be cooked in a slow cooker or crock pot. The timing will need to be adjusted, depending on whether you use a high or low setting. I have made this recipe with the low setting on a full 8 hour cycle. Be sure to sear the meat and cook the vegetables beforehand in a separate pan if necessary.
- Cutting the ribs: you might want to ask your butcher to cut the short ribs into the cubes when buying them if you don’t have a sharp enough knife for it.
- Don’t crowd the pot: if you add too many short ribs at once while searing them, they’ll end up steaming rather than browning due to the high moisture content. Do this in batches if needed.
- Make them ahead: short ribs are very rich due to the high fat content in the meat. To reduce this, make them ahead of time (see above for how) and skim the fat before serving. This lightens them up a bit but doesn’t make them any less flavorful.
Beer Braised Short Ribs Recipe FAQs
Short ribs can be made a day in advance. Simply cook according to the instructions, then cool fully before refrigerating, covered, for up to 24 hours. Skim the fat off if desired. Reheat on the stovetop at a gentle simmer until heated through.
Storage: leftovers should be placed into an airtight container, and can be refrigerated for up to four days.
Freezing: Cool fully and remove the meat from the bones. Place into an airtight container and freeze for up to three months, thawing in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Beef Recipes
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Beer Braised Short Ribs
Equipment
- Braiser or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs Beef Short Ribs – Bone in, cut into 2" pieces
- 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil – Use light olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 cup Onion (diced)
- 1 cup Celery (diced)
- 1 cup Carrot (diced)
- 4 Garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 tablespoon Tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 2 cups Crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups Dark beer
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Herb bundle (parsley, thyme, rosemary)
- 2-3 Bay leaves
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300°F/150°C.
- Season and Sear. Season short ribs with kosher salt and pepper on all sides. In a large braiser or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of light olive oil. You can also use vegetable oil. Add the short ribs and sear on all sides. Do not crowd your pot. Do this in batches if needed. Transfer seared short ribs to a plate.
- Cook the Aromatics. To the same pot, add onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Sauté on medium-high for 3-4 minutes, until the onion softens.
- Cook the Tomato Paste. Add tomato paste and garlic powder. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add Back the Ribs. Return the seared short ribs to the pot along with any juices on the plate.
- Add the Liquids. Add the beer, crushed tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the Herbs. Add the herb bundle and bay leaves.
- Braise. Bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 2 ½ to 3 hours. The meat should be tender. Cook longer if needed. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper if needed, to taste.
- Garnish and Serve. Top with fresh parsley and serve with any sides you like.
Notes
- Ribs: chuck short ribs will be the most common cut available and work perfectly for this recipe. You can also use plate short ribs, but they’re harder to find.
- Tomatoes: canned crushed tomatoes are great but if you have a lot of fresh tomatoes, you can also use fresh.
- Beer: Guinness is going to be the easiest dark beer to find in most places, and it works perfectly, but another stout beer can be substituted.
- Herbs: for the herb bundle, woody herbs like rosemary and thyme are ideal. Top with parsley for a bit of extra color and flavor, and include it in the herb bundle as well if you’d like.
- Brown the ribs in batches. Crowding the pot traps moisture and makes it harder to get a deep sear. Give each piece room, and let it brown before turning.
- Keep the pot covered while braising. A tight-fitting lid helps keep the braising environment moist. Check the ribs toward the end of the cooking time; size and shape can affect how long they take to become tender.
- Judge doneness by tenderness. The ribs are ready when a fork slides into the meat easily. If they’re still tough, they need more time in the oven.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
This recipe looks delicious! Can you use boneless short ribs for this recipe?
Yes, you can certainly use boneless.
I really enjoyed this meal. The addition of the beer adds a nice richness and it was delicious with creamy mashed potatoes. I added a side of broccoli to complete it.