These melt-in-your-mouth Guinness Braised Short Ribs are hearty, super comforting and incredibly delicious, slowly cooked in stout, beef broth and lots of fresh herbs. They really are fall-off-the-bone deliciousness!
If I were to pick my favorite type of dish when it comes to winter comfort, these Guinness braised short ribs is what I would go for. For me, these are the epitome of comfort. These melt-in-your-mouth short ribs served over creamy mashed potatoes; life couldn’t get any better. These ribs are to die for, intense in flavor, so meaty and succulent. If you love beef, you will love my recipe. We’re talking beef and beer. I know it sounds more like guy food, but ladies, forget about salads for a moment and make these, you will not regret it.
I will tell you though that this is not a quick recipe, braising meat takes a long time, you have to slowly cook the meat until it falls off the bone. However, it’s still really easy to put together, then just place the pot in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours and you can go watch a movie while waiting for your ribs.
What Is Braising
While braising takes a long time, it is such a simple technique and one so worth all the waiting time. There are 4 simple steps to braising any type of meat.
- Sear the meat.
- Saute the mirepoix (onions, celery, carrots, etc.)
- Deglaze the pot
- Braise it!
It really is that simple. The end result, my friends, is fall-off-the-bone tender, succulent meat. That’s all. This is my secret I pass on to you.
What Is The Difference Between Braising And Stewing?
Both braising and stewing require a long time, but do you ever wonder what the difference is? I usually wonder about these things, don’t you? The answer, peeps, is in the amount of liquid you use.
While braising only requires the food (meat) to be partially submerged in cooking liquid, stewing requires the meat in this case, to be fully submerged in liquid. There you go, another secret I passed on to you.
Ingredients
Here’s what ingredients you’ll need for this delicious dish:
- Flour
- Salt & pepper
- Beef short ribs
- Olive oil
- Onions
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic
- Tomato paste
- Guinness stout
- Beef Broth
- Liquid Smoke
- Fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and parsley
How To Make Braised Short Ribs
As I mentioned there are 4 steps to braising any type of meat and this applies to these short ribs.
Sear the meat: Dredge the short ribs first in a bit of seasoned flour with salt and pepper, then sear them in a large Dutch oven or braiser to lock in those flavors and sear some of that fat so it crisps up a bit. Transfer the ribs to a plate and set aside.
Saute the mirepoix: Add the onions, carrot, celery, garlic to the braiser and saute them for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onion has softened and the garlic is aromatic.
Deglaze the pot: Stir in the tomato paste and add in the Guinness, broth, liquid smoke, spices and stir everything, scraping up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
Braise: Add the short ribs back to the braiser, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours at 375 F degrees, or until the ribs fall off the bone.
What Are Short Ribs
Short ribs are a cut of beef taken from the brisket, chuck, plate or rib areas of beef. They are the equivalent of spare ribs in pork. Beef short ribs are usually larger and meatier than pork spare ribs.
What Can I Use Instead Of Guinness
Guinness is a classic Irish stout with a deep dark brown color topped with a rich, dense head when poured. While the color may intimidate you, the flavor is surprisingly light. It’s a velvety smooth treat! If you would like to substitute the beer in this recipe, I would try to stick to Irish stouts.
Another great way to braise short ribs is to use a red wine such as a Cabarnet Sauvignon, Shiraz or a Zinfandel.
How To Serve
In my humble opinion the best way to serve these short ribs is over mashed potatoes. Yeah you could probably get away with serving these over some pasta or with a salad, but nothing tastes as good as hot succulent short ribs over mashed potatoes drenched in some of that wonderful sauce you get from slow cooking the ribs. Another way I love to serve them is over some creamy polenta!
Hands down my favorite comfort meal. No other cut of beef has their rich flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture. So worth the wait of braising them!
Leftovers
Store leftover short ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Freezing
You can also freeze these ribs, also stored in an airtight container or freezer bags. They will last in the freezer, if properly stored, for up to 2 months.
More great recipes to try:
- Skillet Shepherd’s Pie
- Moussaka
- Crockpot Cabbage Rolls
- Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
- Instant Pot BBQ Pork Ribs
- Korean BBQ Ribs
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Guinness Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 4 pound beef short ribs
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 large carrot chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 440 ml Guinness stout (1 can)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke I used Mesquite
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees.
- Prepare short ribs: In a shallow plate whisk together the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the short ribs through the flour mixture, making sure all sides are covered in flour.
- Sear short ribs on all sides: In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ribs, only half of them at a time, do not over crowd them and sear them on all sides, about 3 to 4 min per side until browned. Repeat with remaining ribs. Remove the ribs from the pot and set aside.
- Saute veggies: In the same pot add the onions, carrot, celery, garlic and saute for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion has softened and the garlic is aromatic.
- Deglaze the pot: Stir in the tomato paste. Add the Guinness stout, beef broth, liquid smoke, rosemary and thyme to the pot and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Add the short ribs back to the pot and cover with a lid.
- Transfer to the oven and braise: Place the pot in the oven and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the ribs fall off the bone.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the rosemary and thyme from the pot, then garnish with parsley. Serve hot over mashed potatoes.
Amazing! I had never cooked ribs or braised anything. This turned out sooo good! The ribs really fell off the bone! Everyone enjoyed. Time consuming recipe but so worth it!
We are so happy you enjoyed them!
Hi Jo! What cut of beef short ribs do you use? I called a butcher shop and they asked me “english” vs. “flanken”? thanks!
These are called english short ribs. 🙂
This is to die for. Wish short ribs were a little more affordable so I could have them more often. Seriously good!!
This is definitely a go to food when I have short ribs in the house. Over mashed potatoes makes it even better. Quick and easy to prepare. Most of the work is done long before its ready, so its perfect for serving to company.
Potatoes are a must! We’re so glad you love these.
Can this be done in a slow cooker and be just as good ?
Yes, for sure. I would still do the first 3 steps, sear the meat, saute the mirepoix, deglaze the pot, and then add everything to the slow cooker and I would cook on low for about 8 hours. If you try it, let me know how they turn out. 🙂
This looks amazing. Can’t wait to try it. Can I leave out the liquid smoke? Or is there anything else I can replace it with?
I love all your recipes. I get so many compliments when I make them
You can leave it out if you’d like! Smoked paprika would be a good substitute.
Rich, tasty and incredible with mashed potatoes. HUGE hit with the family and great dish to end the winter season.
I am going to make this in my Instant Pot next weekend…….probably timing it as a beef stew….will let you all know how it turns out
This is a absolute great way to do short ribs. If you do boneless ribs be sure to go lower and slower, as boneless ribs are not really ribs but from the shoulder area. Treat boneless cuts as if you were cooking a Boston Butt.