Beer Braised Short Ribs

Beer Braised Short Ribs cook low and slow in dark beer, beef stock, and seasonings. They’re so flavorful, tender, juicy, and tasty!!

Author: Donna Elick

Servings:

Prep Time15

Cook Time3 30

Total Time3 45

Ingredients

2 pounds beef short ribs
salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
2 carrots chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
2 cups beef stock
12 ounces of dark beer such as stout or porter
2 tablespoons honey
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour optional, for thickening

Instructions

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Pat in the salt and pepper on all sides.
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs on all four sides until browned, about 2-3 minutes per larger side and 1-2 minutes on the smaller sides. A nice crust should form on all sides. Remove the ribs and set them aside.
In the same pot, add chopped onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 4-5 minutes.
Return the short ribs to the pot. Pour in the beef broth and beer. Add honey, rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce. The liquid should cover the ribs up to the top, adjust liquid as necessary. Bring the liquid to a simmer.
Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Let the ribs braise for about 3-4 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bones.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can remove the ribs from the pot once they are cooked and simmer the sauce on the stovetop. Mix 2 tablespoons of flour with a bit of water to form a slurry, then whisk it into the sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5-10 minutes.
Serve the beer braised short ribs hot, garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs if desired. They pair wonderfully with mashed potatoes to soak up the delicious sauce.

Notes

Choose a dark beer with rich flavors like stout or porter. The beer will add depth and complexity to the braising liquid. I used Guinness for this recipe.

Braising the short ribs low and slow in the oven ensures they become tender and flavorful. Patience is key to achieving melt-in-your-mouth ribs.

The flour slurry is optional, but it can help to thicken the sauce if desired. Adjust the thickness according to your preference.

I recommend checking in at the 2 hour mark on the liquid level. If it has reduced too quickly, add more in, a mixture of both broth and beer. It doesn’t need to be covered to the top as some evaporation will occur, but there should still be about half or more.

For this recipe I used bone-in ribs, however you can use boneless and this may affect the cooking time. You will need to check in and see how the ribs are doing periodically

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