If Michelin inspectors came for Sunday dinner, this is what I'd serve. While most short rib recipes stop at a simple red wine braise, we take it a step further. We combine the fall-apart tenderness of a French braise with the sticky, smoky finish of a Dark Chocolate BBQ Glaze.
It may sound unusual, but 70% dark chocolate functions more as a flavor enhancer than a sweet ingredient. It deepens the sauce and creates a glossy, rich coating that other recipes cannot match.
Whether you cook this low and slow for 12 hours or use the faster 4-hour method, the result is the same. Gorgeous, succulently juicy, braised beef short ribs. The kind that would make the signature dish list in a top quality restaurant.
Now you can have that same luxury in the comfort of your own home for way less money. It's perfect to make ahead for large family gatherings, and a crowd pleaser served with creamy mashed potatoes.
Jump to:
Ingredients
You don't need the most expensive ingredients to make this work, but you do need the right ones.
The Beef: Bone-In Short Ribs
Short ribs come from the "chuck" or "plate" section of the cow. For this recipe, look for bone-in short ribs. The bones insulate the meat during the long cook, keeping it moist.
If you can, buy Black Angus or beef with good marbling. Look for white flecks of fat running through the red meat. As the ribs braise, that fat renders down and bastes the meat from the inside out.
- Substitute: You can use boneless short ribs, but check them 45 minutes earlier as they cook faster.
The Wine(optional): Dry Red
You do not need a $50 bottle of wine. A decent bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Shiraz works perfectly. The only rule is to avoid "sweet" reds. We want a dry wine because we are reducing it to a syrup. If the wine is too sweet to start, the reduction will taste like candy.
- Alcohol-Free: If you don't consume alcohol-based products, replace the red wine with additional beef stock and a splash of balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce to add acidity.
Chocolate BBQ Glaze: The secret ingredient
I have a dedicated recipe for this barbecue sauce. But, for your convenience, I'll show you how to make it right here in this post.
The key is 70% cocoa solids (or higher). Do not use milk chocolate or a candy bar. The bitterness of dark chocolate balances the brown sugar and tomato paste, giving the BBQ sauce a deep, glossy finish that tastes savory rather than sweet. Combined with Kecap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce), it creates a sticky, umami-rich coating that standard BBQ sauce cannot match.
- Aromatics - We use a classic French mirepoix with carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. These form the base of the braise.
- Beef stock - You can use either homemade or store-bought. I do not recommend using water, as it will dilute the flavor. If you can't find beef stock or don't want to make it, then at least use chicken stock.
- Spices - Bay leaf and coriander are optional additions. I like adding them to layer the flavors. They won't be individually recognizable in the final dish, but they add complexity.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Sear the meat: Preheat your oven to 150°C (302°F). Season the short ribs generously with sea salt. Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs aggressively on all sides. You are looking for a deep, dark mahogany crust-not grey or pale brown. This Maillard reaction is the foundation of your sauce.
- Cook aromatics: Remove the ribs and set aside. Pour off most of the fat, leaving a few tablespoons in the pot. Add the sliced onions and cook over medium heat until soft and slightly caramelized. Scrape the bottom of the pan to lift the "fond" (brown bits). Add the carrots, celery, and the halved head of garlic. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 60 seconds until it turns brick red. Take care not to let the bottom catch.
- Wine Reduction: Pour in the red wine. Do not skip this step: Simmer the wine until it has reduced by 90%. It should look like a thick, purple syrup and leave a trail when you drag a spoon through it. This removes the harsh acidity and intensifies the color.
- Add the stock: Return the ribs to the pot. Add the bay leaves, ground coriander, and enough beef stock to almost cover the meat. The tops of the ribs should just barely peek out of the liquid.
- Braise: Cut a circle of parchment paper (a cartouche) and place it directly on the surface of the liquid. This traps steam against the meat, preventing the tops from drying out. Cover with the pot lid and cook in the oven for 3.5 to 4 hours.
- Making the Glaze: While the beef cooks, combine the barbecue sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until the chocolate melts and the sauce is glossy. Set aside until needed.
- The doneness Test: Check the ribs after 3 hours. The meat should be "fork tender"-yielding to pressure but not collapsing. If it is still tough, cook for longer.
- Gravy: Remove the ribs carefully. Strain the braising liquid through a sieve. Skim the excess fat. Simmer the liquid until it reduces by half. Season with a touch of lemon juice, and season as needed. Thicken with a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water). Whisk and simmer until thickened.
- Glazing: Increase the oven temperature to 230°C (445°F). Place the ribs on a roasting tray and brush them liberally with the Chocolate BBQ Glaze.
- Final Roast: Roast for 3-5 minutes. The sugars in the glaze will bubble and caramelize, creating a sticky, charred finish. Serve immediately with the gravy and mashed potatoes.
Watch how to make it
If you want to see the full process in detail, watch the video below. I walk you through the entire process, including the specific "jiggle" you are looking for when the meat is done.
Pro Tips
- Control the Salt: We only season the meat at the very beginning. This is critical because the braising liquid significantly reduces to create the sauce. If you season the liquid heavily at the start, the final gravy will be inedible. Only adjust the seasoning at the very end after the sauce has reduced.
- The Sear vs. The Burn: Give the ribs a hard sear to build a mahogany crust, but be careful not to burn them or the fond (brown bits) in the pan. A braise is a layered dish. If you introduce burnt flavors at the start, they will carry through to the final result and ruin the sauce.
- The Syrup Stage: When reducing the red wine, do not stop until it is a thick syrup. This removes the harsh acidity and tartness, leaving a mellow base. If you skip this, the final sauce will be off balance.
- Use a Cartouche: Place a circle of parchment paper directly on the surface of the liquid. This small detail keeps the moisture and temperature balance exactly right, preventing the meat from drying out while allowing the sauce to thicken.
- Skim Gently: When skimming the fat after the braise, use a ladle. You want to remove the clear layer of oil on top without ladling out the dark, rich sauce sitting beneath it. A little bit of fat is good and also desirable.
- Watch the Glaze: The chocolate BBQ glaze contains sugars that burn rapidly under high heat. During the final roast at 230°C, do not walk away. Once the glaze starts to char and looks leathery and shiny, it is ready.
Alternative cooking methods
While the oven is the gold standard for evaporation and sauce concentration, you can achieve excellent results with other methods if you follow one rule: Do not skip the sear or the wine reduction.
- Slow Cooker: Do not skip the sear. Brown the ribs and reduce the wine on the stovetop first. Slow cookers cannot replicate the Maillard reaction or evaporate alcohol acidity. Add solids and liquids to the cooker. Cook on Low for 8 hours. Transfer liquid to a pan and boil to reduce before glazing.
- Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot): Use Sauté mode to brown meat and reduce wine. Add stock/herbs. Cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes. Allow a Natural Release for 15 minutes. Quick-releasing causes moisture to flash-boil within the muscle fibers, seizing the meat.
- Sous Vide: Seal seared ribs with the reduced wine sauce. Cook at 85°C (185°F) for 12 hours. This time/temperature combination maximizes gelatin conversion without drying out the muscle. Finish by glazing in a 230°C (450°F) oven for 5 minutes.
- Stovetop: If an oven is unavailable, simmer gently on the lowest setting with a tight-fitting lid for 2.5 - 3 hours. Flip the ribs every 45 minutes to ensure even heat distribution and prevent scorching.
Substitutions
- Meat - If you can not find short rib, you can still use this recipe to get fantastic braised meat. Use beef chuck, shoulder, or beef shin, for example. Any tough cut of beef that requires extended cooking will work.
- Wine - Dry red wine gives this dish a distinctive color and flavor, but if you don't consume alcohol, simply use it for beef stock and add a small amount of vinegar to mimic the flavor.
- Smoke liquid - Liquid smoke is simply smoked water. However, it's not sold in every country. To replace it, you can use a store-bought smoky barbecue sauce. Those contain the liquid as an ingredient.
- Kecap manis - a sweet Indonesian soy sauce. Also not sold worldwide, which is why I made a homemade kecap manis recipe.
Equipment
For the oven braise method, you need a heavy-bottomed cast-iron casserole dish. We've also looked at how to cook it sous vide, in a pressure cooker, and in a crock pot.
Storage and reheating
If you make this ahead of time, cool it down, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
Reheat it gently in the oven in a covered dish, adding a splash of beef stock to prevent it from drying out.
FAQ
Cook them for longer. It takes time for the collagen to break down between the muscle fibres.
Yes, check the doneness 45 minutes earlier. Boneless ribs take less time to cook.
Yes, you can conveniently cook it low and slow overnight at 85°C/185°F for 10 to 12 hours.
Lower-quality, or non-marbled beef, can have a gamey flavor. Choose USDA prime beef for the best results. If you cannot find it, marinade the short rib in vinegar for an hour, then rinse it off before cooking to minimise the gamey flavor.
Potato sides to serve with short ribs
Related recipes
If you found this post helpful or have learned something, please comment, subscribe, and follow me on social media for more delicious recipes.
Recipe
Braised Beef Short Rib
Ingredients
Short rib
- 2 kg (6 ⅙ cups) beef short ribs - Bone-in, English Cut
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) salt
- 2 tablespoon (2 tablespoon) olive oil - extra virgin
- 2 (2) large onions - sliced
- 2 (2) large carrots - roughly chopped
- 2 (2) celery sticks - roughly chopped
- 1 (1) head garlic - halved horizontally
- 50 g (3 ⅛ tablespoon) tomato paste
- 750 ml (750 ml) dry red wine
- 2 liters (2 liters) beef stock
- 5 (5) bay leaves - Optional
- 4 grams (2 teaspoon) ground coriander - Optional
BBQ Glaze
- 225 g (1 cup) Tomato Ketchup
- 90 g (⅖ cup) Kecap Manis - Indonesian Sweet Soy
- 50 g (2 ⅘ tablespoon) Dark Soy Sauce
- 50 g (¼ cup) Brown Sugar
- 25 g (1 ⅔ tablespoon) Dark Chocolate - 70% Cocoa Solids
- 25 g (1 ½ tablespoon) Worcestershire Sauce
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) Liquid Smoke
- 5 g (1 ¼ teaspoon) Tabasco Sauce
- 4 g (1 ⅓ teaspoon) Garlic Powder
- 4 g (2 teaspoon) Ginger Powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F).
- Season ribs with salt. Heat oil in a heavy pot over high heat. Brown ribs aggressively on all sides (3-4 min). Remove and set aside.
- Sauté onion in the same pot (medium heat) until soft. Add carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook 2 mins. Stir in tomato paste, cook 1 min.
- Add wine and boil rapidly until it becomes a thick syrup (reduces by 90%). Do not skip this step.
- Return beef to pot. Add stock, bay leaves, and coriander. Liquid should almost cover meat.
- Cover with parchment paper and lid. Braise in oven for 3.5 - 4 hours until meat is fork-tender.
- Make Glaze: Meanwhile, whisk all glaze ingredients (except chocolate) in a small saucepan. Simmer 2 mins. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate until glossy.
- Strain Sauce: Remove ribs carefully. Strain liquid into a jug (discard veggies). Skim off the oil layer. Pour sauce back into pot and simmer until reduced by half. Thicken with cornstarch if needed.
- Glaze & Bake: Increase oven to 230°C (450°F). Brush ribs generously with Chocolate Glaze. Bake 5-8 mins until sticky and charred. Serve with the reduction sauce.
Video
Notes
- Buying Guide - Short ribs shrink significantly as the fat renders and the bone releases. Plan for approximately 350g (12 oz) of bone-in weight per person. If you are serving big eaters, aim for 500g (1.1 lbs). You can also use any other beef stewing meat for this recipe if you can't find short ribs. Chuck roast, shoulder, beef shin, are but a few alternatives.
- The "Jiggle" Test (Doneness) - Don't rely solely on time. The ribs are ready when the collagen has fully converted to gelatin. The meat should yield to a fork with zero resistance, but shouldn't completely fall apart when lifted. If it's tough, it simply needs more time-put it back until it yields. The perfect doneness is when the meat is soft to the touch but does not completely fall apart without holding itself together.
- Why Chocolate? We use 70% Dark Chocolate not for sweetness, but for gloss and depth of flavor.
- Make-Ahead - Like a stew, this dish improves after 24 hours. Braise the meat a day in advance and chill it in the liquid. The fat will solidify at the top (making it easy to remove), and the meat will reabsorb the juices. Reheat gently before glazing.
- Family Friendly - Do not worry about serving this to children. The rapid 10-minute reduction followed by the 4-hour braise evaporates 99% of the alcohol, leaving behind only the savory depth, not the booze.
- Alcohol-Free Substitution To skip the wine - Use an extra 500ml of beef stock mixed with 3 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar.
- Alternative Cooking methods:
- Slow Cooker: Must sear ribs and reduce wine on stovetop first (essential for flavor). Add to cooker with stock/herbs. Cook Low for 8 hours. Transfer liquid to pan to thicken at the end.
- Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot): Sear and reduce wine using Sauté mode. Cook High Pressure 45 mins, natural release 15 mins. Remove ribs, switch back to Sauté to reduce sauce.
- Stovetop: Simmer gently on lowest heat, covered, for 2.5 - 3 hours. Flip ribs every 45 mins.
- Sous Vide: Bag seared ribs with reduced wine sauce. Cook 85°C (185°F) for 12 hours. Finish with glaze in hot oven.
- Pot Size - If your Dutch oven is too wide, the liquid won't cover the meat, leading to dry ribs. If the liquid level is below halfway up the beef, transfer everything to a smaller casserole dish before baking.
- Sauce too salty - Reduction concentrates salt. If your gravy is too salty, add a splash of water and a squeeze of lemon juice. Do not oversalt the meat when searing.
- Glaze burning - The sugar content in the glaze is high. Watch the final roast like a hawk-it goes from "charred" to "burnt" in seconds.
-
Serving Suggestions:
- Classic: Serve over Creamy Mashed Potatoes to soak up the reduction gravy.
- Low Carb: These ribs are incredibly rich. Serve over Cauliflower Mash or with a sharp Green Salad to cut through the fat.
- Nutrition - This is the nutritional value if all the sauce and fat were eaten. The true calories per braised piece of meat is much lower.
Nutrition
This site contains affiliate links. I may earn a tiny commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. By bookmarking these links you help support the upkeep of this site.
Comments
No Comments