Braised short ribs usually take a very long time to reach tenderness. But there’s no need to devote an entire day to cooking these ribs. You won’t believe how quickly they become tender and succulent—about 2 hours start to finish. This is definitely a hearty meal for the cooler months, when the hot oven will feel good.
Ingredients:
- 12 short ribs, about 3½ pounds)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, cut into medium dice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
- 1½ cups each red wine and chicken broth
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes
Adjust rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.
Toss short ribs evenly with oil and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Meanwhile heat a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or soup kettle over medium-high heat. Working in two batches to avoid overcrowding, add short ribs to hot pan. Cook each batch, turning only once, until well-browned on each side, 5 to 6 minutes.
Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan. Add onion; sauté until lightly brown and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; sauté until fragrant, about a minute. Stir in flour, then wine, followed by chicken broth and tomatoes.
Return short ribs to the pot and bring to a simmer. Place a sheet of heavy-duty foil over pot. Use a potholder to press down foil so that it touches stew. Seal foil completely around edges. Place lid snugly on pot. Place pot in oven and cook until ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, about 1½ hours.
