Tender Slow Cooked Beef Short Ribs Braised In Beer with rich, deep flavor and meat that melts in the mouth. You can cut it with a spoon! What's more, it freezes well, so you can make it in advance.
Make these Slow Cooked Beef Short Ribs Braised In Beer for a dinner party and wait for the compliments to roll in. It's a rich, inviting, and comforting dish that also tastes elevated and decadent.
I love serving tender beer braised short ribs at dinner parties as you can make it the day before and reheat it, and it actually tastes better. You can also make it even further ahead of time and freeze it! And then it just needs defrosting and reheating before dinner. You can serve it with simple sides like root vegetable mash and some nice bread rolls to mop up all the amazing gravy. It's the ultimate comfort food.
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What kind of beer to braise short ribs?
Here are some different types of beer that you can braise short ribs in and how each will affect the taste.
- Stout: Stout is a very dark beer that is thicker than lager and ale due to the malt and smoked barley used in its brewing process. It lends a rich flavor to braised short ribs, and it is my favorite type of beer to braise beef short ribs in, but you will need to add a bit of sugar to soften it slightly. I made Guinness short ribs in this recipe.
- Ale: Ale is great for braising ribs, but avoid IPAs and anything too 'hoppy' as this can taste a bit bitter. A nutty brown ale is ideal for braising short ribs.
- Lager: Lager will have a much lighter taste and, as such, is not ideal for braising short ribs, which is a robust meat that needs something to match. I prefer to use lager for pork stews, rabbit, veal, or chicken casseroles.
Ingredients
- Beef short ribs: As always, the quality of your ingredients really matters, and you should buy the best quality beef short ribs you can find. You definitely want them on the bone, and if they are still whole, ask your butcher to cut them in half to make individual portions. I normally allow around 250g or 0.5 pounds of meat per person when it comes to weight, so for 6 guests my short ribs weighed 1.6kg (3.5 pounds).
- Beer: As I have explained above, using different beer to braise short ribs will produce a different taste. I recommend making stout braised short ribs, and I use Guinness in this recipe. It's the best beer to use, in my opinion! And it makes this an ideal beef short ribs recipe for St Patrick's Day.
- Beef stock/beef broth: You can use store-bought or homemade beef stock for the other braising liquid. If you don't have beef stock, use chicken stock or chicken broth. Buy the low-sodium varieties if getting it ready-made.
- Onion: I use white onion, but you could also use yellow onion.
- Carrots: I prefer whole carrots sliced lengthways as they are less likely to disintergrate and look better when plated, as well as adding taste and visual interest.
- Dried mixed herbs: The herbs add some depth of flavor to this dish; don't skip them!
- Bay leaves: I like to add a bay leaf to so many dishes, so I have a bay tree in my garden! But you can buy bay leaves in grocery stores, and dried bay leaves are fine.
- Brown sugar: As stout beer has a slightly bitter taste, you will need a pinch of sugar to take the edge off and balance the flavor. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
- Fresh parsley: I like to garnish with parsley; it adds a flash of green as well as elevates all the flavors.
- Salt and pepper: I like to cook with either Kosher salt or flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. I don't season meat with ground/powdered pepper as it burns easily when searing at high temperatures.
- Cooking oil: Use a neutral oil with a high flash point. I do use olive oil, but a mild one.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post to print the full quantities and step-by-step instructions on how to make beef short ribs braised in beer.
Jump to RecipeInstructions
- Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius / 320 degrees Fahrenheit. We want to cook this dish over low heat for a long time.
- Prepare all the ingredients for slow-cooked beef short ribs braised in beer.
- Blot the meat with paper towels to soak up excess moisture. The dryer they are, the better a sear you will get. If you have time, salt them and leave them uncovered in the fridge for a few hours before cooking to get a good crust.
- Peel the carrots and slice them in half vertically. Cut the onion into segments, and slice the celery into small cubes.
5. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or deep casserole pan. Season the short ribs with salt and sear on all sides to get a good sear.
6. When the short ribs have a dark sear on all sides, remove them to a plate using tongs.
7. Add the onion, celery, and a pinch of salt to help them release their liquid and deglaze the bottom of the pot. We want those brown bits! Add the herbs and flour and fry over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
8. Pour the beer and the beef stock into the pan and bring up to a slow simmer. Add the sugar and put the short ribs back in. Put the lid on and cook in the oven to slow braise for one hour.
9. Add the carrots and cook for a further 2 hours. If you have time, cool the short ribs down to room temperature and skim off the excess fat from the top of the casserole pot and then reheat.
10. To serve, remove each short rib carefully with a slotted spoon to each plate and then ladle over the sauce and vegetables.
Top tips
It is important to get a dark sear on the meat to lock in the moisture, which results in super tender beef short ribs that fall apart and melt in the mouth.
Chef's notes
I like to serve this recipe topped with chopped fresh parsley and a thyme sprig, which is a great all-round herb to garnish with, and it also adds some green to the plate. This is a great dish for St. Patrick’s Day, especially if you make it with Guinness!
Anything slow cooked has the most amazing flavor and buttery texture, and I highly recommend trying this slow cooker chicken provencal. If you're a fan of tender beef that melts in the mouth, try this sirloin tip roast slow cooker recipe, too.
Wine pairing for short ribs braised in beer
Serve a red wine like an aged Southern Rhone with braised short ribs in beer - I'll usually go with a Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and I'm drinking the 2016 vintage at the moment. It's earthy with softer tannins but has those dried herbs and leathery notes that work perfectly with slow-cooked short ribs.
Serving suggestions
In my opinion, the best way to serve this braised short rib recipe is with one of the following side dishes:
- Mashed potato - My personal favorite. A mound of butter mashed potato is, for me personally, the best side dish for short ribs in beer.
- Mashed swede and parsnip - I also like other root vegetables mashed together, like swede and parsnip.
- Creamy polenta - Or, for a different texture, try polenta.
- Egg noodles - Some people swear by this side dish - it isn't one for me, but if you try it, let me know!
Equipment
You will need a large Dutch oven (casserole dish) with the capacity for 7-8 qt. or 6-7 litres. I use Le Creuset because they last forever and cook everything so evenly. They are an investment, I know. But I still use my mother's Le Creuset dishes that were wedding gifts in 1975. They become part of the family. They'll probably outlive all of us.
You will also need tongs and a slotted spoon, plus knives and a chopping board (standard). This recipe is very basic when it comes to equipment!
I use Robert Welch and Opinel knives.
Storage
Store any leftover slow-cooked beef short ribs braised in beer in an airtight container in the fridge; it will last for 3-4 days. Always use the smallest airtight container you have that will fit the leftovers so there is minimal air space.
You can also freeze this recipe. Defrost and use within one month.
FAQ
Yes, but you will be compromising on so much flavor! Leaving the bones in adds more depth of flavor to the sauce. For best results in this beef short ribs recipe, keep them on the bone.
Yes, once you have seared the short ribs and cooked the onions and other ingredients, you can transfer it into a slow cooker instead of cooking it in the oven.
Yes, you can freeze cooked beef ribs. Place in a sealed air-tight container and defrost thoroughly before use. Consume within two to three months.
Side dishes
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Guinness short ribs:
📖 Recipe
Tender Slow Cooked Beef Short Ribs Braised In Beer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 Beef short ribs approx 1.6 kg or 3.5 pounds
- 800 ml (24 oz) Stout beer 2 cans, e.g. Guinness
- 400 ml (14 oz) Beef stock or broth
- 1 White onion
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoon Brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon Plain flour
- 2 tablespoon Dried mixed herbs
- 4 Carrots
- 1 stick Celery
- 1 tablespoon Cooking oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius / 320 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Peel the carrots and slice them in half vertically. Cut the onion into segments, and slice the celery into small cubes. Blot the short ribs with a paper towel to soak up excess moisture and season with salt.
- Heat the oil in the dish over medium-high heat in and sear the short ribs on all sides until they are dark brown, then remove to a plate.
- Add the onion and celery to the dish and some salt to help them release their water and deglaze the pan. Fry for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Add the dried herbs and flour and continue to fry for another 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the beer and stock, and add the sugar and bay leaves. Add the short ribs back in, cover with the lid, and cook in the oven for one hour.
- Remove from the oven, add the carrots, and then cook for a further 2 hours.
- To serve, remove each short rib carefully with a slotted spoon to each plate and then ladle over the sauce and vegetables.
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