Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cauliflower Leek Puree
Published Dec 15, 2021
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The enticing aroma in your kitchen as these beef short ribs slowly simmer in a rich, savory red wine-based sauce until they’re fall-off-the-bone tender is just the delicious beginning! Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs paired with creamy Cauliflower Leek Puree is a lovely comforting meal using an economical cut that’s easy yet impressive enough for guests!
Table of Contents
- Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
- What is a short rib?
- How to make Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cauliflower Leek Puree:
- Chef Tips and Tricks:
- recipe faqs:
- Also great served with:
- Looking for more fantastic beef short rib recipes? Be sure to try my:
- Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cauliflower Leek Puree Recipe
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
Beef short ribs are one of my absolute favorite cuts of beef to braise. Over my 20-year personal chef career, I’ve done them countless times and consider them a specialty.
I was skeptical at first and wondered how these tough boney economical cuts were ever going to be transformed into anything enticing. Time, layering of flavors and understanding some simple cooking basics like braising were all it took.
The flavor process begins with generous seasoning then browning the ribs well on all sides. This creates a fond which are the browned bits that stick to your pan after searing a protein. Then, a classic aromatic combination of onions, carrots and celery is cooked until it’s soft and sweet. Red wine deglazes the Dutch oven to release the treasure trove of flavor that has begun. A few more savory ingredients are added, all creating the perfect cozy surroundings for this tough cut to mellow into.
The result is buttery tender, fall-off-the-bone luxurious goodness that will make everyone happy!
What is a short rib?
Beef short ribs are cut from the front of the cow from the brisket, chuck, plate or ribs. Here’s a link to an infographic from Lake Geneva Country Meats that shows exactly where they’re cut from.
There are two major kinds:
- Flanken
- English
For this recipe, I used the English cut. Each piece that you see below is a half-rib so in total, four ribs. A butcher will also cut the rib into thirds but a half-rib is one good portion size if there is plenty of meat.
Short ribs have a substantial amount of connective tissue (the white veining). During the braising process, that connective tissue melts away which is what produces the succulent, tender result.
If not already done for you, you’ll want to trim the excess fat from the top which is the side opposite the bone. Leave the bone side intact as bones add flavor.
How to make Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cauliflower Leek Puree:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this short rib and cauliflower recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Onions, Celery and Carrots: Also referred to as “aromatics.” In French cooking this combination is referred to as a mirepoix, in Italian cooking it’s a soffrito and consists of two parts onions, one part celery and one part carrots. (Eyeball it.) It’s usually accompanied by butter in France, olive oil in Italy. I opted for olive oil in this recipe because butter burns so easily.
- Beef Broth: You can also use beef stock if you prefer. Which ever one you use, a lower sodium version is always preferable because as it reduces, the saltiness will be intensified.
- Dry Red Wine: I like to use a full-bodied red such as a Cabernet or Zinfandel. You never want to use anything labled “cooking wine” because it will be awful. You don’t need to use your finest red wine of course, but you do want to use a wine that you would enjoy drinking.
- All-Purpose Flour: Rather than dredging, the flour is used for thickening. This may go against conventional thinking but I’ve never been a fan of dredging meat that needs to sear for an extended period of time because of the potential for a burned flour taste. To make this gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free flour or cornstarch for thickening.
- Rosemary: Fresh is best! Fresh herbs are always best added later in the cooking process. Rosemary (like sage) needs to be cooked so add it when there’s approximately 30 minutes left in the braising process.
- Leeks: When working with leeks, keep in mind they can be gritty. Cut in half, slice then immerse in a bowl of water and swish them around with your hand to loosen any dirt. The dirt will sink to the bottom of the bowl. Then, carefully remove them with a slotted spoon.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Trim as much fat as possible from the ribs leaving the bone side intact.
- Season the ribs generously with salt and black pepper.
- Heat the olive oil then work in two batches, brown well in a large heavy pot such as a Dutch oven.
- Transfer the ribs to a plate and get the mirepoix/soffrito cooking. Cook the mirepoix until it’s nice and soft, but don’t brown it. Traditionally, this aromatic blend is never browned.
- Add the garlic and give it a quick stir until it’s fragrant then add the red wine and bring it to a boil.
- Place the beef short ribs back in the pot along with the other ingredients per the recipe instructions and cover securely. I like to place aluminum foil or wet parchment paper over the pot before affixing the lid in place to ensure evaporation is minimized.
- Place in the preheated oven and let simmer away for approximately 2 1/2 hours.
- Add the rosemary and cook another 30 minutes or so.
- Make the Cauliflower Leek Puree:
- Combine the cauliflower, leeks, garlic and chicken broth in a large saucepan or pot and bring it to a boil.
- Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer until cauliflower is tender.
- Remove the cover and simmer until most of the cooking liquid has evaporated.
- Add cream cheese and stir it into the cauliflower. Puree everything with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Transfer the short ribs to a large bowl or platter and cover to keep warm.
- Remove as much excess fat as you can. (See below for tips to accomplish this.)
- Make a slurry. Place the flour in a heatproof bowl and remove some of the braising liquid from the Dutch oven. Whisk until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Pour the slurry into the braising liquid, bring to a boil, then cook for 4-5 minutes until thickened and the flour has cooked. The consistency should be more of a sauce rather than a gravy. The sauce will thicken more upon standing.
- Place the ribs back in the sauce and let them rest for about 10 minutes and so they also heat back through.
- MAKE-AHEAD: The ribs can be made two days ahead of time. Cool and refrigerate. Reheat in a 350-degree oven until heated through.
- Serve the Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs with the Cauliflower Leek Puree and enjoy!! Tender, luxurious, fall-off-the-bone goodness!!
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- How to degrease braised beef short ribs:
- You’ll have substantial fat on the top when the ribs are done. Thankfully, fat naturally separates from the sauce. If serving right away and before thickening the sauce, transfer the beef short ribs to a bowl or platter and tent to keep warm. Carefully tip the Dutch oven and skim the fat with a large spoon. A gravy separator also works well.
- If you have a little more time, let the ribs cool. Then, place plastic wrap over the surface. The grease will cling to the plastic wrap. Repeat several more times.
- If you have even more time, prepare the ribs and cool and refrigerate them. When the dish is good and cold, the fat will have congealed on top, making it super easy to remove.
Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cauliflower Leek Puree! Meaty, wonderful, luscious goodness in an economical cut!
Any leftovers reheat beautifully on or off the bone. The short ribs can also be shredded and used any number of ways like beef pot pie!
recipe faqs:
You can make braised short ribs up two days ahead of time. Braised beef dishes are always better the next day but for the best flavor serve within two days. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through.
The Cauliflower Leek puree can also be made two days ahead. Because cauliflower has so much water in it, it’s possible that some of the water may have separated from the puree. If so, drain it off and reheat in the microwave in 1 to 2-minute increments, stirring well between each heating cycle.
Absolutely. However, keep in mind that slow cookers tend to dilute flavor so reduce the amount of broth/stock by 1 cup. Cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours or LOW for 8-10 hours (depends on the size of the short ribs). Leave the cover off for the last 30 minutes so the sauce can reduce slightly and the flavor intensifies.
Yes, but I highly recommend a low and slow process. The flavor and texture will be SOOOO much better!
Yes, works great!! Cool thoroughly and place in airtight containers. Freeze up to 1-2 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Also great served with:
- Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes (Mashed Potato Casserole
- Cauliflower White Bean Puree
- Celery Root (Celeriac) Puree
- Roasted Beets with Red Wine Glaze
- Bourbon-Glazed Carrots with Honey
- Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Looking for more fantastic beef short rib recipes? Be sure to try my:
- Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs Recipe
- Stout Braised Beef Short Ribs and Colcannon
- Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs Barbacoa with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Boneless Short Ribs Recipe (Bourguignon Style)
Get all my delicious beef recipes at: Beef Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen
Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cauliflower Leek Puree
Ingredients
Short Ribs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
- 5 pounds beef short ribs, approximately 6-8 large, on the bone, trimmed of excess fat
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 12 cloves garlic, halved if small, sliced if large
- 2 cups hearty dry red wine, such as Cabernet or Zinfandel
- 4 cups beef broth, or stock, preferably low-sodium
- 1 can (15-ounce) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 2 large bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Puree
- 2 medium heads cauliflower, stem removed, cut into large pieces
- 1 large leek, (or 2 medium) white and light green part only, halved and sliced (approximately 2 cups)
- 8 whole cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 can (14.5-ounce) chicken broth
- 4 ounces cream cheese, (half a block), room temperature
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
Instructions
Short Ribs
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Generously season the short ribs with salt and black pepper. Working in batches, place the short ribs in the hot oil and sear well on all sides, approximately 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the onion, carrot and celery to the hot oil. Reduce heat to medium-low, add a pinch or two of salt and cook, stirring often until very soft, approximately 10-12 minutes.
- Add the garlic, stir until fragrant (15 seconds), then add wine. Bring to a boil and cook 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Add beef broth, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning and bay leaves.
- Place short ribs back into the pot, cover securely with aluminum foil or parchment paper then place the lid on the pot and place in the oven. Cook for 2-2 1/2 hours.
- Add the rosemary and place back in the oven for 30 minutes or until ribs are extremely tender.
- Take short ribs out of the Dutch oven and place in a bowl. Remove and discard bay leaves. Cover to keep warm.
- Place flour in a small bowl. Remove approximately 2/3 cup of the braising liquid. Add it to the flour in the bowl and whisk to form a thick slurry. Whisk the slurry into the braising liquid and stir. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook 4-5 minutes or until thickened and flour is cooked. Place short ribs back into the Dutch oven. Let sit off the heat for 10 minutes or so. The sauce will thicken more upon standing. (Should be more of a sauce rather than a gravy.)
- Serve over Cauliflower Leek Puree.
Puree
- Combine cauliflower, leek, garlic and chicken broth in a small pot. Bring to a boil. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer until cauliflower is tender, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the cover and simmer until most of the cooking liquid has evaporated, 5-7 minutes being careful not to let ALL the liquid evaporate.
- Add cream cheese and stir into the cauliflower. Puree with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
- Serve with Braised Beef Short Ribs.
Notes
- To degrease:
- If serving right away and before thickening the sauce, transfer the beef short ribs to a bowl or platter and tent to keep warm. Carefully tip the Dutch oven and skim the fat with a large spoon. A gravy separator also works well.
- If you have a little more time, let the ribs cool. Then, place plastic wrap over the surface. The grease will cling to the plastic wrap. Repeat several more times.
- If you have even more time, prepare the ribs and cool and refrigerate them. When the dish is good and cold, the fat will congeal on top.
- Can be made 2 days ahead of time. Cool and refrigerate.
- Reheat in a 350-degree oven until heated through.
- The Cauliflower Leek puree can also be made two days ahead. Because cauliflower has so much water, some of the water may have separated from the puree. If so, drain it off and reheat in the microwave in 1 to 2-minute increments, stirring well between each heating cycle.
- Slow cookers tend to dilute flavor, so reduce the amount of broth/stock by 1 cup.
- Cook 4-6 hours on HIGH or 8-10 hours on LOW.
- Leave the cover off for the last 30 minutes so the liquid has a little time to reduce and the flavor intensifies.
- Cool thoroughly. Place in an airtight container and freeze for 1-2 months.
- Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 350-degree oven until heated through.
- Reheat on or off the bone in a 350-degree oven.
- The cauliflower puree can be microwaved.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
About how long will it take to reheat short ribs and wine sauce at 325, after they have been refrigerated? Having a dinner party and want to know how far in advance to put them in oven before we eat. Thank you.
Hi, Kitty, Thanks so much for your question. What will you be reheating them in? If you’re reheating them in something more shallow like a roasting pan, they won’t take as long as if they’re sort of piled on top of each other. In fact, I would suggest reheating them in something shallow so they all heat evenly. You’ll want to take them out and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes or so, because if you put them cold into the oven, it’s going to take a while to get the chill off (and you don’t want to do that with glass or ceramic anyway). I normally tell my personal chef customers to reheat at 350, which generally takes 30-35 minutes. At 325, I would say 40-45 minutes. All ovens vary, too. Allow plenty of time then just hold them warm at 180 degrees if necessary. The nice thing about short ribs, braised roasts, etc., is they hold up so well to being reheated, unlike steaks, tenderloin, etc. Thanks again and please let me know how it all went!
Can I make the cauliflower leek purée ahead? If so, how far ahead and what’s the best way to reheat?
Hi, Kathy, Thanks so much for your question. Microwaving would be best. I added the following to the recipe card: “The Cauliflower Leek puree can also be made two days ahead. Because cauliflower has so much water in it, it’s possible that some of the water may have separated from the puree. If so, drain it off and reheat in the microwave in 1 to 2-minute increments, stirring well between each heating cycle.” Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Thank you for your quick response!
I have a guest that is lactose intolerant. She can tolerate goat products. What do you think about using goat cheese instead of the cream cheese? Any other suggestions?
Hi, Kathryn, Thanks so much for your question. What about using a “vegan” cream cheese? Kite Hill is a vegan cream cheese that is available in more and more places. I’m thinking the goat cheese would be too tangy with the cauliflower. Thanks again and please let me know if you have any other questions and how that works.
I am going to make this a day ahead of time. I am going to cook the ribs in my Dutch oven. Once it’s cooked, should I transfer it to the slow cooker and then refrigerate it? Then can I make the sauce the next morning since the fat will rise to the top?
Can’t wait to make this!
Hi, Melissa, Thanks so much for your questions. Yes, you could transfer it to your slow cooker and refrigerate it. I would let the slow cooker insert sit out at room temperature for a while so it doesn’t crack when it starts to heat as it’s going to be cold. I would thicken the sauce while still hot in the Dutch oven per the recipe–before moving it to the slow cooker. The fat will still rise to the top. Thanks again so much and I hope you enjoy!! Let me know how it goes!