This Cranberry Braised Short Ribs Recipe is a festive, comforting holiday meal that your guests will love. Shorts ribs are braised in a beef broth, red wine liquid with fresh herbs and vegetables along with sweet fresh cranberries. The short ribs are fall apart tender and pair nicely with mashed potatoes, risotto or orzo.
One of my favorite comfort foods in the cold months is short ribs. There is something so satisfying about a tender, fall apart beef short rib that has been slowly braised in warm spices and sweet cranberries.
Braising short ribs is my favorite cooking method when making short ribs because it truly creates a tender, fall off the bone piece of beef. These short ribs are festive with the rosemary and cranberries and would be perfect for the holidays on your Christmas dinner table or at your New Years celebration.
It also makes the perfect meal for a sunday dinner alongside slow cooker gouda mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, gouda smashed potatoes or cheesy orzo.
This Cranberry Braised Short Rib Recipe is the perfect addition to my rotation of other short rib recipes that I make.
If you like short ribs check out these Slow Cooker Balsamic Short Ribs, Slow Cooker Italian Short Ribs and these Slow Cooker Red Wine Short Ribs.
Recipe Ingredients
For exact ingredient amounts and instructions, see the full recipe card below.
- Short Ribs: This recipe uses about 3 to 4 pounds of bone-in short ribs. I find the bone helps to create an extra tender, flavorful short rib but you also can use short ribs without the bone.
- Vegetables: A combination of carrots, onion, garlic and shallots are used to create flavor in the braising liquid. If you don’t have fresh garlic you could use garlic paste or garlic powder.
- Red Wine: I like adding a dry red wine like Cabernet sauvignon to the braising liquid. You don’t have to worry about the alcohol content in the wine as it will cook off throughout the braising process. You can leave the wine out and sub for broth if you want.
- Tomato Paste: The tomato paste adds acidity and flavor to the liquid mixture. It is not necessary but adds flavor.
- Worcestershire: This is another ingredient that isn’t necessary but adds flavor to the short ribs and the braising liquid.
- Cranberries: The fresh cranberries are a great way to add sweetness to this dish. If you don’t have fresh cranberries you can use dried.
How to Make these Short Ribs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 1: Season Beef: Sprinkle the short ribs generously with salt and black pepper over the short ribs.
Step 2: Sear Short Ribs: In a large dutch oven or oven-safe pot heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. Add the short ribs and brown them on all sides until they are golden brown, about 30-45 seconds per side. Remove the ribs and set aside.
Recipe Tip: This browning step helps add a layer of flavor to the short ribs and creates tender beef.
Step 3: Sauté Vegetables: In the same dutch oven add 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minutes.
Add the shallots, onion and carrot along with a dash or salt and pepper. Sauté until the onions begin to caramelized, about 10 minutes.
Step 4: Deglaze Pot: Add a splash of broth to the pot and deglaze the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan.
Step 5: Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the browned short ribs back into the dutch oven. Add the bay leaves, 2 cups of red wine, beef broth, tomato paste, worcestershire and stir. Add the cranberries, rosemary and thyme.
Step 6: Cook: Cover with the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 degrees for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the beef is falling off the bone.
Remove from the oven, leave covered and let it sit for 15 minutes.
Serve warm with creamy mashed potatoes, broccoli and a scoop of the rich sauce from the pot. Garnish with fresh thyme, fresh parsley and fresh rosemary.
Ways to Modify Braised Short Ribs:
- Herbs: I love adding fresh herbs into the pot when I braise the short ribs and also garnish the finished beef. Aside from rosemary and thyme you could also use parsley, chives or oregano.
- Spices: Spices can add a lot of flavor to the broth when you are braising the beef. I especially like cinnamon, cloves, or allspice to add warmth alongside the sweet cranberries.
- Broth: I used beef broth in this recipe. You could also use beef stock or a homemade beef bone broth. You also could use vegetable broth, vegetable stock, chicken stock or a homemade chicken broth.
- Citrus: Try grating lemon zest or orange into the braising liquid for a citrusy brightness.
- Fruit: I used fresh cranberries but you could sub in dried cranberries if that is what you have on hand. Other dried fruits that would work nicely are dried apricots, raisins or cherries.
- Vegetables: I added carrot, celery, onion and garlic to the pot when braising the short ribs. Mushrooms would be a nice addition to add in. I also think caramelizing the onions first would add depth of flavor.
Storage Tips
Store the leftover short ribs in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat you can warm in the oven or you can microwave.
Recipe FAQ
You do not have to brown the short ribs but I suggest not skipping this step because it helps to caramelize the beef and adds a depth of flavor and richness to the beef. Make sure you sear them in a hot pan before you braise them.
Another important step is to deglaze the pan. This helps release the browned bits of beef and vegetables in the pot before adding in the remaining ingredients releasing all of those delicious flavors.
More Beef Recipes
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Cranberry Braised Short Ribs Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 lbs short ribs, bone-in
- salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 shallots, diced
- 1 cup sweet onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled, cut into large chunks
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 3 rosemary, more for garnish
- 3 thyme, more for garnish
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
- Fresh rosemary, for garnish
- Fresh thyme , for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle the short ribs generously with salt and pepper over the short ribs.
- In a large dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. Add the short ribs and brown them on all sides, about 30-45 seconds per side. Remove the ribs and set aside.
- In the same dutch oven add 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minutes.
- Add the shallots, onion and carrot along with a dash or salt and pepper. Sauté until the onions begin to caramelized, about 10 minutes.
- Add a splash of broth to the pot and deglaze the brown bits off of the bottom of the pot.
- Add the short ribs back into the dutch oven. Add the bay leaves, red wine, beef broth, tomato paste, worcestershire and stir. Add the cranberries, rosemary and thyme.
- Cover with the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 degrees for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the beef is falling off the bone.
- Remove from the oven, leave covered and let it sit for 15 minutes. Serve warm with mashed potatoes, broccoli and a scoop of the broth from the pot.
Notes
- You do not have to brown the short ribs but I suggest not skipping this step because it helps to caramelize the beef and adds a depth of flavor and richness to the beef. Make sure you sear them in a hot pan before you braise them.
- Another important step is to deglaze the pan. This helps release the browned bits of beef and vegetables in the pot before adding in the remaining ingredients releasing all of those delicious flavors.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Today’s post is sponsored by the Ohio Beef Council. As always, opinions are 100% my own.
