If you have never thought of making braised short ribs in beer, I can assure you that this recipe is going to change your life. That’s right, braised short ribs without wine. Dare I say, better? They are meaty, juicy, and tender, with incredible depth of flavor. What a great recipe to serve for St. Patrick’s Day, with some extra dark beer to wash it all down.
Seasonings: A simple yet flavorful mix of paprika, curry powder, cumin, Kosher salt, and black pepper provide ample flavor. If you are looking for an intense smoky kick, feel free to swap paprika with smoked paprika.
Sugar: Adding a small amount of sugar not only helps intensify the rest of the spices but also ensures browning. You can use either dark brown sugar or coconut sugar. Beef short ribs: Pick up a set of well-marbled beef short ribs with the bone-in at the butcher counter. You will need 8 pieces, which should be roughly 4-5 pounds. Olive oil: Use olive oil, or swap it out for avocado oil instead. Vegetables: Onions, carrots, and celery provide layers of flavor, aromatics, fiber, and color. Fresh garlic cloves: Use fresh garlic for the most punchy flavor. Fresh herbs: Fresh bay leaves (or dried) and sprigs of thyme give the beer-braised beef short ribs a special aromatic background. You also have the option to garnish with fresh parsley at the end. Stock: I love deeply rich beef stock, but you can use low-sodium chicken broth as well. Dark beer: Brown ale or porter provides a delicious, mild, sweet taste and special umami notes. My favorites are Newcastle Brown Ale, Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale, and Sierra Nevada Porter. While we prefer brown ale for these beer-braised beef ribs, your favorite stout beer, such as Guinness, is a good option. Tomatoes: One full can of diced tomatoes, with all their juices, provides a great level of acidity. For an even richer flavor, you can add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste sauteed right alongside the garlic.
Storage: Cool completely, skim off any excess fat, then transfer the Dutch oven beef ribs to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze: Cool to room temperature, then store in a freezer-safe airtight container with some space at the top for expansion. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat: Reheat in a 325-degree F oven for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and warmed through. We want to reheat at a lower temperature to prevent overcooking the meat.
Potatoes: Give it a classic touch with Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Air Fryer Red Potatoes for a full meal. Vegetables: Add some color with roasted, sauteed, or grilled vegetables on the side. A few of our favorites are Roasted Sweet Potato and Brussels sprouts, Asparagus and Mushroom Saute, and Buttery Garlic Green Beans. Pasta: Make it the ultimate comfort food and a hearty meal with Basic Egg Noodles, Butter Garlic Pasta, or Gigi Hadid’s Vodka Pasta. Bread: If you are serving this dish on St. Patrick’s Day, it would go wonderfully with Ina Garten’s Irish Soda Bread.
When buying beef short ribs, make sure to purchase English-cut short ribs that are well-marbled with the rib bones intact. All that muscle, fat, tendon, and bone will give a lot of strong beefy flavor. I do not recommend boneless short ribs. Wire rack: Most short ribs recipes sear the short ribs before braising them in liquid. This recipe is different because we give the ribs a quick roast by baking them on a wire rack at a high temperature. Using a wire rack placed in a baking sheet (affiliate link) is important here because it helps circulate the air helping mimic the searing effect. Dutch oven: I used a 7-quart Dutch oven (affiliate link) for this recipe, which fit the ribs and liquid perfectly. I did test it in a 5 ½-quart Dutch oven (affiliate link) as well. The recipe still worked, but it was filled to the brim. Cook it low and slow: Braising the short ribs for an extended period in low heat extracts the collagen and allows the muscle fibers to slowly break down. This is the trick to fall off-the-bone meat. So, do not rush the process. Let the oven do most of the work. Trust me, your patience will be rewarded. Slow Cooker: Alternatively, you can cook ribs in a slow cooker after they are roasted in the oven. If you decide to do so, add sauteed veggies, all the liquid (including the beer), and the short ribs to the bowl of a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. Skim the fat: After the short ribs are cooked, skim away some of the fat off the top of the sauce for a cleaner flavor. You can also do this once cooled after the fat solidifies at the top. Beer: Some sources say when making short ribs in a cast iron Dutch oven, using Stout beer (such as Guinness) may result in a bitter flavor. We tested this recipe with Guinness and didn’t think that it tasted bitter. However, overall we thought that the version made with brown ale had more complex flavors compared to stout braised short ribs.
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