Gordon Ramsay Braised Short Ribs

Braised short ribs are the plate that makes a Tuesday feel like an occasion, and this is the version from the menu at Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen restaurants: beef short ribs braised in red wine until they slide off the bone, set on a crisp potato cake with wilted spinach, a tangle of crispy onions, and a glossy red wine demi-glace. Made for a home kitchen, it takes one Dutch oven and a little patience, and almost all of it can be done a day ahead.

It looks like a restaurant plate, but it is really one long, forgiving braise plus three quick garnishes. Here is what is happening in the pot, and why short ribs reward the wait.

Why Short Ribs Need a Long, Slow Braise

Short ribs are a tough, hardworking cut, packed with connective tissue, and that is exactly why they are so good braised. The connective tissue is collagen, and collagen only turns tender when it is held above about 154°F (68°C) for a long time, where it slowly converts to gelatin. That conversion is what makes a braised short rib slide off the bone, and it cannot be rushed with higher heat: crank the oven and you just dry the meat out before the collagen has melted.

Sear the ribs hard first, though. A deep brown crust from the Maillard reaction, which needs a dry surface and heat above 284°F (140°C), builds the savory backbone of the whole dish. Pat the short ribs dry, get the pan smoking, and brown them on every side before any liquid goes in.

The Red Wine Demi-Glace

The sauce is the payoff, and it thickens itself. As the ribs braise, all that collagen dissolves into the wine and stock as gelatin, so when you strain the braising liquid and reduce it, it turns glossy and coats the back of a spoon with no flour or cornstarch needed. That is the difference between a thin, winey gravy and a proper demi-glace. Reduce it patiently, skim the fat, and taste as it concentrates: the wine's sharpness mellows and the whole thing goes deep and rich.

Use a dry red you would actually drink, like a Cabernet, Syrah, or Merlot. The alcohol cooks off during the reduction, leaving the fruit and a little tannin to cut through the richness of the beef.

The Potato Cake, Spinach, and Crispy Onions

The potato cake is the restaurant flourish. Thin potato slices are layered, pressed, and cooked until the starch gelatinizes and glues them into one cake, then the outside crisps and browns in butter. Wilted spinach, cooked fast in a little butter and garlic so it stays green, adds freshness against all that richness. And the crispy onions on top are just thin onion slices fried until the water cooks off and they brown and crisp, for crunch and a little sweetness.

A Dutch Oven Makes This Easy

This is a dish a heavy Dutch oven was made for. You sear the ribs, build the braise, and move the whole thing to the oven in one pot, and its thick enameled cast-iron walls hold a steady, gentle heat and seal in the moisture so the ribs cook evenly for hours without drying out or scorching. If you cook one big-ticket pan hard, this is it.

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How Long to Braise Short Ribs

The ribs move through clear stages, and knowing them keeps you from pulling them too early. This is roughly what to expect in a 300°F (150°C) oven.

It is nearly impossible to rush and easy to hold: if the ribs are done before you are, turn the oven down to keep them warm in their liquid. They are also better the next day, once the flavors settle and you can lift the set fat off the top.

Gordon Ramsay Braised Short Ribs

Red wine-braised beef short ribs on a crispy potato cake with wilted spinach, crispy onions, and a glossy red wine demi-glace, from the Gordon Ramsay Hell's Kitchen menu.

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Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 210 minutes mins

Course Main, Dinner

Servings 4 servings

Calories 780 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 4 lb bone-in beef short ribs (English cut)
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 bottle dry red wine (Cabernet, Syrah, or Merlot), 750 ml
• 2 cups beef stock
• 4 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 bay leaves
• 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
• 4 Tbsp butter, melted
• Salt
• 10 oz spinach
• 1 onion (or 2 shallots), thinly sliced, for crispy onions
• 1/2 cup flour and oil, for frying the onions

Short ribs

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Braise

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Potato cake

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Instructions

 

• Sear the ribs: Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven and sear the ribs on all sides until deeply browned, then set them aside.
• Build the braise: In the same pot, soften the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 2 minutes. Pour in the red wine, scraping up the browned bits, and reduce by half. Add the stock and herbs, return the ribs (they should be about two-thirds submerged), and bring to a simmer.
• Braise: Cover and braise in the oven 2.5 to 3.5 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and pulling from the bone.
• Make the potato cake: Toss the potato slices with the melted butter and salt, layer and press them into a small buttered pan or dish, and bake at 400°F (200°C) until tender, about 40 minutes. Cool, cut into cakes, and crisp both sides in a hot buttered pan before serving.
• Reduce the sauce: Lift out the ribs and keep warm. Strain the braising liquid, skim the fat, and simmer until glossy and reduced to a sauce that coats a spoon.
• Crispy onions: Toss the sliced onion in seasoned flour and fry in hot oil until golden and crisp, then drain on paper towels.
• Wilt the spinach: Cook the spinach in a little butter with garlic just until wilted, and season.
• Serve: Set a short rib on a crispy potato cake with the spinach alongside, spoon the red wine demi-glace over, and top with the crispy onions.

Notes

Braise the ribs a day ahead if you can — they are better reheated in their sauce, and the set fat lifts off cleanly once chilled. No Dutch oven? Sear in a pan and braise in a covered roasting dish.

More Ramsay: spoon over the same idea with our Madeira sauce, serve them on Yukon Gold mashed potatoes instead of the cake, or browse all our Hell's Kitchen recipes.

Braised Short Rib FAQs

The questions that come up most: what braised short ribs are, how long they take, the best wine to use, and what to serve them with.