Dutch Oven Beer Braised Short Ribs

When the weather gets colder and Sundays are spent watching football rather than laying out on the beach, there’s one thing that makes hibernation season a little easier to bear: the smell of delicious food wafting from the kitchen all day long. That’s right – it’s finally time to cozy up with hearty recipes like these dutch oven beer braised short ribs! 

While this recipe won’t take you all day to cook, it does require a few hours of your time. So light up that pumpkin spice candle, throw on the TV and your favorite sweatshirt, and break out your Le Creuset. Because there’s no better way to kick off fall than with a big pot of short ribs braised in your favorite ale.

Beer Braised Short Ribs Ingredients

To braise short ribs in beer, you’ll need beef short ribs, some seasonings and aromatic vegetables, a braising liquid (a combination of broth, beer, and water), and a thickening agent.

Here’s the full list of ingredients for making ale braised short ribs:

• Bone-in beef short ribs
• Seasonings – Mexican oregano, paprika, coriander, ground thyme, salt, black pepper
• Vegetable oil
• Yellow onion
• Roma tomato
• Green bell pepper
• Garlic cloves
• Beef broth
• Beer
• Brown sugar
• Water

When you’re buying short ribs from the butcher, make sure they’re going to fit in your dutch oven. We didn’t quite think this through the first time we made this recipe, and ended up having a difficult time searing the meat and shoving the ribs into the pot. Don’t make the same mistake we did!

For the beer, we recommend using a wheat ale or lager with a clean flavor profile, like Sam Adams or Blue Moon. Or, use your favorite dark beer to infuse the short ribs with deeper flavor, like Guinness.

How To Make Beer Braised Short Ribs In A Dutch Oven

So, what does braising short ribs mean, and how do you do it?

Braising is the process of searing meat, then slowly baking it in liquid, which results in a flavorful, tender meat that can be served with a complementary sauce. To braise short ribs in beer, you’ll first need to season the meat, then pan-sear it before building your braising liquid and baking the short ribs in the oven.

Here are step-by-step instructions for how to make braised short ribs in a dutch oven (or French oven):

1. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Next, rub the short ribs with the seasoning blend. Try to coat the meat evenly with the seasonings.
3. Then, heat vegetable oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, brown the short ribs in the pan on all sides – this will only take a minute or two per side. Use metal tongs to help sear the meat against the pan. Then, transfer the short ribs to a plate or cutting board and set aside.
4. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, tomato, bell pepper, and garlic and sauté until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Then deglaze with beef broth and beer, and stir in the brown sugar.
5. Nestle the short ribs back into the dutch oven. Add water, if needed, until the ribs are mostly submerged in liquid. (This will keep them moist as they bake).
6. Cover the dutch oven and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 2 hours, flipping the ribs over halfway through.
7. When the ribs are done, they should be falling off the bone. Transfer the meat to a large cutting board and slice into small chunks. Discard the bones.
8. Next, strain the braising liquid and return it to the dutch oven. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by about a third.
9. Finally, stir the short ribs back into the braising liquid and remove from heat. Serve immediately or let cool and store in the fridge.

Notes On Scaling

As mentioned previously, make sure the short ribs are going to fit in your dutch oven before you start cooking. This is especially important when it comes to scaling this recipe! 

Since the ribs need to be mostly submerged in the braising liquid, you’ll want to make sure they can fit in one to two layers in the bottom of the pot. When you scale this recipe up, you will likely need to use a larger dutch oven to accommodate the amount of beef.

Beer Braised Short Ribs Serving Suggestions

Our beer braised short ribs work best as an ingredient in other recipes, especially since you can easily make a large batch and use it all week long. Here’s what we recommend using the meat for:

• Short rib tacos with pickled onions, avocado, and queso fresco
• Short rib grilled cheese sandwiches
• Short rib gnocchi
• Beef stew

However, you can serve the short ribs alongside mashed potatoes, vegetables, or even polenta for a delicious and hearty dinner!

Storing & Reheating Leftovers

Store any leftover braised short ribs in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for about 1 minute per serving, or in a frying pan over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes.