Stout Beer Braised Short Ribs are comfort food at its best. Tender beef meets a deeply-flavored, rich, stout-infused gravy, for a restaurant-quality dinner at home. A great dish for St. Patrick’s Day or a cozy winter night that you can make in your Dutch oven or an Instant Pot.
In this article (click headings to jump)
Ingredients
How to Make Beer Braised Short Ribs in a Dutch oven
i. Prep and Sear the Short Ribs
ii. Build the Braising Liquid
iii. Braise the Beef
iv. Make the Stout Gravy
v. Serve the Short Ribs
Dutch Oven vs. Instant Pot
Instant Pot Tips
Recipe FAQ’s
This recipe tutorial is a reader request! So many people on Instagram saw my recipe for Stout-Braised Short Rib Cottage Pie, and wanted to know if they could serve the beef as a standalone recipe.
So, I decided to write up a tutorial just for the short ribs. Whether you’re making that showstopper cottage pie recipe, or you want an impressive short rib dinner that you’d swear came from a restaurant, this post is for you.
This article is one of my longer ones, but I’ve covered everything you need to know to make the best Beer Braised Short Ribs in a Dutch oven or your Instant Pot. Grab a stout and read on!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) from qualifying purchases made by clicking these links. As always, all recommendations and opinions expressed are my own.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Stout Beer Braised Short Ribs
- Bone-in, English cut short ribs. These are the thicker looking short ribs, cut along the rib bone. Buy well-marbled ribs that have a good meat-to-fat-ratio. Check out this article from Bon Appetit to read more about the different cuts of short ribs you’ll find at the market.
- Stout Beer. Since the flavor of the stout will concentrate as the braising liquid reduces, it’s best to choose a brew on the lower end of the bitterness range. If using Guinness, I recommend the milder “Draught” rather than “Extra Stout.” Murphy’s Irish Stout is a bit sweeter than Guinness and makes for a great braising liquid, as does my personal favorite, Atlantic Brewing Company’s Cadillac Mountain Stout.
- Beef Broth or Stock. If you have homemade beef stock on hand, it’ll make for a great addition to your braising liquid. If using store bought broth or stock, look for low sodium or unsalted varieties.
- All purpose flour. Dredging the short ribs in a light coating of flour helps to keep the meat dry on the exterior for great browning.
- Vegetable oil. For searing the short ribs.
- Aromatics. A classic combination of onion, carrots, celery, and garlic forms the base layer of flavor in the braising liquid.
- Tomato Paste and Worcestershire Sauce. Both of these add umami to the braising liquid and balance any bitter notes in the stout.
- Herbs. You’ll need a dried bay leaf, in addition to fresh rosemary and thyme tied into a bouquet garni with kitchen twine for easy removal from the braising liquid. Finish the dish with a sprinkling of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish.
- Dijon mustard. Adds a touch of a tang to the gravy before serving that contrasts and brightens the rich flavors.
How to Make Beer Braised Short Ribs in a Dutch Oven
1. Prep and Sear the Short Ribs
One of the keys to making a great braise is building layers of flavor. This starts with searing the short ribs.
Start by generously seasoning the meat with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge them in flour on all sides, shaking off the excess so it doesn’t burn in the pot.
Developing a good crust on the short ribs is essential. To do this, get your Dutch oven hot with just enough oil to cover the bottom. If the cooking surface is too small to add the ribs in a single layer, without crowding, sear them in batches.
Once the ribs are in the pot, don’t touch them for a few minutes. When a deep golden crust forms, the meat will release easily. This takes me 3-4 minutes per side in well-heated, enameled cast iron.
Shopping for a Dutch oven? Pictured in this post is one of my favorite pieces in my kitchen, Le Creuset’s Round Wide 6-3/4 Quart Dutch Oven. You could also use their 5-1/2 Quart Round Dutch Oven or Staub’s 5-1/2 Quart Round Cocotte.
2. Build the Braising Liquid
Once the short ribs are seared and you’ve removed from the pot, continue building the flavor with the aromatics. Sauté the carrots, onions, and celery in the pan drippings until softened and starting to brown.
Stir in the tomato paste and garlic, cooking just for an additional minute or two, until both are fragrant. The tomato paste will darken to a rich brick color as it caramelizes. (Watch it carefully so it doesn’t start to burn!)
Deglaze the pot with the stout beer, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all of the delicious little brown bits that have formed. They’re flavor gold!
Tip: You won’t be serving the vegetables in the plated dish, so if your chopping is a little rustic, it’s fine! They’re just here to flavor the braising liquid.
3. Braise the Beef
With the braising liquid developed, it’s time to nestle the short ribs back into the pot. Add enough beef broth to come about 3/4 up the sides of the ribs. For the Dutch oven method, don’t submerge the meat completely.
Bring the pot to a simmer with the bay leaf and bouquet garni. Place the lid on the Dutch oven, and start the low and slow braise in the oven (i.e. the three hours of tempting aromas coming out of your kitchen!)
4. Make the Stout Gravy
Whether you’re making the short ribs in the Dutch oven or Instant Pot (more on this method below), you’ll have flavorful braising liquid to make an easy gravy. Just strain out the vegetables and herbs and skim the fat off of the top. There will likely be quite a bit to remove; short ribs throw a lot of fat.
Reduce the gravy by simmering it on the stove with a little Dijon mustard whisked in until it coats the back of a spoon. If needed, stir in a cornstarch slurry by the teaspoonful (equal parts cornstarch mixed with cool beef broth or water), boiling the gravy until it’s thickened to your liking.
5. Serve Your Beer Braised Short Ribs
This rich dish is just begging to be served with something creamy and/or starchy to mingle with the luscious gravy. We like them with my Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes (add in some shredded Dubliner cheese for a twist!), Colcannon, polenta, or egg noodles.
For a lower-carb side, these stout braised braised short ribs are also delicious with mashed cauliflower.
Braising Short Ribs in a Dutch Oven vs. an Instant Pot
I’m always honest with you about recipes, so I’m going to be completely transparent here: I prefer these short ribs with a slow Dutch oven braise. It develops a complexity of flavor and richness that just isn’t possible with a pressure cooker.
That said, short ribs made in the Instant Pot certainly aren’t bad. The meat comes out of the pressure cooker flavorful and fall-off-the-bone tender in about half the cooking time.
It’s a good option when you have a craving for short ribs and don’t have all day. Or, if you’re prepping these ribs to make the cottage pie I mentioned at the start of this post.
Comparison: After the prep/searing process (which takes about 30 minutes), short ribs made in a Dutch oven take 3 hours to braise. Those made in the Instant Pot take 85 minutes at HIGH pressure, including time for the pot to come up to pressure and release.
Tips For Making This Recipe in The Instant Pot
The ingredients and basic process for this recipe are the same between a Dutch oven and an electric pressure cooker. For best results with the Instant pot, here are a few tweaks and things to keep in mind:
- I leave the garlic cloves whole for the Instant Pot (gently crushing them with the back of a knife) instead of slicing. Whole garlic holds its flavor better when pressure cooking.
- While the Instant Pot has a sauté function, I don’t use it to sear the short ribs. In my experience, they a.) take longer to properly brown in the insert, b.) require extra batches to sear because the insert has a smaller surface area, and c.) don’t develop the same enviable crust as in cast iron on the stove.
I prefer to sear and sauté everything in cast iron on the stove, deglaze with the stout, and transfer the mixture to the Instant Pot for the “braise.” It’s an extra pan to clean, but worth it.
If you decide to sear the short ribs using the sauté function, keep in mind that you could get a “Burn” warning when you start pressure cooking. This happens if you haven’t fully deglazed the insert, or if the element has gotten too hot from extended sautéing.
I recommend letting the insert cool off for about 10-15 minutes between sautéing and pressure cooking if you go this route. - When the short ribs have finished cooking in the Instant Pot, you’ll have more braising liquid left than with the Dutch oven method. I prefer to transfer the strained braising liquid to a separate pot and reduce it on the stove, rather than using the pressure cooker’s sauté function.
Buying an Instant Pot? I used the 6 quart DUO Plus for this recipe.
Recipe FAQ’s
Q. Can I substitute boneless short ribs?
A. I don’t recommend substituting boneless short ribs in this recipe. Cooking the meat on the bone is well-suited to braising, and adds great flavor to the overall dish.
Q. Can I use other types of beer than stout?
A. Yes. You can use just about any dark beer in this recipe, as long as it isn’t too bitter or hops forward. For an even milder flavor, you can also substitute lager. I love to braise with Samuel Smith’s Organic Lager (which I use in my Beer Braised Corned Beef).
Q. Can I make this recipe ahead?
A. Absolutely! The flavor of beer braised short ribs actually improves on the second day. Plus, it’s easier to defat the braising liquid once it’s been chilled.
To make it ahead, strain the solids from the braising liquid, and cool the short ribs to room temperature in the strained liquid. Cover and refrigerate until ready to reheat.
The next day, use a spoon to scrape the solid fat from the surface of the gravy. Gently simmer the short ribs, covered, until heated through. This will take 15-20 minutes. Then, remove the ribs from the pot, and proceed with reducing the gravy.
More Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day
- Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Irish-American Soda Bread
- Roasted Cabbage Wedges
- Guinness Beef Stew
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Stout Beer Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 4 pounds English-cut, bone-in short ribs
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large carrots , cut into 1/2 inch dice (about 1 cup)
- 2 ribs celery , cut into 1/2 inch dice (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 medium onion , chopped or halved and sliced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 5 garlic cloves , peeled and sliced for Dutch oven method, peeled and lightly crushed (whole) for Instant Pot
- 12 ounces stout beer *
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth , plus additional, if needed
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 large dried bay leaf
- kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- chopped fresh parsley , for garnish
- mashed potatoes, colcannon, polenta, or egg noodles , for serving
Instructions
Dutch Oven
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F, with the rack in the lower third of the oven. Dry the short ribs with paper towels and season well on all sides with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
- Heat the oil in a 5-1/2 to 7 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. (If the short ribs don't fit in a single layer, work in batches.) Brown short ribs on all sides, turning every 2-3 minutes as needed. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Pour off all but 2 tablespoons oil from the pot. Add carrots and sauté 3 minutes. Add celery and onion with a few pinches of salt and pepper, and sauté until onions begin to brown. Stir in tomato paste and garlic, and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add stout, scraping the brown bits off of the bottom of the pot. Stir in Worcestershire sauce. Return browned short ribs to the pan (plus any accumulated juices).
- Tie the rosemary and thyme together with kitchen twine for easy removal. Add the herbs to the Dutch oven with the bay leaf. Stir in beef broth. The liquid should come about 3/4 of the way to the top of the short ribs.
- Bring to a simmer, cover the Dutch oven, and bake for 3 hours, until the short ribs are fork tender. Turn the short ribs after about an hour and a half. If a lot of the liquid has evaporated, add some extra broth.
Instant Pot
- Prep and sear the short ribs, saute the vegetables, and deglaze the pan with stout, as in the Dutch oven method. You can use the Instant Pot insert with the SAUTE setting on HIGH to do this in batches, but I prefer to use a pan on the stove for better results. (Important: Read more about why in the Instant Pot Tips section of the article above.)
- Add the contents of the deglazed pan, with the aromatics and stout, to the Instant Pot insert and stir in the Worcestershire Sauce. Add the seared short ribs, bay leaf, and tied fresh herbs. Pour in the beef broth.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to "sealing," and cook on HIGH pressure for 45 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, and then manually release the remaining pressure.
For Both Cooking Methods
- Remove short ribs from the pot with a slotted spoon and cover with foil. Strain the braising liquid, gently pressing on the vegetable solids with a spoon or spatula to remove as much liquid as you can. Discard the solids.
- Let the braising liquid stand for about 5 minutes. Use a gravy separator or a spoon to skim the top of the liquid and remove excess fat.
- Whisk Dijon mustard into the defatted liquid and simmer until it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. You should have 2 to 2-1/2 cups of gravy.**
- Season the gravy to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon over short ribs and serve with mashed potatoes, colcannon, polenta, or egg noodles. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
About our recipes
Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.
This may be one of the best things I’ve made during quarantine. THANK YOU!! Used as pot pie/hand pie filling loosely following your cottage pie recipe and this hit the spot on a cold and stormy winter day.
I was concerned because I only had boneless short ribs so if there’s anyone else out there who read the warning about only using bone-in, don’t let that deter you! I did adjust the cook time down to 35 minutes (IP) and 2.5 hours (oven) and feel like both methods result in equally flavorful and tender meat. Will be making this many more times, but next time I’ll have to do a half batch so that the whole recipe can fit in my instant pot mini!
Simply delicious! My husband absolutely loved them