Make-Ahead, Slow-Roasted Boneless Short Ribs Bourguignon

Perfect for entertaining or for a delicious relaxed meal with family and friends, these melt-in-your-mouth Boneless Short Ribs Bourguignon can be made a day or two in advance! 

These Boneless Short Ribs Bourguignon are one of my favorite meals for entertaining. They're over-the-top delicious and can be made a day or two in advance. That means all I have to do on the day dinner guests are coming is to make a simple salad, put on a pot of potatoes or polenta and wait for the doorbell to ring. I try to keep a stash of homemade bread in the freezer so it's easy to just pop a loaf in the oven to round out a perfect meal!

Boneless Short Ribs

What are boneless short ribs and where do you find them?

Let's talk first about what they are not. You might be surprised to know that boneless short ribs are not true short ribs as they aren't cut from a rib portion of beef. So why are they called short ribs? America's Test Kitchen explains that a boneless short rib, "is actually the same muscle (Serratus ventralis) as a true short rib . . . however, the muscle changes in texture as it gets up into the shoulder."

So, to put it in a nutshell, boneless short ribs are just trimmed chuck roast. They're generally 2-2½ inches wide and 5-6 inches long, nicely marbled but with no excess fat.

That leads us to the "where". Where to find boneless short ribs? I usually get them at Costco. They're a bit pricey but so is chuck roast these days and short ribs don't require any trimming - they're all set to go. One other grocery store in my area (Harris Teeter) sells boneless shortribs. We also have a great local butcher where I can purchase boneless short ribs.

If you have trouble finding boneless short ribs for this Boneless Short Ribs Bourguignon recipe, just pick up a nice chuck roast and cut it into 2-inch wide strips. I've done that before, and even my short rib aficionado friends couldn't tell the difference!

Bourguignon

Why is this recipe called Boneless Short Ribs Bourguignon? This short rib recipe is named after the classic beef stew (made famous here in the States by Julia Child) called Beef Bourguignon (pronounced like this) which originated in the Burgundy area of France and was traditionally prepared with red wine from the area.

This Short Ribs Bourguignon recipe is a classic Beef Bourguignon with a few fun tweaks, one being boneless short ribs instead of small cubes of beef.

Make-Ahead

As I mentioned above, this recipe is wonderful when serving guests because all of the work is done in advance, making entertaining more enjoyable and relaxed. And, as the ingredients all have a chance to meld and marry, the flavors get richer and more delicious! A win-win!

I'm serving this dish to friends this evening but I made it on Wednesday. It's been hanging out in the fridge so all I have to do is warm it up before serving. That's my kind of entertaining!

How to serve these Boneless Short Ribs Bourguignon

I usually serve these short ribs with mashed potatoes. I love to add one sweet potato to the mix and simmer everything until the potatoes are super tender, almost falling apart. This makes for very smooth mashed potatoes. Because the short ribs are rich I use a portion of chicken broth instead of all milk or cream.

Polenta is also a delicious choice to pair with these Boneless Short Ribs Bourguignon. You could also add small baby potatoes with the carrots for a meal in one!

A basket of this Ridiculously Easy Rosemary Bread (pictured below) is essential to sop up the delicious sauce.

These No Knead Potato Rolls (pictured below) would also work well.

A simple green salad is a wonderful compliment to cut the rich Bourguignon. We love this delicious Classic French Bistro Salad (pictured below).

Put this Boneless Short Ribs Bourguignon on your entertaining must-make list. Or on your special family night menu. Make it ahead and be that cool, calm and collected hostess who enjoys the people and the party!

Cafe Tips for making this Bourguignon Boneless Short Ribs recipe

• As mentioned above in the post, if you can't find beef that is labeled "boneless short ribs", a nice chuck roast will also work. Trim any excess fat and cut the roast into large pieces, approximately 3 inches long, 1-2 inches wide and 1 inch thick.
• The mushrooms in this recipe are optional but add a delicious gourmet touch. They're made separately with our Fresh Herb Caramelized Mushrooms recipe which comes together quickly. Prepare the mushrooms ahead if you like thenwarm them a bit before serving. This is a comment we received recently on the mushrooms:

• If you're in a pinch for time, fresh mushrooms can be added with the carrots and pearl onions without cooking them first.
• You'll need a whole bottle of dry red wine for this Boneless Short Ribs Bourguignon recipe. That seems like a lot but that is what creates the amazing sauce.
• Be sure to allow the wine to reduce to half of its volume before adding the beef and braising in the oven. The reduced wine allows the tannins to shine, creating a rich, deep-flavored sauce.
• I use my Staub Cast Iron Dutch Oven to make these short ribs. Any heavy-duty Dutch oven or soup pot with a tight-fitting lid will work well.
• For the pictures in this post, I used my Staub Oval Braiser for serving.
• This recipe calls for pear onions. Pearl onions can be a pain in the neck to peel and prepare but, no worries! Many larger grocery stores carry frozen pearl onions. That means, all you have to do is cut open the bag and dump them in the pot.
• I usually use baby carrots for this recipe because they're so convenient with no peeling needed. I look for fatter baby carrots as the little tiny ones will cook too fast.
• Most larger grocery stores carry fresh bay leaves in the little packets with other fresh herbs. These last for weeks in the fridge and make a really pretty garnish for these Boneless Short Ribs Bourguignon along with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Thought for the day:

Lift up your eyes on high
And see who has created these stars,
The One who leads forth their host by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power,
Not one of them is missing. 
Isaiah 40:26

What we're listening to for inspiration:

How Great Thou Art

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Short Ribs Bourguignon

Chris Scheuer

Perfect for entertaining or for a delicious relaxed meal with family and friends, these melt-in-your-mouth Boneless Short Ribs Bourguignon can be made a day or two in advance!

5 from 4 votes

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Servings 8 -10

Calories 436

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

.5x1x2x

For the rub:

• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the shortribs:

• 3-3 ½ pounds boneless shortribs
• 3 slices smoky, thick-cut bacon, I use applewood smoked bacon
• 1 large sweet onion, diced small
• 4 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 750 milliliters dry red wine, 1 bottle
• 2 medium size bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 12 ounces carrots, cut thickly, on a slight diagonal
• 8 ounces pearl onions, I use frozen pearl onions

For the mushrooms: (optional)

• 1 recipe Caramelized Mushrooms

To finish:

• 1 ½ tablespoons soft butter
• 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour

For garnish:

• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• rosemary sprigs and fresh bay leaves, optional

Instructions

 

For the prep:

1. Combine the garlic salt, onion powder, baking soda and pepper in a small bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.
2. There are two options for cutting the short ribs. If your short ribs are wide, you can cut them in half, lengthwise first then in pieces about 3 inches long. Or just cut them in 3-inch lengths. Place the pieces on a cutting board or large pieces of parchment paper (for easy cleanup).
3. Season the beef with the garlic salt mixture on both sides. Use all of it. Allow the beef to sit with the seasoning while you cook the bacon.
4. Cut the bacon in half, length-wise then cut into ¼-inch pieces.

For the short ribs:

1. Heat a large Dutch oven (at least 4-5 quarts) over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a large bowl.
2. Preheat the oven to 300˚F.
3. Brown the short ribs for 2-3 minutes until the underside is golden brown. (Don’t crowd them. You’ll need to work in batches.) If it’s taking longer than 2-3 minutes to get a nice sear, increase the heat a bit.
4. Flip the short ribs with a tongs to the opposite side and sear again for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the short ribs to the bowl with the bacon. Repeat with the remaining short ribs. (You will need to sear the short ribs in 2-3 batches, depending on the size of your pan.)
5. When all of the short ribs have been nicely browned and transferred to the bowl,
6. Reduce the heat a bit and add the diced onions. Cook for 4-5 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and tomato paste. Continue cooking, stirring frequently until the mixture darkens a bit in color.
7. Add the wine and bring the mixture to a rapid boil. Boil for 4-5 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by about one-half. If it's taking longer, increase the heat.
8. Remove the pot from the burner and add the beef, bacon, bay leaves, chopped rosemary and any juices that have accumulated in the bowl to the pot.
9. Use a spoon or a tongs to nestle the meat into the liquid. Cover the pot and place it in the preheated oven for 2 hours.
10. Remove the pot from the oven, uncover and add the carrots and pearl onions. Return to the oven for one to one and a half hours or until the short ribs are very tender.
11. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat, carrots and pearl onions to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
12. Transfer the sauce to a separate container and refrigerate overnight. If you want a silky smooth sauce, you can strain it before refrigerating. Either way is great!

One hour before serving:

1. The fat will have accumulated to the top of the sauce and will be firm. Use a large spoon to scoop off and discard most of the fat. I like to leave a little for flavor.
2. Combine the short rib mixture and the sauce in a large pot or Dutch oven. Don’t stir it much at this point as you don’t want to break up the ribs or the carrots.
3. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to a very gentle simmer and cover. Cook until nicely warmed through, 30-40 minutes.
4. 20.

To finish:

1. Combine the soft butter and flour in a small bowl. Stir until smooth.
2. Add the butter mixture (aka beurre manié in French - doesn’t that make you feel fancy!) in small dollops, stirring constantly. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes then cover and turn off the heat. Serve within 15-20 minutes.
3. For the optional mushrooms:
4. While the Bourguignon is warm prepare the Caramelized Mushrooms according to the directions in the recipe. Top the Bourguignon with a scatter of Caramelized Mushrooms.

For serving:

1. We like to serve this Short Rib Bourguignon over mashed potatoes or polenta accompanied by warm crusty bread and a simple green salad. Delish!
2. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and a few small fresh bay leaves if desired.

Notes

If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.

Nutrition

Calories: 436kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 33gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 1291mgPotassium: 806mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 5821IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 4mg

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French