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Home » Weeknight Meals

Bourbon Braised Short Ribs

by lena

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Bourbon Braised Short Ribs are braised in bourbon, maple syrup, beef broth, and Worcestershire until they fall off the bone and taste deliciously tender.

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a large pot filled with braised short ribs and a brown sauce.

These Bourbon Braised Short Ribs are incredibly tender and richly flavored thanks to a braising liquid made from bourbon, maple syrup, beef broth, and Worcestershire. They cook low and slow in a Dutch oven, leaving you with meat that’s fall-off-the-bone and finger-licking good.

The braising liquid in my Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs recipe is similar to these maple bourbon short ribs, but the red wine is replaced with bourbon whiskey and maple syrup. These two ingredients offer two significant qualities to the dish:

  1. A deeply rich and extra beefy flavor.
  2. Just a hint of sweetness in every bite.

Serve this rich dish over a bed of mashed potatoes, creamy polenta or cauliflower mash with roasted asparagus or french green beans on the side. It’s a meal you won’t soon forget.

Watch How To Make Bourbon Braised Short Ribs Recipe

What is a short rib?

Beef short ribs come from the chuck portion of the cow. They’re cut from the first five ribs in the rib cage which are usually too small or short to be used for steaks or barbecue ribs. The muscle located in between each rib is used often, which makes the meat nice and tender.

close up on braised short ribs in a brown liquid.

Ingredients and substitutions

ingredients for bourbon braised short ribs in individual plates and bowls.
  • Olive oil
  • Bone-in beef short ribs – Short ribs can be bought bone-in or boneless. Bone-in are much more flavorful and become very tender in the almost 3-hour cook time.
  • Kosher salt
  • Shallots – You can use a yellow onion if you don’t have shallots.
  • Carrots – Feel free to add even more hearty vegetables if you want. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, or turnips would all work well.
  • Garlic
  • Bourbon – Bourbon is a type of American whiskey made with, according to the Food Network, “a mash bill (or grain mix)… with at least 51 percent corn and aged in new, charred-oak barrels.” Because of its lengthy aging process and the type of barrels, bourbon is left with a layered flavor profile. You’ll often taste notes of caramel, vanilla, and warm spices.
  • Maple syrup – Maple, bourbon, and beef are a dream team. The syrup finishes the dish with a complementary sweetness without needing overly refined sugars.
  • Beef broth – You can take this recipe up a notch by using homemade beef broth or bone broth instead.
  • Fresh thyme
  • Tomato paste
  • Worcestershire sauce – The natural umami flavors in Worcestershire perfectly compliment the beef and add a subtle tang. If you don’t have Worcestershire, use soy sauce or tamari instead.
4 images showing how to sear and braise short ribs.

How to make bourbon braised short ribs

To prepare the beef short ribs, pat them dry and season all sides with salt. 

In a lightly oiled Dutch oven over medium-high heat, sear the ribs until they’re browned on all sides (work in batches so as to not crowd them). Transfer them to a plate.

Turn the heat down slightly. Add the shallots and carrots to the pot and cook until softened. Next, add the garlic. Once it’s fragrant, stir in the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce.

Pour the bourbon and maple syrup into the pot. Cook until it’s reduced by half, then stir in the broth and thyme.

Now you can add the seared short ribs back into the pot. Nestle them into the sauce, then add in the beef stock and thyme so they’re halfway submerged in the sauce.

Cover with a lid. Transfer the pot to the preheated oven and cook, stirring every 45 minutes, until the ribs are very tender.

When they’re done, transfer the ribs and carrots to a serving platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil. While they rest, heat the liquid on the stove to help it thicken. You can add a cornstarch slurry if it still isn’t thick enough.

Afterward, serve the ribs and sauce over a bed of creamy polenta or mashed potatoes and the sides of your choice. Enjoy!

Serving suggestions

Scoop the ribs and extra sauce over a luscious bed or creamy mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, creamy polenta, or orzo pasta. This is a rich and beefy meal, so be sure to break up the hearty bites with lighter sides, like a butter lettuce salad, sauteed broccolini, or beet salad.

Don’t forget the cocktails! Every bite of braised beef pairs so nicely with bourbon served neat, a scotch and soda, or a classic Manhattan.

a large pot filled with braised short ribs and a brown sauce.

Frequently asked questions

Should you sear short ribs before braising?

Yes, searing the beef is important because it adds a rich flavor to the meat and caramelizes the outside.

Can you make short ribs in the Instant Pot?

Yes! Use the instructions in my Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs recipe.

Can you cook short ribs in the slow cooker?

Absolutely. Sear the ribs and make the liquid as normal on the stove before transferring everything to a slow cooker. Cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours.

What can I use instead of bourbon?

You can try replacing the bourbon with whiskey or a stout beer but the flavors will be quite different.

Can you make this without alcohol?

To braise the ribs without alcohol, replace the bourbon with more beef broth.

braised short ribs on a bed of mashed potatoes on a white plate.

Storing leftovers

Store the leftover cooked ribs in a shallow airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You could also freeze them for up to 4 months. 

Looking for more hearty beef dinners?

  • Instant Pot Beef Ragu
  • Garlic Butter Ribeye Steak
  • Herbed Prime Rib Roast
  • Uzbek Beef Plov
  • BBQ Baby Back Ribs

If you try these Bourbon Braised Short Ribs let me know what you think! Rate and review this recipe in the comments below. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me on Instagram @lenaskitchenblog!

Bourbon Braised Short Ribs

4.8 from 12 votes
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time: 2 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Lena Gladstone
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
Bourbon Braised Short Ribs are braised in bourbon, maple syrup, beef broth, and Worcestershire until they fall off the bone and taste deliciously tender.

Equipment

  • 1 braiser cast iron pan or use a dutch oven
  • 1 tongs
  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 chef's knife
  • 1 wooden spoon

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil divided
  • 6 bone-in beef short ribs about 3 pounds
  • 1 ½ tablespoon kosher salt or more to taste
  • 6 medium shallots peeled and halved
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds
  • 6 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • 1 ¼ cup bourbon
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 3 cups beef broth plus more as needed
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Pat the short ribs dry and season them generously with salt. In a large cast iron pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of oil. Sear the short ribs until browned on all sides, 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
  • Reduce the heat to medium. Leave all the drippings from searing the ribs in the Dutch oven. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add in the shallots, carrots, and remaining salt, and cook stirring occasionally, until slightly browned and softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Then add the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce, and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the bourbon and maple syrup and cook until reduced by half, 3-4 minutes. Nestle the short ribs, then pour in the beef stock and add fresh thyme. The ribs should be covered with liquid halfway.
  • Cover with a lid, transfer into the oven and cook until the ribs are very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Check the ribs after 2 hours.
  • Let the ribs rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
  • To serve, add the meat on top of mashed potatoes, creamy polenta or cooked pasta and drizzle the sauce on top.

Video

Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef, dinner, main course, main dish, ribs, weeknight dinner

Nutrition

Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 2384mg | Potassium: 400mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3566IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg

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Recipe Rating




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Comments

  1. Anna Shapiro

    at

    5 stars
    This recipe is delicious. I omitted the maple syrup, used tarragon instead of thyme and swapped in .5c of cognac instead of bourbon because that’s what we had. Prepared and let it cook in slow cooker overnight and came out melt in your mouth delicious.Thank you for sharing! I also tried the regular short rib recipe with wine but prepared in the oven instead of slow cooker and will say that the slow cooker had much better results for me. The flavors were also very good but I think that I didn’t bake it long enough in oven and consequently had a couple of tough pieces. That being said, most of the pieces still turned out very soft so really it’s the difference between very good and great. 🙂

    Reply
    • lena

      at

      I’m so happy to hear that you adjusted the recipe to what you had and enjoyed it.

  2. Lisa

    at

    Would this be good with a round eye beef piece?

    Reply
    • lena

      at

      I haven’t tried that cut before, so I can’t say, but if it’s got a bone in, I’m guessing yes. If you try it with this cut, let me know how it turned out.

  3. Kristen Ash

    at

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness, this was so delicious! Definitely will be a redo recipe! So many amazing flavors but very approachable recipe. Perfect braising for a weekend day ❤️

    Reply
  4. Alla P.

    at

    5 stars
    If I could give this recipe 10 Stars I absolutely would! We had local grass-fed beef ribs that I used for this recipe. Our entire family was over I must say I took a risk on trying something new but I don’t regret it the slightest. Days later the family is still raving about the ribs! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us it’s definitely going down in my favorites!

    Reply
    • lena

      at

      That makes me so happy to hear that Alla, it’s one of those recipes that looks impressive but is so easy to make. Glad you guys enjoyed it.

  5. Sophie

    at

    5 stars
    We’ve had our eye on this recipe ever since Lena posted a little teaser. We bought our ribs way in advance and froze them in anticipation of the recipe dropping. As soon as Lena posted the recipe we were in the kitchen cooking up a storm. I’m typically not a fan of ribs but these were AMAZING! This recipe is a perfect comfort meal on a rainy day when you still want to break bread with friends.

    One note though, we did make it in the pressure cooker for a quicker cooking time. The covered cooking time was around 45 minutes! I tested it so you won’t have to 😉

    Reply
    • lena

      at

      Thank you so much for trying the recipe Sophie, glad to hear that you did it in the instant pot and it worked out great for you as well. It’s such a great tasting one. Rainy day special for sure. Happy cooking!

  6. Jessica

    at

    5 stars
    Absolutely amazing!! It’s such a perfect combination of all the right flavors. My husband even requested this to be made for holiday parties

    Reply
    • lena

      at

      That makes me so happy to hear that Jessica, it’s a new favorite recipe for sure. Hope you get to enjoy it for the holidays again. Happy Cooking!

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Welcome, glad you’re here!

Hi, I’m Lena Gladstone, the recipe developer and food photographer behind Lena’s Kitchen. Here you will find approachable food recipes to share with the whole family. Keto friendly, weeknight dinners all made with fresh ingredients. Click here to learn more!

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