Because the fog rolled in and it’s a little chilly out here in San Francisco. I wanted to revisit this comforting, soul warming meal. There is no better way to add a ton of flavor to any dish than with a good can of beer. In my case, I go to Guinness for that savory hardiness.
You would never know by tasting these that Guinness is the main ingredient. This recipe can be made with a roast as well. Serve with some cheesy, creamy, dreamy polenta. I’ve also served this shredded on top of wide egg noodles.
This one pot wonder is perfect for those times when you just want the stove to do the work for you. As always I used my beautiful Le Creuset dutch oven to cook this meal in. Cooking low and slow is key to developing the richness and flavor in this dish. Perfect for a Sunday night family dinner. So slow down and enjoy this rich sauce that accompanies perfectly tender and juicy beef ribs. Use any stout beer in this recipe, Guinness works perfect or pick your favorite.
Guinness Braised Short Ribs
This one pot dish is the perfect meal for a cozy night in. Complete comfort when you serve on top of cheesy polenta or mashed potatoes. You can totally do this in your slow cooker, prep everything as is until after sauteeing the veggies and transfer everything to your slow cooker and pour liquid over the top and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Add cornstarch slurry and cook for an additional 30 minutes until thickened.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 4 strips Bacon, sliced
- 3 pounds Beef Short Ribs, bone-in
- 2 tablespoons Butter, unsalted
- 1 whole Onion, diced
- 2 whole Carrots, medium dice
- 1 package Baby Bella Mushrooms, quartered
- 5 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 can (10 Oz. Size) Diced Tomatoes
- 1 can (14.9 Oz. Size) Guinness
- 2 whole Bay Leaves
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper, to season
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tablespoon Water
- 1 bunch Parsley, Chopped
Directions
- Step 1 Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a 9-quart cast iron pot over medium heat. Add the bacon lardons to the pot. Render fat and crisp up the bacon, about 5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
- Step 2 Season the ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. Place ribs in the pot to brown both sides, 2 minutes per side. Remove ribs to a plate and set aside.
- Step 3 Melt butter in the pot and add the diced onion, carrots and mushrooms to the pot, cook until veggies are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and stir in until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the can of diced tomatoes with juice. Stir to break up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the stout beer and continue to stir. Bring the liquid up to a slight simmer and add the bay leaves. Place the reserved bacon and short ribs back in the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 3 1/2 hours until the ribs are tender and falling off the bone.
- Step 4 Remove ribs to a serving dish and remove bay leaves. Season the liquid with salt and pepper.
- Step 5 In a separate bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Add in the cornstarch slurry to the liquid and whisk together until sauce looks thickened. Spoon sauce on top of the short ribs.
- Step 6 Garnish with chopped parsley.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a 9-quart cast iron pot over medium heat. Add the bacon lardons to the pot.
{Lardons just means sliced bacon into strips.} Render fat and crisp up the bacon, about 5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
Now just look at how beautiful these short ribs are! Enough meat on these bones to feed an army…..or enough for me…no judgement here.
Liberally season the ribs on both sides with salt and pepper.
Place ribs in the pot to brown both sides, 2 minutes per side. Remove ribs to a plate and set aside.
Melt butter in the pot and add the diced onion, carrots and mushrooms to the pot; cook until veggies are tender, about 8 minutes.
Add the garlic and stir in until fragrant, 30 seconds.
Add the can of diced tomatoes with juice.
Stir to break up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
It’s a good day for a Guinness.
Pour it in.
Pour it like you mean it.
Bring the liquid up to a slight simmer and add the bay leaves.
Nestle those short ribs back into the pot with the reserved bacon and reduce the heat to low.
Cover and cook for 3 1/2 hours until the ribs are tender and falling off the bone.
Remove ribs to a serving dish and remove bay leaf. Season the liquid with salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water.
Add in the cornstarch slurry to the liquid and whisk together until sauce looks thickened.
Spoon sauce on top of the short ribs.
Serve on top of a big bowl of polenta.
Savor and Enjoy!
My mouth is watering over this!
Hi! What kind of pot is this? Do I need this type of pot to cook this dish, or stainless would do?
Hi Charlene,
This is a Le Creuset Dutch Oven. It’s enameled and heavy bottomed so it helps with the consistency of conducting heat all throughout the dish. Any heavy bottomed pot would work. I would typically stay away from the stainless just because it’s a little thin for this type of cooking but if you have a good heavy all-clad that would be fine, just keep your eye on it to prevent burning. I use my Le Creuset for almost every dish I make, it’s a great investment and it can withstand any sort of cooking you throw at it and is perfect for this kind of low and slow cooking. All in all it will last a lifetime. Lodge makes great dutch ovens as well for half the cost. Let me know if you have any more questions. Cheers!
Just want to say I’ve made this at least 6x now and my family and I just love it!!!! Thank you for sharing. Great get into Fall meal :)
Thank you Robin. I’m so glad you and your family enjoy!!! This is what this recipe is about, food, family and lots of good times around the table!
What temperature should these be cooked at while in the oven?
Hi Tom, this recipe can be made on the stove, slow cooker or in the oven. I like making it on the stove because it’s easy to control the cooking time, just be wary about burning and keeping it on low. In the oven I suggest 325 degrees F covered for 2-2 1/2 hours until the meat is tender and falling away from the bone, but don’t skip on the steps of searing the short ribs and cooking down the veggies. Slow cooker can be cooked for 8 hours on low. Enjoy!
Can this be done with boneless short ribs?
I’ve never tried them with boneless before but I don’t see why it can’t be done. I like using bone in because I feel like it gives a richer flavor to the whole sauce. But try it without and let me know. Cheers!
Most recipes calling for that amount of short ribs also call for 4 cups of liquid…I want to make this but feel I might need to add more Guinness or broth?
Hi Denise,
I actually just made this recipe last weekend in the crockpot for my family and I did add an additional 2 cups beef stock (for the crockpot version, not dutch oven). It worked out great but there was a excess amount of liquid at the end that ended up being dumped, sad day when all that goodness is wasted. However, if you like the soupy style short ribs then I suggest adding 2 cups beef stock as well as the Guinness (you can never have enough Guinness)
Let me know how it goes, I always love recipe critiques to help improve my site. Cheers!
Any tips for doing this in a pressure cooker instead of a dutch oven? Thanks!
Hi Stefanie,
Believe it or not I have never used a pressure cooker so I wouldn’t have any tips for trying to convert it from cooking it low and slow in the dutch oven! Maybe try googling tips on how to convert recipes or look up an actual short rib pressure cooker recipe?
Cheers!
I love short ribs! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Just wanted to share that my husband and I love your recipe. Literally, just finished dinner and we’re already looking forward to the leftovers. I followed the recipe as instructed with the exception that I placed it in the oven for the 2.5 hour braise at 325 degrees. Thank you for sharing!
That’s great Melinda! I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed. Leftovers are the best part! And oven braising is totally fine with this recipe. Cheers!
Hi, is there anything I can use besides beer in this recipe? I couldnt find Guinness at my grocery store.
Hi Kyla, what a bummer to not find Guinness! Well unless you don’t have access to any stout beer for this recipe it kind of defeats the purpose of the recipe as a whole! So I will suggest another recipe for you, try my Red Wine Braised Short Ribs https://dashofsavory.com/red-wine-braised-short-ribs/ or Braised Short Rib Pasta https://dashofsavory.com/braised-short-rib-pasta/ which has more of a tomato base. I hope this was helpful. Cheers!
Can this be done up to a certain point then finished off the next day?
Hi Jen,
You could prep everything all the way up to the point of braising it. I do this all the time if I want to use my slow cooker the next day. Just adjust time for bringing it all back to temperature after storing in the fridge overnight. It typically takes 8 hours on low in my slow cooker or if done in your dutch oven 4-5 hours. Enjoy!
I made this wonderful recipe this morning so I could eat it for lunch and dinner! I couldn’t imagine how it would taste with the taste of a strong lager in it but it was absolutely amazing!! The only change I made was the addition of tomato paste at the end. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Thank you so much for such a great recipe!!
Hi Penny! That is the ultimate meal prep! I love that idea to make early for meals to come. Enjoy!
Excited! Can’t wait!
We had this for dinner one night this week and it was so delicious! I want to make it once a week, I couldn’t stop eating it!
Hi Kelly! So glad you enjoyed! Thank you and cheers!
I would love to try your recipe, but can’t get it to print. No matter which place I try to print from, only pics of other articles shown at the bottom of your recipe appear ready to print. Have any suggestions?
Look forward to a reply –