Guinness Braised Short Ribs Recipe

I braised short ribs in Guinness, finishing my Braised Short Ribs with an unexpected pantry ingredient that gives the sauce a dark, bittersweet complexity.

I never thought a bottle of Guinness stout could do what it does to bone in beef short ribs until the first time I tasted it. That dark, oddly sweet bitterness transforms the meat into something I still cant explain, something that lingers long after the plate is gone.

It’s not about prettiness, or fuss, its about a kind of stubborn depth that grabs you, refuses to let go and makes you ask, how did that happen. I keep messing with the recipe, failing sometimes, learning more often.

If you like bold flavors this will surprise you at every dinner. Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients

• Bone in short ribs: rich protein, lots of collagen that turns silky with long cooking.
• Guinness stout: bitter chocolate notes, dark roasted flavor adds depth and subtle sweetness.
• Onions: build savory backbone, caramelize to give sweet umami and rounded richness.
• Carrots: add natural sweetness, fiber and earthiness, help balance rich beef.
• Bacon or pancetta: smoky fat adds saltiness, depth, makes sauce more silky.
• Garlic: punchy aromatics, lots of flavor with low calories, subtle sweetness when cooked.
• Beef stock: builds beefy backbone, adds umami, salts and stabilizes braising liquid.
• Fresh thyme and bay: herb lift, bright notes cut richness, smell is comforting.

Ingredient Quantities

• about 4 to 5 lb bone-in beef short ribs
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
• 4 oz bacon or pancetta, diced
• 2 large onions, roughly chopped
• 2 large carrots, cut into chunks
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 12 oz bottle Guinness stout
• 2 cups beef stock (low sodium preferred)
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter (optional)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Pat the short ribs dry, season all over with kosher salt and black pepper, then dredge lightly in the flour and shake off the excess; this helps make a nice crust and slightly thickens the sauce later.

2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Working in batches so you dont crowd the pan, brown the ribs on all sides until deep brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer browned ribs to a plate.

3. Add the diced bacon or pancetta to the pot and cook until the fat renders and pieces are crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove most of the bacon with a slotted spoon and leave about 1 to 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot.

4. Add the chopped onions, carrots and celery to the pot and cook over medium heat until softened and starting to caramelize, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Mix in the tomato paste and cook until it darkens a bit, about 1 to 2 minutes, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce.

5. Pour in the Guinness to deglaze the bottom of the pot, scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Let the stout simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to burn off some alcohol and concentrate flavor.

6. Return the ribs and reserved bacon to the pot, pour in the beef stock so the ribs are mostly covered, and tuck in the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Bring everything to a gentle simmer on the stove.

7. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Braise until the meat is fork tender and falling off the bone, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Check once halfway and spoon some braising liquid over the ribs if the top looks dry.

8. When ribs are tender remove them to a platter and skim excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid. Discard thyme stems and bay leaves. If the sauce is thin, reduce it on the stovetop over medium high heat until slightly thickened and glossy.

9. Finish the sauce with the unsalted butter if using, stirring until melted to give the sauce a silky sheen, then taste and adjust salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the ribs, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve hot.

Equipment Needed

1. Large Dutch oven (6 to 7 qt) for browning and braising the ribs
2. Chef’s knife and cutting board for trimming meat and chopping veg
3. Tongs to turn the ribs while browning
4. Large shallow dish or rimmed plate for dredging in flour
5. Slotted spoon to remove the bacon and crisp bits
6. Wooden spoon to scrape up brown bits and stir the sauce
7. Measuring cups and spoons for flour, stock, Guinness and seasonings
8. Fine mesh skimmer or large spoon to skim excess fat from the sauce
9. Oven mitts or potholders and a platter for resting and serving the ribs

FAQ

Guinness Braised Short Ribs Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Guinness stout (12 oz): swap for a porter or other dark stout, same amount. If you need non alcoholic use 12 oz beef stock plus 1 tbsp molasses or 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar to give that dark, slightly sweet depth.
• Bone-in beef short ribs (4 to 5 lb): you can use boneless short ribs, beef chuck roast cut into large chunks, or oxtail for extra gelatinous richness. Cook times vary a bit so braise until fork tender.
• 4 oz bacon or pancetta, diced: swap with diced smoked ham or prosciutto, or skip and stir in 1 tsp liquid smoke plus a little extra oil for the smoky note, it’ll still taste great.
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce: replace with 1 tbsp soy sauce plus 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, or use tamari for gluten free, or 1/2 tsp anchovy paste mixed with a splash of water for that umami punch.

Pro Tips

1) Let the ribs sit out for 20 to 30 minutes before you sear them, they brown way better when not straight from the fridge. Pat them very dry with paper towels, flour only lightly and shake off the excess so the crust isnt gummy.

2) Brown in batches so the pan stays hot, dont crowd it. Save the browned bits in the pot, thats where most of the flavor lives, and use a wooden spoon to scrape them up when you add liquid.

3) Skim excess fat after braising and then reduce the sauce until it coats a spoon, that concentrates the flavor and makes it glossy. Finish the sauce off the heat with a knob of cold butter and stir it in, it will smooth and slightly thicken the sauce.

4) Make it a day ahead if you can, the flavors deepen overnight and the fat firms up so you can remove more of it easily. Reheat gently in a low oven with a splash of stock or water so the meat stays moist.