Braised Short Ribs

Preheat oven to 325°F. Pat short ribs dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and black pepper.

Chop onion, carrot, and celery into rough 2-inch pieces. Smash garlic cloves and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear short ribs on all sides until deep brown, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Pour off all but 1 tbsp fat from the pot. Add chopped onion, carrot, and celery; cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Stir in garlic and tomato paste; cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, and red wine if using. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Return short ribs to the pot, nestling them into the liquid. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover and transfer to the preheated oven.

Braise for 2.5–3 hours, turning ribs halfway through, until fork-tender and meat pulls easily from the bone.

Remove ribs from pot with tongs and transfer to a serving platter. Strain braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing on solids to extract liquid; discard solids.

Skim fat from the surface of the strained liquid, then simmer over medium heat for 10–15 minutes to reduce and concentrate flavors, until slightly thickened.

Pour reduced sauce over ribs and serve hot with vegetables or grains of choice.