Fork-tender braised short ribs glazed with a deep, glossy porcini-enhanced jus—rich, beefy and umami-forward with a silky butter finish, perfect spooned over mashed potatoes or creamy polenta.
Earthy Porcini Short Ribs with a Glossy Finish
A restaurant-style braise that turns meaty short ribs into fork-tender comfort, finished with a silky porcini-forward jus for maximum umami.
This is the kind of dinner that makes the house smell like something special happened without needing fussy technique. Searing the short ribs until they’re deeply browned builds the backbone of the dish, and a handful of dried porcini folded into the braising liquid lifts the beef with an intense, woodsy umami that a regular stock can’t match.
The magic is in layering: sweat the onion, carrot and celery until they caramelize a little, bloom tomato paste and garlic to round the acidity, then deglaze with a dry red wine. Reserving and using the porcini soaking liquid concentrates flavor, and a long, low oven braise melts the connective tissue into glossy, fork-tender meat. A pat of butter whisked in at the end gives the jus that silky sheen and mouthfeel that feels downright luxurious.
Serve this over mashed potatoes or creamy polenta so each spoonful has a soft, starchy partner to soak up the jus. It’s forgiving to make ahead—the flavors deepen after a day in the fridge (skim the solidified fat before reheating), and a gentle rewarm on the stove or in a low oven brings everything back to shine.
Small but important tips: don’t skip the flour-dusting and high-heat sear for color and body, strain the porcini liquid carefully to avoid grit, and opt for low-sodium beef stock so you control the seasoning at the end. The result is a deceptively simple plate that reads like a chef’s special but lives happily on a weeknight or a weekend dinner party.
Ingredients
How to Make Seared Porcini Jus Braised Short Ribs
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels, season all over with 1 tsp of the kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper, then lightly dust each piece with the tablespoon of flour, shaking off excess.
- Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil; when shimmering, sear the short ribs in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side, then transfer the ribs to a plate.
- While the ribs sear, place the dried porcini in a heatproof bowl and cover with 2 cups of very hot water; let sit 20 minutes to rehydrate, then strain the soaking liquid through a fine mesh into a measuring cup and reserve, discarding any grit.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the Dutch oven, then add the chopped onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes; add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes more to deepen the tomato flavor.
- Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits, and simmer until the wine is reduced by about half, 5–7 minutes; stir in the reserved porcini soaking liquid (leave behind any sediment), the rehydrated mushrooms, beef stock, fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
- Return the short ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot so they are mostly submerged, bring to a gentle simmer on the stove, then cover and transfer to the preheated oven and braise until fork-tender, 2½–3 hours.
- When the ribs are tender, remove them to a warm plate and skim and discard excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid; strain the liquid through a fine mesh into a saucepan, pressing on solids to extract flavor, and discard the solids.
- Bring the strained liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat and reduce until slightly thickened and saucelike, about 10–15 minutes, then season to taste with the remaining ½ tsp kosher salt and additional pepper if needed.
- Off the heat, whisk in the cold unsalted butter 1 tablespoon at a time to create a glossy porcini jus; stir in the chopped parsley, return the short ribs to the sauce to warm briefly, then serve the ribs glazed with the jus.
Recipe Card
Seared Porcini Jus Braised Short Ribs
Fork-tender braised short ribs glazed with a deep, glossy porcini-enhanced jus—rich, beefy and umami-forward with a silky butter finish, perfect spooned over mashed potatoes or creamy polenta.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 3 hr
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels, season all over with 1 tsp of the kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper, then lightly dust each piece with the tablespoon of flour, shaking off excess.
- Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil; when shimmering, sear the short ribs in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side, then transfer the ribs to a plate.
- While the ribs sear, place the dried porcini in a heatproof bowl and cover with 2 cups of very hot water; let sit 20 minutes to rehydrate, then strain the soaking liquid through a fine mesh into a measuring cup and reserve, discarding any grit.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the Dutch oven, then add the chopped onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes; add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes more to deepen the tomato flavor.
- Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits, and simmer until the wine is reduced by about half, 5–7 minutes; stir in the reserved porcini soaking liquid (leave behind any sediment), the rehydrated mushrooms, beef stock, fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
- Return the short ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot so they are mostly submerged, bring to a gentle simmer on the stove, then cover and transfer to the preheated oven and braise until fork-tender, 2½–3 hours.
- When the ribs are tender, remove them to a warm plate and skim and discard excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid; strain the liquid through a fine mesh into a saucepan, pressing on solids to extract flavor, and discard the solids.
- Bring the strained liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat and reduce until slightly thickened and saucelike, about 10–15 minutes, then season to taste with the remaining ½ tsp kosher salt and additional pepper if needed.
- Off the heat, whisk in the cold unsalted butter 1 tablespoon at a time to create a glossy porcini jus; stir in the chopped parsley, return the short ribs to the sauce to warm briefly, then serve the ribs glazed with the jus.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 11
- Saturated Fat
- 24
- Sodium
- 700
- Fiber
- 2
- Unsaturated Fat
- 38
- Protein
- 42
- Fat
- 62
- Cholesterol
- 200
- Trans Fat
- 0.3
- Calories
- 850
- Sugar
- 6