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Home » Recipes » Christmas

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Parsnip Celery Root Puree

Published: Jan 19, 2019 · Modified: Nov 18, 2020 by Coley · This post may contain affiliate links.

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These Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Parsnip Celery Root Puree are a delicious and comforting winter dinner that's easy to make and perfect for a cozy night in.

Wintertime was made for meals like these red wine braised short ribs. Tender, fall-off-the-bone meat in a rich red wine sauce over top of a creamy puree made from parsnips and celery root. It only requires about 30 minutes of actual hands on work, the rest of the time is spent braising low and slow. 

The key to making a good pot of short ribs is to start with good short ribs. I know I sound like the Barefoot Contessa when I say that, but hear me out. I can't tell you how many times I've bought short ribs at the grocery store - for A LOT of money - then came home, cooked them, and wound up with a pot of greasy bones with just a tiny bit of meat floating around.

Raw ingredients for braised short ribsCloseup of three parsnips and one celery root.

Once upon a time short ribs were a cheap cut of meat that butchers had a hard time selling, but these days they've become so trendy that the price has skyrocketed. They're worth it, though, as long as you make the effort to find high quality ribs that have a high meat-to-fat-to-bone ratio. You can see how meaty mine were in the photos below. I happened to spot these at my local grocery store (Galloway ShopRite for anyone interested), but if you don't see them the case, it never hurts to ask. Even if they're not in stock, you can always place an order to pick up at a later date.

Of course, there should still be a reasonable amount of fat. They are ribs, after all. The fat should be well marbled throughout so that it melts into the meat like buttah. That marbling is key for making your short ribs exceptionally tender, succulent and fall-off-the-bone delicious.

A dinner plate containing a fork and two braised short ribs.Close up shot of a braised short rib on a plate.

You can add anything you want to a pot of braised short ribs, but I find that keeping it simple is best. A bit of red wine, some carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and a few herbs is all you need. Let the flavors speak for themselves, there's no need to muddy them up with a bunch of spices and extra stuff. Maybe throw in some mushrooms if that's your jam. Otherwise, resist the urge to doctor this up too much and you'll be rewarded with a really tasty meal.

I serve these over a bed of creamy celery root and parsnip puree, but you can easily substitute with mashed potatoes, polenta, egg noodles or whatever other starch you prefer. I love the unique flavor of celery root and parsnips - they make a lovely combination when paired together (like in this Celery Root and Parsnip Gratin from my archives). I use an immersion blender (affiliate link) to get the puree silky smooth, which makes the most incredible base for the meaty, saucy short ribs.

Seared short ribs in a Dutch oven, ready to be oven-braised.Oven-braised short ribs  in a cast iron Dutch oven.

I like to make this in a dutch oven so I can do it all in one pot, but there's no reason why this couldn't be cooked in a crock pot or slow cooker (or an instant pot, I just can't tell you the directions for that because I don't have one... yet). That said, it's very important to brown the ribs first, rather than just throwing them into the pot in raw. This is what's going to help develop a deep, meaty flavor and absolutely shouldn't be skipped.

If you want to do this in a slow cooker you'll need to brown the ribs and saute the vegetables on the stove first, then deglaze the pan with wine (because you don't want to lose all that goodness!), and then transfer everything to the slow cooker. For my money, I'd rather just do it all in the same pot. But if you don't have the luxury of being home all day to babysit the dutch oven, the slow cooker is absolutely a great way to go.

A close up of a fork easily shredding meat off a braised short rib.

It's supposed to drop to SEVEN degrees here on Sunday night, so you can bet I'll be keeping my butt  inside, cozied up with a bowl of these tender, fall-apart red wine braised short ribs.

Two Years Ago: Honey Butter Granola | Chicken Tortilla Soup 
There Years Ago: Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pecorino + Herbs
Four Years Ago: Fennel Orange Salad with Toasted Pistachios

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Dinner plate and fork with saucy short ribs.

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Parsnip Celery Root Puree

★★★★★ 5 from 8 reviews
  • Author: Nicole Gaffney (ColeyCooks.com)
  • Prep Time: 20 minute
  • Cook Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: meat
  • Method: braised
  • Cuisine: comfort food
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Description

These Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Parsnip Celery Root Puree are a delicious and comforting winter dinner that's easy to make and perfect for a cozy night in.


Ingredients

Scale

For the Short Ribs:

  • 4 big, meaty short ribs (about 3 lbs total), excess fat trimmed
  • kosher salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium carrot, scrubbed (no need to peel), diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 very large onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons flour  (use a gluten free flour or omit for gf/Paleo)
  • 1 ½ cups dry red wine
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 large sprig fresh thyme (sub ½ teaspoon dried)

For the Celery Root + Parsnip Puree:

  • 1 ¼ - 1 ½ lbs parsnips (3 medium), peeled and cubed
  • 1 ¼ - 1 ½ lb celery root, peeled and cubed
  • 4 tablespoons butter (use grass fed for Paleo)
  • ½ - 1 cup whole milk (substitute a non dairy milk for Paleo)
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • white pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Take the short ribs out of the refrigerator, season them generously on all sides with salt and pepper, then let them sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
  2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.* Add olive oil to a large dutch oven over high heat, then carefully lay the short ribs down in the hot oil. Let cook until deeply browned (about 5 minutes), then turn and brown on all remaining sides. Don't rush this step. Be sure the ribs are very browned on all sides in order to achieve the best flavor. Remove and let rest on a plate to collect all the juices.
  3. Drain all but one teaspoon of oil, then add the carrots, celery and onion. Lower the heat and let cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking until the vegetables start to just barely brown, another 8 minutes.
  4. Add the tomato paste and stir around until it gets caramelized, about 3-4 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until it's totally absorbed.
  5. Add the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the water, bay leaves and thyme, then bring up to a boil.
  6. Place the short ribs back in the pan along with their juices, then spoon some of the liquid and vegetables over top. Cover and place in the oven for 1 ½ hours.
  7. Skim off any fat that accumulates on the top. Flip the short ribs onto the other side and add a bit more water to the pot if it's getting dry. Cook for an additional 1 ½ - 2 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone. Remove from the oven, skim off any additional fat, then let rest in the pot while you make the celery root and parsnip puree.
  8. Add the parsnips and celery root to a medium pot and cover with cold water. Bring up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and let sit in the colander for a few minutes to dry (too much liquid will make your puree watery).
  9. Add the vegetables back to the pot along with the butter and ½ cup milk. Use an immersion blender to puree until very smooth. Alternatively, you can do this in a food processor or blender, but the immersion blender makes it so much easier. I don't recommend hand mashing because you won't get as nice of a texture.
  10. Add more milk a little bit at a time to achieve the right consistency. Season with kosher salt and white pepper to taste. It took a whole tablespoon of salt for mine to taste seasoned, so don't be shy (the total amount will depend on whether or not you used salted butter and if so which brand).
  11. To serve, place a big dollop of celery root and parsnip puree on a plate or bowl, top with a short rib and spoon sauce over top.

Notes

*You can also make this recipe in a slow cooker. Brown the meat, cook the vegetables, then deglaze the pan with wine and water, then transfer to the slow cooker along with the meat. Cook on low for 5 hours or until the meat easily pulls away from the bones.

Keywords: dinner, short ribs, parsnip, celery root, braised, meat, beef, red wine, comfort food

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Tag @coleycooks on Instagram and hashtag it #coleycooks

A plate containing a braised short rib that is falling apart tender on parsnip puree.Easy Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Parsnip Celery Root Puree is a delicious winter comfort food recipe that's gluten free, Paleo and perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner #easy #beef #glutenfree #shortrib #recipe #paleo #redwine #braised #crockpot #parsnip #celeriac #comfortfood | ColeyCooks.com

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  1. nicole (thespicetrain.com)

    January 22, 2019 at 1:43 am

    Ooh, these ribs look gorgeous, love the mouthwatering photography! 🙂

    Reply
    • Coley

      January 22, 2019 at 2:25 pm

      Thanks Nicole! They are deeeeelicious!

      Reply
      • RJ

        January 20, 2020 at 5:39 pm

        One year later, but I'm curious if you could help to insert the instructions for a slow cooker into these. I'm having trouble fitting it all together.

        Reply
        • Coley

          March 02, 2020 at 9:16 am

          Start by searing the meat and sautéing the vegetables as directed - either in your slow cooker if it allows or on the stove top. Add all ingredients to slow cooker and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Finish as directed. Hope this helps!

          Reply
          • Thomas Connell

            December 20, 2020 at 11:03 am

            Question -
            I’m planning on making this for Christmas dinner. Are the carrots, onion and celery part of the purée? You don’t mention discarding them yet they don’t seem to be mentioned in the purée either..I’ve braised short ribs before just not this recipe. Thanks.

            ★★★★★

          • Coley

            December 21, 2020 at 10:01 am

            I'm not sure I totally understand the question. The carrots, onion and celery stay in the pot with the short ribs, while the celery root and parsnip puree is made separately as a side - think of it as a mashed potato replacement. The carrots, celery and onion that are used to braise the short ribs will cook down and soften to create a rustic sauce for the meat. I hope this answers your question!

      • Rick Luckett

        May 03, 2020 at 8:16 pm

        OMG, so delicious! I used my food processor on the onion and celery (hate the taste of celery) to make very fine, doubled the Tomato, garlic, flour, wine and used 1 cup beef bone broth. I also added a few sprigs of rosemary. Added another cup of bone broth at the 2 hour mark. Served over mashed potatoes! Used my Wife’s Grandmother’s 100 year old cast iron Dutch Oven. Oh and I also used my 3 pound cast iron bacon press on top of the ribs when browning on all sides!

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Coley

          May 04, 2020 at 12:34 pm

          Fantastic!! Sounds great Rick, thanks for the comment!

          Reply
  2. Josie

    March 13, 2019 at 7:22 am

    They look amazing! I can’t wait to cook it. My mouth is watering. Thanks Nicole, I’ve pinned it 😊

    Reply
    • Coley

      March 14, 2019 at 12:42 pm

      Thanks Josie! You'll love them! 😀

      Reply
    • Coley

      March 15, 2019 at 3:03 pm

      Thank you so much, Josie!

      Reply
  3. Lisa

    April 16, 2019 at 7:02 pm

    This was excellent. I used boneless ribs because that is what I had purchased when I started searching for this recipe and I doubled the carrot and celery because I like lots of veggies but it turned out perfect. For reference, I used a $15/bottle Cabernet Sauvignon as the wine. I also could not find celery root and did all parsnips instead. I would proudly serve this to company and for a holiday meal but it was easy enough for Sunday dinner.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Coley

      April 18, 2019 at 2:21 pm

      Thanks for the wonderful review, Lisa! So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Jaime Nelson

    December 02, 2019 at 11:28 am

    I just made this and was a little nervous about the red wine reduction but it turned out great! I ended up putting the meat and sauce in the slow cooker and will make mashed potatoes later. I am subbing out mashed because my kids are super picky. I think they will eat this though! Love your site!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Coley

      December 04, 2019 at 9:05 am

      That's awesome Jamie! You can't go wrong with mashed potatoes. 🙂

      Reply
    • Jose Rodriguez

      December 10, 2022 at 10:19 pm

      Personally the purée was a bad taste kind of ruined the dish to me. Will be doing mashed potatoes next time for sure other than that the meat turned out great!

      Reply
  5. Reg

    January 19, 2020 at 8:47 pm

    Hi Nicole! Can you please tell me how I can use my Instant Pot to make this recipe? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Coley

      March 02, 2020 at 9:13 am

      Sure! Follow all directions for searing the meat and sautéing vegetable (either in your instant pot or on the stove). Cover and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes, then Natural Release for 15 minutes. Finish the recipe as directed!

      Reply
  6. Ellie

    May 04, 2020 at 8:32 am

    Hi! I'd like to do this meal tomorrow, can I do it with Lamb instead of pork and would that affect the cooking time? Thank you! 🙂

    Reply
    • Coley

      May 04, 2020 at 12:34 pm

      Lamb shanks will work great!

      Reply
  7. Dominic A Allen

    June 11, 2020 at 6:28 pm

    I am currently cooking this meal in my crock pot! It smells amazing, and I can't wait to taste this!!
    Thank you!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Coley

      July 26, 2020 at 1:57 pm

      Hope they tasted as great as they smelled!

      Reply
      • Dominic A Allen

        July 26, 2020 at 2:05 pm

        They were so delicious!! My brother and his wife still talk about them, and their 2 and ahalf year old son enjoyed them so much!! Thanks again, this is an amazing recipe.

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Coley

          July 26, 2020 at 2:21 pm

          SO glad to hear that! Thanks for the rating!!

          Reply
  8. Jen

    December 23, 2020 at 5:39 am

    I'm having a hard time finding short ribs where I am located at the moment. Not in the US. Do you think a chuck roll would work on this recipe also? More like a roast?

    Reply
    • Rebecca Caruso

      July 12, 2021 at 3:18 pm

      Was looking to make something different to make for dinner. This recipe sounded perfect! In the oven now, smells amazing. Just tasted the purée it’s delicious! Doesn’t make much though I’ll probably double it next time. Thank you!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
  9. Emily

    February 15, 2021 at 2:24 am

    Substituted the short ribs for 3.24 lbs chuck roast and subbed the parsnips with polenta ( what was in the fridge during our snow storm!). It worked perfectly! I ensured to brown the meat until it had a nice crust on it. The sauce was lovely and the chuck roast worked well over a polenta, although, it would have been amazing with the parsnip puree or mashed potatoes. Fantastic flavor with the beef. This has officially made it into our family rotation!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Coley

      March 10, 2021 at 10:06 am

      So glad you enjoyed it!!

      Reply

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I'm Nicole Gaffney, but my friends all call me Coley. You should, too! I'm a chef and recipe developer specializing in seasonal, coastal Italian cooking. Here you'll find hundreds of time-tested, easy-to-follow recipes to help you become more confident in the kitchen!

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