Protein-Packed Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs

Updated: March 20, 2024

Boring beef dinners — step aside. It’s time to perk up your plate with a hot, slow cooker favorite that’s as bone-healthy as it is seriously delicious. Today I’m spilling the secret sauce on how to nail my braised boneless beef short ribs recipe.

One of the reasons I love this crowd pleaser is that it’s packed with protein. And when it comes to your bones, protein is especially important.

Protein makes up roughly one-third of your bone mass (the amount of protein your bones contain) and half of your bone volume (the amount of space protein takes up).1

Plus, the carrots in this recipe provide a whole host of other nutrients, including manganese, copper, and vitamin E. All essential nutrients for healthy bones!

This flavorful recipe has so much to offer, so let’s dive in.

Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs Recipe

Tip: When purchasing beef, look for local primarily grass fed beef. Grass fed beef contains more bone building conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than beef fed entirely on grain and silage.
4.84 from 6 votes
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 43 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 670 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs boneless beef chuck short ribs (also known as a chuck flat or flap)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 tbsp chopped rosemary or 3 Tbsp fresh
  • 1 tbsp chopped thyme or 3 Tbsp fresh
  • 1 medium onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp potato starch, flour or thickener of choice
  • 2 cups natural beef broth
  • 1 cup quality red wine
  • 12 baby potatoes cut in half
  • 2 medium carrots, chopped into 1” pieces

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350F. Cut 2lb chuck flat into 4 equal portions, trimming excess fat. Season each portion with salt and pepper.
  • In a Dutch oven, or cast-iron pot, heat avocado oil over medium high heat. Sear short ribs on each side until you begin to see color in the beef and on the pan.
  • Remove the short ribs onto a plate.
  • Add balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan.
  • Add onions and garlic cloves. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the onions are translucent.
  • Add tomato paste to the pot and continue cooking for one minute.
  • Add flour and stir thoroughly.
  • Add wine and cook until reduced to half.
  • Add the broth and the herbs to the pot and stir to combine. Sauce should nicely coat a spoon but not be overly thick. Add more broth if it appears too thick.
  • Return the short ribs to the pot. Cover pot with lid and cook in the oven for 2 hours. If the beef is still firm after two hours, allow more cooking time.
  • Remove the pot from the oven and add in carrots and potatoes. Return to the oven for another hour.

Nutrition

Serving: 4gCalories: 670kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 52gFat: 27gCholesterol: 134mgSodium: 263mgPotassium: 1825mgSugar: 6gCalcium: 95mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Are Short Ribs Good for You?

Lean, protein rich, chuck short ribs from a beef cut called a chuck flat, is an inexpensive and collagen rich alternative to traditional short ribs.

Your extracellular bone matrix is made primarily of collagen, and yes, collagen is a protein.2 This soft collagen matrix is like a flexible framework for bone.

Calcium hardens this framework and adds strength to it. Together, calcium and collagen make your bones strong, yet flexible enough to withstand stress.

So I’m a big fan of beef because the protein is great for your health and your skin. In fact, that’s why I chose the braised, boneless beef, short ribs recipe.

It’s not just good for you, it tastes amazing too. We’re talking pan-braised perfection here.

But don’t take my word for it. Give it a try yourself and let me know how you enjoyed it in the comments section below.

To learn more about healthy aging and bone health, sign up for our newsletter and receive weekly updates.

References

  1. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 87, Issue 5, May 2008, Pgs 1567S–1570S.
  2. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ bmri/2015/421746/

Article Comments

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Recipe Rating




  1. Adrienne

    October 18, 2022 , 3:35 pm

    Made this yesterday it was insanely delicious. Reminds me of pot roast. The recipe was easy to follow.

  2. Brianne Bovenizer

    October 19, 2022 , 12:47 pm

    Hi Adrienne,

    We’re so happy to hear you tried this recipe and enjoyed it! Keep an eye out for more recipes to come, and also, check out our recipes blog HERE for even more healthy and delicious ideas! 🙂

    – Brianne @ AlgaeCal

  3. Cynthia Blasko

    October 18, 2022 , 3:35 pm

    I’d give this recipe a #5. It sounds absolutely delicious and I can’t wait to try it. Thank you AlgaeCal ❤️

  4. Gabi

    October 19, 2022 , 5:37 pm

    Looks delicious!
    Here it is spring but still want to try it out soon!
    Thanks for this and looking forward to the next one.

  5. Gabi

    October 19, 2022 , 5:44 pm

    Oops I forgot to give it a rating so although I haven’t made it and thus didn’t taste it I will give it a five ⭐️
    Greetings, Gabi

  6. Chelsea Dugas

    October 20, 2022 , 12:55 pm

    Thanks, Gabi! We hope you do get a chance to try it soon! 🙂

    -Chelsea @ AlgaeCal

  7. Julie Oswald

    October 21, 2022 , 8:50 pm

    This exceeded my expectations – absolutely delicious! I’m usually not a huge beef fan but this recipe will be a favorite of mine through the coming winter. It’s rich, flavorful comfort food at its best. Easy to prepare yet worthy of sharing with guests. And it’s good for us too! Thanks much for this excellent recipe.

  8. Brianne Bovenizer

    October 23, 2022 , 8:34 am

    Hi Julia,

    We’re so glad you liked this! If you haven’t done so already, visit our main recipes blog page HERE for even more delicious recipes we hope you will enjoy! 🙂

    – Brianne @ AlgaeCal

  9. Laura Schlott

    October 27, 2022 , 7:49 am

    I will try this receipe it sounds delicious!

  10. Brianne Bovenizer

    October 27, 2022 , 1:40 pm

    Hi Laura,

    We’re so happy to hear that you’re going to give this a try, and you’ll have to let us know how it goes! 🙂

    – Brianne @ AlgaeCal

  11. Fatima Delmar

    October 27, 2022 , 7:56 am

    Wow! My mouth is watering, just reading the recipe. Will try this weekend.

  12. Shelby AlgaeCal

    October 27, 2022 , 1:47 pm

    Hi, Fatima!

    Thank you so much for sharing this with us – we truly hope you enjoy the recipe, and please be sure to let us know how you enjoy it! 🙂

    – Shelby @ AlgaeCal

  13. Connie

    October 27, 2022 , 8:47 am

    This recipe sounds yummy, but I was told that I should not eat red meat due to high cholesterol levels.

  14. Shelby AlgaeCal

    October 27, 2022 , 2:14 pm

    Hi Connie,

    Thank you for reaching out! We’re sorry to hear that your dealing with high cholesterol, and certainly understand why you may be concerned when it comes to consuming red meat! Connie, red meat can be a food that raises LDL, or bad cholesterol, which is why we would suggest choosing locally produced grass-fed beef if you’d like to give this recipe a try! Grass-fed beef is leaner and has less bad cholesterol than grain-fed, making it a much more suitable choice for someone watching their cholesterol! I hope this helps! 🙂

    – Shelby @ AlgaeCal

  15. Koleen Popin

    October 27, 2022 , 9:12 am

    I don’t use wine, would you substitute with grape juice?

  16. Shelby AlgaeCal

    October 27, 2022 , 1:58 pm

    Hi Koleen!

    This is such a great question – grape juice would be a fantastic substitute for wine in this recipe! Once you try it out, please let us know how it goes!

    – Shelby @ AlgaeCal

  17. Suvane

    October 27, 2022 , 9:38 am

    Sounds good but with the beef I’m concerned at the same time with my elevated cholesterol and triglisoride levels

  18. Shelby AlgaeCal

    October 27, 2022 , 2:08 pm

    Hi Suvane,

    Thank you for reaching out and sharing this with us! Gosh, we’re sorry to hear that you have elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and we certainly understand your concern when it comes to red meat. If you’d like to give this recipe a try, may we suggest choosing local, grass-fed beef rather than grain fed – evidence suggests that grass-fed beef has less bad cholesterol (LDL) and is leaner! We hope this helps, and please do let us know how you enjoy the recipe if you try it! 🙂

    – Shelby @ AlgaeCal

  19. D. E. Greider

    October 27, 2022 , 10:21 am

    5 stars
    I made this and it was soooo delicious! I will make again. I might use the recipe and cooking technique to cook other meats. This recipe taught me some things about cooking.

  20. Shelby AlgaeCal

    October 27, 2022 , 1:54 pm

    Thank you for reaching out to share this with us! I’m so glad to hear that the recipe is a keeper, and that you learned a few things while trying it out! If you’d like more bone-friendly recipe inspiration, you are welcome to click HERE! Happy cooking! 🙂

    – Shelby @ AlgaeCal

  21. Marlene

    October 27, 2022 , 10:33 am

    5 stars
    Even though I haven’t made this yet, I’m giving it 5 ⭐️‘s because I’ve made a similar, delicious recipe before with chuck roast….and since I’m a huge fan of short ribs I’m sure this one can’t lose! As a side note, this could easily convert to a crock pot recipe (a “set it and forget it” kind of meal) and the meat should just fall off the bone and melt in your mouth! Thanks for the recipe AlgaeCal!!

  22. Shelby AlgaeCal

    October 27, 2022 , 1:50 pm

    Hello Marlene!

    Wow, thank you so much for your 5-star rating! I know that when you get around to trying out the recipe that you’ll love it! Also, I totally agree that a short-rib recipe would work well in the slow cooker – please let us know how it goes if you try it out! 🙂

    – Shelby @ AlgaeCal

  23. Connie

    October 27, 2022 , 10:22 pm

    Finding this cut of meat, esp in grocery stores is probably not going to happen. Have seen grass fed steaks, hamburger to chuck roasts. Would a boneless chuck roast be just as good to use for this recipe?

  24. Shelby AlgaeCal

    October 28, 2022 , 10:22 am

    Hi Connie,

    Thanks for your interest in our recipe – so glad you’re thinking of giving it a try! Gosh, we certainly understand that finding certain cuts of meat can be a challenge these days, and if chuck roast is easier for you to find, it could be a great substitute! You’ll have to let us know how it goes! 🙂

    – Shelby @ AlgaeCal

  25. Elizabeth Imperial

    October 28, 2022 , 2:49 am

    5 stars
    Beef short ribs dishes are a favorite of mine. This is a wonderful recipe as all ingredients promote good health as specifically mentioned that grass-fed beef contains more bone-building Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). When I cook beef short ribs, I choose the 75% lean/25% fat; I would trim any excessive fats though. I always choose the bone-in cuts of beef since beef bones are a good source of natural collagen. When collagen is present, I do not need to add a thickener such as flour… being a Type2 Diabetic. So, I have learned through research to lower carbs and sugar in my cooking by replacing them with good fats and avail organic herbs and vegetables. When I cooked this dish, I knew that this is a luscious keto dish that I enjoyed eating well. That now completes my overall rating to perfect!

  26. Shelby AlgaeCal

    October 28, 2022 , 10:00 am

    Hi Elizabeth,

    Thank you so much for your review – we’re thrilled to hear that our short rib recipe is such a great fit for your dietary needs! It’s wonderful to hear that you would give it a perfect overall rating, and we hope it will be a recipe on heavy rotation this winter! 🙂

    – Shelby @ AlgaeCal

  27. Barbara

    October 28, 2022 , 6:59 am

    Am interested in trying this, but how would you modify to work in an InstantPot? Since I work 6 days a week, and don’t get home until 5:30, two hours plus cooking time won’t work most nights! Thanks in advance!

  28. Shelby AlgaeCal

    October 28, 2022 , 12:43 pm

    Hi Barbara!

    This is a fantastic question! I myself am a huge fan of the InstantPot on busy nights, and certainly understand that you may be looking for a quicker alternative!

    Barbara, I have reached out to our resident chef Danielle to ask how she would modify her recipe for the InstantPot – rest assured I will be sending her instructions to you via email, and in future, perhaps we’ll even start to include InstantPot directions for similar recipes! I hope you enjoy your short ribs! 🙂

    – Shelby @ AlgaeCal

  29. Kim Patton

    October 29, 2022 , 4:44 am

    5 stars
    Made this yesterday and it was phenomenal! Just allow enough time because the cook time alone is 3 hours! This one’s a keeper!

  30. Brianne Bovenizer

    October 30, 2022 , 2:13 pm

    Hi Kim,

    Thanks so much for commenting, and we’re so happy to hear you liked this recipe! 🙂

    – Brianne @ AlgaeCal

  31. John Newell

    October 29, 2022 , 9:13 am

    Nice try. But those of us having trouble metabolizing calcium often have another problem you don’t hear about. It’s called Hemochromatosis. When you have that, you can no longer risk eating red meat without sending your iron (ferritin) level skyrocketing. If it does that, you put every organ in your body at risk. It can take many months to over a year to correct by having blood draws at a hospital that has the room and the trained staff to do it.

    Who has that problem? People who are descended from Celts. People whose ancestors did not typically have enough red meat in their diets to need to evolve a protection against excess iron in their food. Those people are generally Northern Europeans, Portuguese, Irish, English and people of Scottish origin. These days, thanks to ease of travel and migration, that could be anyone with the involved genetic code.

    There are many symptoms but heart failure is a big one since you don’t have to be a fat abuser. It’s a very sneaky issue that involves all organs from brain to colon.

    For myself, it’s taken several years to learn how to take AlgeaCal without ending up with kidney stones as a result.

    Not being able to take AlgeaCal without some form of meat makes eating enough of what foods a guessing game with kidney stones the inevitable outcome if you get it wrong. So you go long periods between attempts.

  32. Chelsea Dugas

    October 31, 2022 , 1:54 pm

    Thanks for reaching out, John – so sorry to hear of your health challenges. We sure hope you continue to find ways that work for you and are always here to support in any way we can. best of luck!

    – Chelsea @ AlgaeCal

  33. una

    October 29, 2022 , 1:12 pm

    what is a great recipe for bone health if you don’t eat meat?

  34. Brianne Bovenizer

    October 30, 2022 , 3:00 pm

    Hi Una,

    Thanks for your question! Have you tried our Vegan Tofu Scramble? Give it a try and let us know what you think! 🙂

    – Brianne @ AlgaeCal

  35. Sharon Swanick

    October 30, 2022 , 12:58 pm

    I don’t tolerate beef. I would appreciate recipes with chicken, vegetables, and fish.

  36. Chelsea Dugas

    October 31, 2022 , 1:27 pm

    Hi there, Sharon!

    We appreciate your important feedback and will be happy to forward it to our team for future recipes. Thanks and all the best! 🙂

    – Chelsea @ AlgaeCal

  37. Joyce M Dunlap

    October 31, 2022 , 2:02 pm

    We had this last night, we added some extra carrots. It was delicious 😋

  38. Chelsea Dugas

    November 1, 2022 , 1:15 pm

    So happy to hear it, Joyce! You can never have too many carrots! 😉

    – Chelsea @ AlgaeCal

  39. Trudie Riley

    November 30, 2022 , 2:34 pm

    I tried this recipe. It was so delicious. I have passed it to many friends.

  40. Shelby AlgaeCal

    December 6, 2022 , 1:54 pm

    Hi Trudie!

    Thanks so much for reaching out and sharing this with us! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed our recipe, and hope that your friends do, too! 🙂

    – Shelby @ AlgaeCal

  41. Sharon

    February 3, 2023 , 12:42 pm

    looks great

This article features advice from our industry experts to give you the best possible info through cutting-edge research.

Lara Pizzorno
MDiv, MA, LMT - Best-selling author of Healthy Bones Healthy You! and Your Bones; Editor of Longevity Medicine Review, and Senior Medical Editor for Integrative Medicine Advisors.,
Dr. Liz Lipski
PhD, CNS, FACN, IFMP, BCHN, LDN - Professor and Director of Academic Development, Nutrition programs in Clinical Nutrition at Maryland University of Integrative Health.,
Dr. Loren Fishman
MD, B.Phil.,(oxon.) - Medical Director of Manhattan Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Founder of the Yoga Injury Prevention Website.,
Prof. Didier Hans
PHD, MBA - Head of Research & Development Center of Bone Diseases, Lausanne University Hospital CHUV, Switzerland,