Ina Garten’s ‘Favorite Recipe Ever’ Tastes Restaurant-Worthy but Is So Easy To Make

In her book "Cook Like a Pro," Ina Garten declares her love for her braised short rib recipe, saying, ”This may be my favorite recipe ever.” After a quick scan of the ingredients and method, it’s easy to see why. In classic Ina fashion, her recipe for Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs employs several sneaky tips and tricks.

How To Make Ina Garten's Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs

Ina Genius Tip #1: Beer and Wine

A peek at the ingredients list will immediately alert you to the first genius hack that makes Garten's braised short rib so special: An entire bottle of dry red wine and a whole bottle of Guinness.

If you’ve cooked braised meat recipes, you’ve likely seen wine or beer as part of a cooking liquid, but it’s uncommon to see them together. Both play major roles in deepening beef’s meaty flavor on their own, but when they team up, the umami payoff is unmatched.

Red wine provides acidity that is a welcome counterpoint to the fattiness of the beef, while the dark beer’s bitter, malty taste brings out the caramelized flavors on the meat’s exterior. Beyond the massive flavor they impart, adding alcohol helps break down and tenderize the meat, and this recipe is all about that fall-off-the-bone texture—largely thanks to this genius combination.

Ina Genius Tip #2: Switching Up the Searing Step

Garten's second brilliant morsel of wisdom comes during the most messy and difficult part of making any braised meat dish: the searing. Before submerging your short ribs in its flavorful, boozy liquid, you must first sear the meat's exterior. This step is critical because it develops a browned crust on the meat, which is a major flavor component.

Traditionally, searing is done by getting a Dutch oven ripping hot and cooking the meat in a bit of oil until browned. This can be cumbersome due to the large pieces of meat that must be flipped and may need to be cooked in batches in the heavy pot—not to mention the spattering oil.

If this sounds like something you’d like to avoid, you’re in luck because Garten has found a way around searing completely. She simply places the short ribs on a rimmed baking sheet, brushes them lightly with oil, and bakes them in a 425-degree F oven for 20 minutes. This relatively short cooking time isn’t enough to cook the meat through, but it does easily achieve a browned exterior.

Garten's method totally eliminates the active cooking and messy, popping oil. Plus, baking the short ribs in the oven ensures a much more even brown across the meat than you could get by cooking them in batches on the stovetop. From here, the meat (and all its roasting juices from the pan) is ready for its bath in a delicious veggie-fortified braising liquid for a few hours.

How to Serve Ina Garten’s Braised Short Ribs

Once out of the oven, the cozy stew can be eaten as is or served with a warming and hearty starch side dish, like polenta or potatoes. Take Garten's word for it: “A hearty stew of beef short ribs simmered with a whole bottle of red wine, a bottle of Guinness, and lots of vegetables, then served over Creamy Blue Cheese Grits or Celery Root & Chickpea Puree, is about the most comforting dinner you can possibly imagine."

And on a chilly winter's night, there's nothing better.

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