Gordon Ramsay Beef Short Ribs Recipe

If you’re planning a Sunday night family dinner and craving a hearty meal, Gordon Ramsay Beef Short Ribs Recipe is worth preparing tonight. The slow-braising process takes several hours, but the result is well worth the wait. It also saves you from constantly checking the clock or wandering into the kitchen to see how the meat is cooking.

Featured in Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course, this slow-cooked short rib recipe is known for its rich sauce and generous topping of crispy bacon and mushrooms. This version aims to recreate those signature flavors while avoiding some common mistakes.

In my earlier attempts, I ran into a few problems. The sauce turned out too thin, the meat looked pale, and the ribs lacked the rich, deep color expected from a properly braised dish. I also skipped the bacon and mushroom topping, which left the final plate looking rather plain.

After spending several Saturdays preparing and refining this recipe, I’ve learned a few important things that can make all the difference. Here’s what you should know before getting started.

Why You Don’t Need to Sear the Ribs

If you’re using a slow cooker, searing the ribs adds an extra pan to clean and takes about 20 minutes, with relatively little reward. However, traditional braising cookbooks argue the opposite, describing searing as the foundation of the entire dish.

When you compare the two methods, the difference is clear. The seared version produces a rich, dark mahogany sauce, while the unseared version results in a pale tan sauce and grayish meat.

Slow-cooker enthusiasts do have one valid point: the lid traps steam, which eventually softens the crust anyway. On a busy workday, when you need to start cooking at 7 a.m. and get on with your day, skipping the searing step may be the smarter choice.

Ingredients for Gordon Ramsay Beef Short Ribs Recipe

6 thick bone-in beef short ribs (4 pounds): Bones add collagen, which becomes the body of the sauce. I ask the Wegmans butcher for pieces 2 inches thick. Skip vacuum packs that list salt on the label.

2 tablespoons olive oil: It carries heat into the meat so the sear browns evenly. Colavita works because the oil only has to survive one hot pot. Add a splash more before the second batch.

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt: Thick ribs need real seasoning before they braise, and surface salt is the only chance you get. Diamond Crystal is my pick. Morton is denser, so a scant 1 teaspoon works in place of it.

¾ teaspoon black pepper: It toasts in the hot oil during the sear and leaves a faint bite in the crust. McCormick is what I keep on hand. Grind it fresh, because pre-ground loses its edge fast.

1 whole head garlic, halved crosswise: The halves soften in the braise, then get pressed through a sieve to thicken the sauce. Pick tight, heavy heads. Sprouted cloves turn bitter after hours of heat.

1 heaped teaspoon tomato paste: Cooking it for 90 seconds removes the raw, tinny edge and adds body. I buy Amore tubes because a half-used can spoil in my fridge. Stir until the paste turns brick red.

1 ½ cups unsweetened red grape juice (360 ml): Boiling it down by half concentrates its sugars and gives the sauce a dark color and body. I buy Welch’s 100 percent juice, since added sugar scorches in the pot. Unsweetened cranberry juice works in place of grape juice. The sauce turns tarter and a little redder.

1 tablespoon lemon juice: Stirred in after the reduction, it adds the acidity that keeps the sweet juice from tasting flat. Bottled works fine, and I use ReaLemon.

2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken stock (600 ml): It fills the pot to 1 inch below the ribs, so the bottoms braise while the tops steam. Kirkland low-sodium is my pick, since it concentrates salt. Adjust to your pot, because width changes the level.

6 ounces thick-cut smoked turkey bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces: The pieces crisp in a spoonful of oil and leave browned drippings for the mushrooms. I bought Applegate from the freezer case. Crispy fried shallots swap in for a meat-free pot.

1 tablespoon olive oil, for the skillet: Turkey bacon is lean, so the oil does the work that rendered fat would. Heat it until it shimmers before the pieces go in.

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved: They soak up the skillet oil and brown in it, which gives the topping a savory crust. Giorgio trays work for me. Wipe them with a damp towel instead of rinsing, so they brown rather than steam.

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley: The green pile cuts through the richness on the plate. Chop it right before serving, because cut leaves darken within minutes. Curly parsley also works, though it is coarser.

Required Kitchen Equipment

• 6-quart Dutch oven: wide, with tight lid
• Tongs: for turning heavy ribs
• Large skillet: browns bacon and mushrooms
• Fine-mesh sieve: presses roasted garlic
• Instant-read thermometer: checks oven and meat

How to Make Gordon Ramsay Beef Short Ribs Recipe

1. Season the Ribs: Heat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Pat the ribs dry with paper towels, trim any fat cap thicker than ¼ inch, and season all sides with salt and pepper. Dry surfaces brown. Wet ones steam.

2. Sear in Batches: Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high for 3 minutes. Sear 3 ribs at a time, 4 minutes per side, until dark mahogany. Move them to a tray. Crowding drops the pan temperature, and the ribs turn gray. Fix it by pouring off the liquid, reheating the pot for 2 minutes, then searing fewer ribs at a time.

3. Cook the Garlic and Tomato Paste: Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Set the garlic halves cut side down in the pot for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and scrape the bottom for 90 seconds, until brick red.

4. Reduce the Juice: Pour in the grape juice and scrape up the browned bits. Boil hard for 10 minutes, until it drops by half to about ¾ cup. The color shifts from purple to deep brown near the end.

5. Braise: Add the stock until it sits 1 inch below the tops of the ribs. Nestle the ribs back in, bring to a boil, cover tightly, and braise in the oven for 3 hours 15 minutes. My old Lodge lid has a chipped knob, so I tucked foil under it. The meat should pull back about ½ inch from the bone ends, and a fork should slide in with no pull.

6. Crisp the Turkey Bacon and Mushrooms: With 20 minutes left on the braise, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium. Cook the turkey bacon pieces 6 minutes, until crisp at the edges. Add the mushrooms and cook for 6 minutes, until browned.

7. Finish the Sauce: Lift the ribs onto a tray and cover with foil. Press the garlic halves through a sieve into the pot juices, skim off the fat, and simmer for 12 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice.

8. Plate: Spoon the sauce over each rib, pile on the turkey bacon and mushrooms, and scatter the parsley. Serve right away so the toppings stay crisp.

Chef Special Tips for Gordon Ramsay Beef Short Ribs Recipe

1. Tough at 3 Hours 15: Thick ribs from the chuck end run slower. Cover the pot again and add 25 minutes.
2. Salty Sauce: Stir in ¼ cup water and a squeeze of lemon, then simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Oily Surface: Drag a folded paper towel across the sauce to lift the slick.
4. Overly Sweet Sauce: Stir in extra lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the sweetness settles.
5. Gray Mushrooms: Salt them only after they brown. Early salt pulls out water, and they steam.
6. Broken Ribs: Lift each rib with a wide fish spatula so the meat stays on the bone.

How I Customize This Gordon Ramsay Beef Short Ribs Recipe

Rosemary and Orange Peel: Add 2 rosemary sprigs and a 3-inch strip of orange peel to the braise. The peel’s oils cut the richness of the beef fat. I serve this version with soft polenta.

Smoked Paprika: Stir ½ teaspoon smoked paprika into the tomato paste. It adds a campfire note that matches the turkey bacon. This one goes with roasted potatoes.

Pomegranate Juice: Replace ¼ cup of the grape juice with pomegranate juice. Its tartness balances the sweet reduction and darkens the sauce. I pair it with sharp cheddar mashed potatoes.

Pearl Onions: Add 1 cup frozen pearl onions for the last 30 minutes of braising. They turn jammy against the smoky turkey bacon. Crusty bread rounds out the plate.

Lemon Gremolata: Mix 2 tablespoons parsley with the zest of 1 lemon. The zest wakes up the heavy sauce. I spoon it over ribs served with creamy mash.

Dijon Finish: Stir 1 tablespoon Dijon into the finished sauce. The mustard adds a sharp edge that cuts the fat. It works best with green beans.

What I Serve With Gordon Ramsay Beef Short Ribs Recipe

Mashed potatoes are the default, since the sauce pools in the center like gravy. I use Yukon Golds with 4 tablespoons of butter per 2 pounds. Keep them loose enough to slump on the plate. Creamy polenta catches the sauce the same way.

Something green balances the richness. Roasted broccolini with lemon zest works, and so do green beans blanched for 4 minutes. Plan on 1 pound of vegetables for 6 plates. A peppery arugula salad with mustard dressing cuts the fat, too.

Bread matters more than it seems. A torn baguette mops up the last of the sauce. Garlic bread works as well: brush slices with butter and bake for 8 minutes at 400°F. Imran uses his fingers for this, and nobody stops him.

How I Store Gordon Ramsay Beef Short Ribs

This Gordon Ramsay Beef Short Ribs Recipe keeps for 4 days in the fridge. Store the ribs submerged in sauce in an airtight glass container. Turkey bacon and mushrooms go in a separate small container so they stay crisp.

The sauce sets into a jelly overnight. That is the gelatin from the bones, and it is a good sign. It melts as soon as it warms.

For the freezer, lay the ribs flat in a zip bag with sauce and press out the air. They keep for 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheat covered in a 300°F oven for 25 minutes, or on the stove over low heat for 12. Add 2 tablespoons of water when the sauce looks tight. Re-crisp the toppings in a dry skillet for 3 minutes.

Gordon Ramsay Beef Short Ribs Recipe FAQs

1. Can I use boneless short ribs?

Yes. Boneless pieces cook faster, so check them at 2 hours 30 minutes. Expect a thinner sauce, since there is no bone to release gelatin. Reduce it a few extra minutes to compensate.

2. Can I use a different juice instead of grape juice?

Yes. Unsweetened cranberry or pomegranate juice works. Avoid apple juice, which turns the sauce pale and sweet. Reduce any juice by half before the stock goes in.

3. Why are my ribs dry after hours in the oven?

Usually the oven runs hot or the lid leaks steam. Verify the temperature with an oven thermometer, since many ovens run 25°F over the dial. Keep it at 325°F.

4. How spicy is this dish?

It has no heat. For a gentle kick, stir ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper into the tomato paste when it goes into the pot.

5. Can I use beef stock instead of chicken?

Yes. Beef stock gives a darker sauce but more salt, so choose a low-sodium carton. Taste the sauce after reducing before you add any extra salt at the end.

6. Can I cook it in an Instant Pot?

Yes. Sear in the pot, add 1 cup of stock, and cook on high pressure for 50 minutes with a 15-minute natural release. Then simmer the sauce on the sauté setting.

7. Does the garlic make the sauce too strong?

Braising softens the garlic into a mellow paste. Pressing it through the sieve leaves the skins behind, so the sauce stays smooth instead of gritty.

8. What internal temperature means the ribs are done?

Aim for 200°F to 205°F at the thickest part, when the collagen has melted. The probe should slide in with almost no resistance.

Three hours at 325°F turns tough ribs into meat that parts at a fork’s touch. The 12-minute reduction finishes the job. This Gordon Ramsay Beef Short Ribs Recipe pays off for anyone who sears hard and watches the liquid level.