Braised Beef Short Ribs with Pumpkin are every bit as dreamy as they sound. Perfect for a cozy fall dinner, these ribs are super succulent and the pumpkin sauce is subtly sweet, rich and creamy.
In the fall, we naturally feel the urge to cook with pumpkins and make warm, comforting one-pot meals.
These beef short ribs are braised to perfection in an incredible, rich, spiced pumpkin sauce, and are not to be missed!
This recipe takes some thoughtful planning, but after you get it going, it'll just hang out in the oven for a couple of hours (and perfume your home while it does).
Whether you're making a cozy dinner for the family, or casually entertaining a few friends during the weekend, this recipe will be a huge hit.
I serve it over a creamy polenta and it always gets rave reviews.
Notes on Ingredients
- bone-in beef short ribs - Look for consistent, well-marbled, meaty ribs, firmly attached to the bone. They should be bright red, without too much surface fat -- you want to see more meat than fat!
- fresh garlic - Look for firm heads of garlic without any soft spots or green shoots, which is an indication of old garlic. (Raw garlic cloves should be firm without any dark spots.)
- fresh thyme - For all fresh herbs, choose bunches that are deep green and perky. Substitutions: Fresh rosemary, sage, marjoram, or any combination thereof. You can also use dried herbs, but use about ⅓ the amount listed for fresh.
- ground cinnamon - These beef short ribs with pumpkin love the warm flavor of cinnamon just as much as a pumpkin pie. It's a delicious, subtly sweet, warming spice that lends itself to this slow cooked meat. Substitutions: Allspice or cloves, or any combination thereof.
- pumpkin purée - Canned or fresh. Canned will of course save time, and it's made from supremely ripe, in-season pumpkin, so it's a great choice. Substitutions: Butternut squash purée.
- beef stock - Try to purchase one with little to no sodium, so you can better control the amount of salt in the recipe. (Beef broth will always have a higher sodium content than stock.)
- red wine - I like to cook with dry red wines, such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah or Pinot Noir. Be sure to use a wine you like! The alcohol cooks off, not the flavor.
How to Make Braised Beef Short Ribs with Pumpkin
- Place the ribs on a baking sheet and season all sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Lightly coat the bottom of an oven-safe pot with olive oil and place it over high heat. Add the ribs to the pot once it's very hot, about 4 at a time. Once all sides are nicely browned, remove them from the pot and place them on a plate. Repeat until all of the ribs are browned.
Recipe Tip: It's important to sear the ribs in batches -- they won't brown properly if you crowd the pan.
- Add the onions to the pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until they are golden and soft.
- Add the garlic, fresh thyme and cinnamon and cook for another minute or so, until it's very aromatic.
- Now add the pumpkin and cook until it begins to brown. The bottom of your pot will likely become dark too, with browned bits of the ingredients, and this is okay. In fact, it's great! It's flavor!
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Pour in the stock and wine and use a deglazing spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan, working all the flavor back into the sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer (uncovered), and let the mixture simmer until it has reduced by about a third.
- Return the ribs to the pot and gently stir them into the sauce.
- Cover and place the pot in the oven and braise until the meat is very tender and easily falls off the bone, about 2 hours. (Turn the ribs over halfway through the cooking time.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- To remove some of the fat before serving: once the ribs have cooled to room temperature, pour everything into a large container or bowl, cover, and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. Then use a spoon to skim off any fat that has solidified on the surface.
Recipe Tip: If the braising liquid isn't as thick as you'd like it to be when the ribs are ready, remove the lid, place the pot over low heat and let it simmer until it's as thick as you'd like.
Variation
Add vegetables! You can add carrots, potatoes, and peas. The root vegetables should be added when you return the meat to the pan, and the peas should be added close to the end of the cooking time.
Serving Suggestions
- There is nothing better to serve the pumpkin ribs with than a rich and creamy polenta.
- This recipe is also fantastic with Mushroom Polenta Cake and Pancetta Polenta.
- Like most short rib recipes, pasta, rice or bread are all great to soak up the delicious braising sauce.
Making it Ahead
Braised beef short ribs keep very well. You can make it over the weekend and enjoy it all week long. It only gets better with time. They'll also freeze well for up to about three months -- store them in an airtight container, in their braising liquid.
More Must-Try Savory Pumpkin Recipes
I hope you love the pumpkin ribs as much as my family and I do!
Pumpkin Braised Beef Short Ribs Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4¼ pounds beef short ribs, bone-in
- olive oil to coat pan
- 4 cups sliced onion (about ¼-inch thick)
- 1½ tablespoons finely chopped garlic
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme, washed and dried
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1 cup dry red wine (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Season the ribs. Place the ribs on a baking sheet and season all sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Sear the ribs. Lightly coat the bottom of an oven-safe pot (approximately 10 to 12-inch diameter), with olive oil. (A Dutch Oven is perfect.) Place the pot over high heat. Add the ribs to the pot once it's very hot, about 4 at a time -- you should hear a sizzling sound, and if you don't, it's not hot enough. Wait until it's very hot and listen for the sizzle! Searing the meat this way seals in the juices, caramelizes the surface, and reduces the overall cooking time. Brown the ribs very well, about three minutes per side. Remove the ribs from pot, place them on a plate, and set aside. Repeat this until all of the ribs are browned.
- Begin making the braising liquid/sauce. Add the onions to the pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until they are golden and soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the fresh thyme and cinnamon and cook for another minute or so, until it's very aromatic. Now add the pumpkin and cook until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. The bottom of your pot will become brown, too, and this is okay. In fact, it's great! It is flavor!
- Deglaze, simmer and set the oven. Pour in the stock and wine and use a deglazing spatula (a wooden one with a flat edge is best), to scrape the bottom of the pan, working all the wonderful flavor back into the sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and do not cover. Preheat the oven to 325°F.Let the mixture simmer until it has reduced by about ⅓, about 20 minutes.
- Add the ribs to the liquid and braise in the oven. Return the ribs to the pot and gently stir them into the sauce. Cover the pot and place in the preheated 325°F oven. Braise until the meat is very tender and easily comes off the bone, about 2 hours. Turn the ribs over halfway through the cooking time. If the braising liquid is as thick as you'd like it to be, then it's ready. Otherwise, to thicken the liquid further, remove the lid, place the pot over low heat on the stove, and let it simmer until it's as thick as you'd like. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)
- To remove some of the fat before serving: once the ribs have cooled to room temperature, pour everything into a large container or bowl, cover, and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. Then use a spoon to skim off any fat that has solidified on the surface. Reheat it on the stove, and serve it with the braising liquid.
Eha
Saying 'hello' from Down Under I am coming from a country where 'short ribs' are certainly available, but perchance not an everyday ingredient. Have read many a Northern recipe but not been as enchanted as by yours: the amount of onion, garlic and my beloved thyme and the presence and amount of wine in your recipe, make it very moreish and doable in my book - thanks !
valentina
Thank you so much for the lovely comment. Yes, the onions -- I can't help but always use a large amount. 🙂 ~Valentina
Jeff the Chef
Your pictures are so mouthwatering, I'm beside myself. What does the pumpkin taste like in this context? I wish I could reach out and grab a taste.
valentina
Thanks, Jeff! The pumpkin adds a very subtle sweet creaminess. Hope you try it. Your house will smell amazing! 🙂
Ron
What a warming looking dish. I love the combination of a pumpkin braised short-ribs and served over Gorgonzola polenta, wow!
valentina
Thank you, Ron! It would be great with pork too. Enjoy!
Ron
Valentina, we have a tradition in our house of picking a dish from the posts we receive during the week and I then cook it for our Sunday family dinner. Yesterday, we made your Pumpkin braised Short Ribs. We used a Swedish pork cut called "Tjocka revben" or Thick rib bone. We couldn't find a cooking pumpkin (no canned here either), so we used butternut squash. The dish was absolutely delicious and paired perfectly with polenta. My wife translated into Swedish and is passing it on to her family. Thanks again for a great recipe.
valentina
Hi Ron, You've made my day! Thank you so much for sharing, and for trying the recipe. Love the tradition of making a new recipe each week. I bet the butternut squash worked perfectly -- such a similar flavor and texture. And please thank you wife for passing it on to her family. Hope they love it too. 🙂 ~Valentina
Auggie. G
Is the wine absolutely necessary or could it be omitted from this recipe?
Valentina
Hi Auggie. Thanks for writing in. Yes, you can omit the wine. I would replace it with 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and an extra 3/4 cup or so of the stock. The vinegar isn't imperative, but will give the flavor a bit more depth. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina