Braised Short Ribs with Port Wine, Star Anise & Cinnamon
A rich, slow-cooked dish with warm spice, and a velvety sauce that clings beautifully to the tender beef.
A rich, slow-cooked dish with deep umami, warm spice, and a velvety sauce that clings beautifully to the tender beef. Another recipe inspired by The Flavor Bible, which explores how certain ingredients (often unexpectedly) come together to create harmonious, layered flavors. Here, the combination of port wine, star anise, and cinnamon brings warmth, depth, and a touch of intrigue to classic braised short ribs.
Why These Flavors Work Together with Beef
Beef short ribs are known for their meaty richness, with generous marbling that melts into the sauce as they braise. To balance this intensity, this trio of ingredients each add a distinct dimension.
Here’s why I think these ingredients work.
The Port Wine introduces sweetness and complexity, and I think it adds caramel and fruity notes. It helps round out the richness of the beef.
Star Anise lends a subtle licorice aroma with a slightly peppery edge. It enhances the natural savory-sweet balance of the dish, lifting the beef’s flavor while complementing the port’s fruitiness.
Now Cinnamon is more associated with baking, but it has a earthy warmth that pairs exceptionally well with slow-cooked meats. I think it amplifies the umami element of the dish, throwing in a spiced nuance that lingers in the sauce.
Together, these ingredients are working together to create a sauce that is rich, slightly sweet, deeply aromatic, and very velvety. Serve it with a glass of robust red wine to echo the dish’s depth, and let the slow braise do all the magic.
Serves 4 Prep Time: 20 Min | Cook Time: 3 Hours
INGREDIENTS
4 bone-in beef short ribs (about 1.5 kg)
Salt and black pepper, to season the meat
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1/2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
250ml (1 cup) ruby port wine +100 ml to finish the sauce
500ml (3 cups) beef stock
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small bay leaf
MISE EN PLACE
Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Pat the ribs dry and season lighly with salt and black pepper.
METHOD
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the ribs on all sides until deeply browned—about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, remove the excess fat, add the butter followed by the onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes to release the aromas. Stir tomato paste, cooking for another 30 seconds to remove the excess acidity.
Deglaze with the port wine and red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for about a minutes to reduce slightly. Return the ribs to the pot, then add the beef stock, cinnamon stick, star anise, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring everything to a gentle simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise for 3 hours until the meat is fork-tender and nearly falling off the bone.
Once done, remove the ribs from the pot and reserve on a plate covered with foil to rest. Discard the cinnamon stick, star anise, and bay leaf stir in 100 ml of port extra in the pan. Filter the sauce through a sieve to discard all the garnish.
Skim off any excess fat from the sauce. Reduce the sauce over medium heat in a small pan to a semi syrupy consistency adjusting the season or taste to your liking with extra stock and port if needed.
Serve the ribs with the rich sauce spooned over mashed potatoes or a creamy polenta. A glass of red wine on the side wouldn’t hurt either.