Equipment
Ingredients
Beef & Searing
- 1000 g bone-in beef short ribs, patted dry
- 10 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- 15 ml olive oil
Aromatics & Broth Base
- 150 g yellow onion, diced
- 150 g carrots, diced
- 100 g celery, diced
- 4 garlic, minced
- 30 g tomato paste
- 250 ml dry red wine
- 1500 ml beef broth, low-sodium
- 4 fresh thyme, whole sprigs
- 2 bay leaves, dried
Cabbage & Finishing
- 500 g savoy cabbage, cored and roughly chopped into 1-inch ribbons
- 15 ml red wine vinegar
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 423 kcal
- Protein
- 37 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 1746 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 98 mg
- Potassium
- 1218 mg
- Calcium
- 97 mg
- Iron
- 5.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 83 mg
- Phosphorus
- 425 mg
- Zinc
- 8.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 267 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 35 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 95 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 5.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.26 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.38 mg
- Niacin
- 8.4 mg
- Folate
- 101 mcg
- Water
- 541 g
- Alcohol
- 4 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Season the short ribs generously on all sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the short ribs and sear until a deep brown crust forms on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer the browned ribs to a plate.
Lower the heat to medium. Remove all but 30ml (about 2 tablespoons) of fat from the pot. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 2 more minutes until the paste darkens to a rust color.
Pour in the dry red wine to deglaze the pot. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to release the browned bits. Bring to a rapid simmer and let the wine reduce by half, about 5 minutes.
Return the short ribs to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Add the beef broth, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Bring the liquid to a boil at 100 C/212 F, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly, and simmer gently for 2 hours, or until the meat is completely tender and falling off the bone.
Using tongs or a slotted spoon, carefully remove the short ribs from the broth and transfer to a cutting board. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaves. Skim off excess surface fat from the broth with a ladle. Once the meat is cool enough to handle, discard the bones and excess connective tissue, and shred the beef into bite-sized pieces.
Return the shredded beef to the simmering broth. Stir in the chopped savoy cabbage. Cover and cook until the cabbage is deeply tender but retains a slight bite, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the red wine vinegar. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Chef's Notes
- Savoy cabbage is the ideal variety for this soup because its deeply crinkled leaves hold onto the rich broth while maintaining a sturdier texture than standard green cabbage.
- Browning the short ribs is arguably the most critical step. Take the time to achieve a deep, dark crust; the Maillard reaction here forms the foundational flavor base for the entire pot.
- For the cleanest flavor and easiest fat removal, this soup is a prime candidate for a two-day process. Braise the ribs on day one, refrigerate the broth and shredded meat overnight, easily peel off the solid fat cap the next morning, and finish with the cabbage before serving.
- The splash of red wine vinegar at the end is a classic chef technique. Long-simmered rich dishes often suffer from palate fatigue; acid acts as a reset button, brightening the deep flavors without making the dish taste sour.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Flavors deepen and improve after a day in the refrigerator.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze without the cabbage if possible, adding fresh cabbage when reheating to maintain optimal texture.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a pot over medium heat until it reaches 74 C/165 F.
Troubleshooting
Meat is tough or chewy after the 2-hour mark
Cause: The braising time was insufficient for the specific thickness of the short ribs, or the simmering temperature was too high
Fix: Continue simmering the soup in 20-minute increments until the meat yields to a fork
Prevention: Maintain a very gentle simmer rather than a rapid boil, and allow adequate time for collagen breakdown
Broth tastes flat or overly rich and heavy
Cause: Too much rendered fat remaining in the soup, or insufficient acidity
Fix: Add an extra 5-10ml of red wine vinegar to cut through the richness and brighten the flavor
Prevention: Carefully skim fat before adding cabbage
Cabbage turned completely to mush
Cause: Cabbage was boiled too vigorously or for too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Add cabbage only during the final 15-20 minutes of cooking and maintain a gentle simmer
Cultural Context
This recipe draws heavily from rustic French peasant cooking, specifically the tradition of 'pot-au-feu' and 'garbure'—hearty, restorative stews born out of necessity to stretch cuts of tough meat and resilient winter vegetables. The marriage of slow-braised beef, aromatic wine, and hearty winter greens has sustained rural European communities through harsh winters for centuries.
