This low carb Keto Braised Beef Short Ribs recipe is a rich and luxurious comforting meal made with star anise, red wine and beef broth. Braised in a dutch oven that leaves the beef super tender and moist.
Braised short ribs have been one of my go to recipes for several years. I love how the beef is infused with delicious flavours and aromatics from the star anise, bay leaf and ginger.
Unlike my Korean Beef Short Ribs where I used a flanken cut, I used beef short ribs without the bones for this low carb recipe. However, you can also use the bone in beef short ribs just the same.
Other low carb main dish recipes
🥘 Main ingredients used
These keto short ribs are made with a low sugar red wine to keep the carbs low. Cacao powder, star anise, ginger, rosemary, bay leaf and garlic all give this recipe a comforting warmth that will give you all the feels.
- Beef Short Ribs: from the beef chuck portion of the animal and when braised for hours in the stove the beef becomes tender and falls apart.
- Red Wine: used a low sugar red wine for this recipe to keep the carbs low but the intensity from the red high.
- Star Anise: a slightly sweet and licorice tasting spice removed and discarded from the dish before serving.
- Brown Erythritol: adding sweetness and notes of toffee and caramel to this delicious keto braised short ribs recipe. Often used in many sweet low carb recipes. Making this a sugar free keto recipe.
- Cacao Powder: helps to bring out the intensity of all the flavours in this ribs recipe.
👨🏻🍳 Steps by step instructions
How to make Keto Braised Beef Short Ribs?
STEP 1: add olive oil to a dutch oven on medium heat. Once warmed through (about a minute) add the onion, carrots, celery and salt and pepper. Stir and allow to saute until vegetables are softened. Then add the minced garlic and ginger and continue to saute until softened. Add the dried rosemary and mix through, then remove the vegetables from the dutch oven.
STEP 2: Generously sprinkle salt and pepper over 1 lb of beef short ribs cut into chunks. Using the same dutch oven add olive oil and sear on all sides. Do this in batches if needed.
STEP 3: Add the vegetables back to the dutch oven and the remaining dry ingredients. Give it a quick mix until everything is well combined. Then add the red wine and the beef broth. You want enough broth just to cover the contents in the dutch oven. Bring it to a boil.
STEP 4: Once it's boiling give it one last stir, place the lid on top and then place it in a preheated 350°F oven for 3 hours. No need to do anything for 3 hours. Please make sure you are using an oven-safe pot like a dutch oven. After 3 hours, remove from the oven. The beef should be glistening and the juice should have reduced to more than half.
STEP 5: Discard the star anise and bay leaf. Serve on top of the vegetables or cauliflower rice.
👨🏻🍳 Recipe tips and variations
Top Tip: Use a dutch oven or oven safe pot that can withstand up to 350°F for this recipe.
- Serving: keto braised short ribs are best served warm over a bed of cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower. A side of broccoli, sauteed mushrooms or a bitter salad goes well with this recipe.
- Storage: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: if you wish to make and freeze this recipe, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then warm it up on the stove until warmed through.
- Spices - swap the star anise with other warm spices like cinnamon, fennel seed or cloves
- Alcohol - skip the wine and double the amount of beef broth
- Slow Cooker - make in the slow cooker or crock pot instead but reduce the red wine to ½ a cup as I find the slow cooker does not reduce as well as cooking it in the oven.
- Instant Pot - I do not recommend making this in the instant pot or pressure cooker as it will not reduce the juices very well and will bring out the alcohol flavour in the wine.
This recipe does not require any thickener like xanthan gum or starches and is gluten free.
I also used my dutch oven to make this Low Carb French Onion Soup recipe.
💭 Frequently asked questions
Braising is essentially cooking and browning meats and then simmered covered with liquids in a pot. Similar to stewing but braising is usually with less liquids.
Ribs are naturally tough and to get them fall apart tender they need to be braised in liquid for a period of time. Ribs come out tough if not enough liquid was in the pot or it did not simmer long enough.
A serving of these beef ribs contains 6 grams of carbs, 2 of which are from fiber. Making them 4 grams of net carbs. With these macros they are likely to fit into a low carb, keto or diabetic friendly diet. However, it also depends on what else you consume during the day and if it fits into your daily macros.
Cocoa powder and cacao powder are very similar, the only difference being that cocoa is processed at a much higher temperature (and often packaged cocoa contains added sugar and dairy). Taken from allrecipes.com.
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If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a recipe rating in the recipe card or comment at the bottom of this post.
Recipe Card
Keto Braised Beef Short Ribs
Instructional Recipe Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium carrot
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 medium onion
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 lb beef short ribs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 star anise
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon Cacao powder
- ½ cup brown sweetener
- 1 cup low sugar red wine
- 1 cup beef broth
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a dutch oven on medium heat. Once warmed through add the onion, carrots, celery and salt and pepper. Stir and allow to saute until vegetables are softened.
- Next add the minced garlic and ginger and continue to saute until softened. Add the dried rosemary and mix through, then remove the vegetables from the dutch oven.
- Generously sprinkle salt and pepper over 1 lb of beef short ribs. Using the same dutch oven add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sear on all sides. Do this in batches if needed.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Add the vegetables back to the dutch oven and the remaining dry ingredients. Give it a quick mix until everything is well combined. Then add the red wine and the beef broth. You want enough broth just to cover the contents in the dutch oven.
- Bring it to a boil and give it one last stir. Cover with the lid and then place it in a preheated 350°F oven for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours, remove from the oven. The beef should be glistening and the juice should have reduced to more than half.
- Discard the star anise and bay leaf. Serve on top of the vegetables or cauliflower rice. (Refer to the detailed video instructions below if further clarification is needed)
Notes
Important Information
For more information, tips and variations please review the recipe video and content above and below the recipe card.
Updates and Revisions
If the video and recipe card differ, follow the recipe card for the latest ingredients and instructions.
Nutritional Information
Nutrition info is estimated and varies by ingredients, measurements, and portions.
Nutrition
🌡️ Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more food guidelines
Megan says
These turned out great. The sauce had a richness and depth of flavor that almost reminded me of pho. My first time making short ribs.
Oscar Chimenti says
Thanks for trying it out, love these short ribs.
nancy says
super tender and falls of the fork
Lilly says
These short ribs are so good!!
Jessica says
Loved these short ribs!