Creamy Polenta Braised Beef

There's a particular magic in the kitchen when you're building layers of flavor for hours, knowing the payoff is waiting at the end. I discovered creamy polenta with braised beef short ribs on a cold evening when I was craving something that felt both elegant and deeply comforting, the kind of dish that makes you understand why Italian grandmothers spend entire afternoons tending their stoves. The combination came together almost accidentally—leftover short ribs in the fridge, the memory of silky polenta I'd had years ago, and suddenly I was committing to the three-hour braising process. That first bowl, the meat tender enough to cut with a spoon, cradled in butter-soft polenta and swimming in dark, glossy sauce, was the moment I knew this would become a regular on my table.

I made this for my partner's birthday last winter, and I remember being nervous because braising is one of those techniques that sounds straightforward until you're actually doing it and second-guessing every decision. But somewhere around hour two, when I lifted the lid and saw the meat already loosening from the bones, I relaxed. By the time we sat down to eat, the doubt had completely dissolved into something like confidence—the kind you only get from cooking something slowly and watching it transform. He had seconds, and then we ate the leftovers cold from the fridge at midnight, which I consider the highest compliment a dish can receive.

Ingredients

• Bone-in beef short ribs (4, about 1.5–2 lbs): Look for ribs with good marbling and a decent layer of fat—this is what keeps them moist during the long braise and what makes the sauce so silky.
• Olive oil (2 tbsp): You need enough to get a proper sear on the ribs, which is the entire foundation of flavor here.
• Onion, carrots, celery (1 large, 2 medium, 2 stalks): These are your aromatic base, the holy trinity that builds savory depth.
• Garlic (4 cloves, minced): Added after the vegetables soften so it doesn't burn and turn bitter.
• Tomato paste (2 tbsp): A spoonful of concentrated umami that deepens the entire braising liquid.
• Dry red wine (1 cup): Use something you'd actually drink—the better the wine, the better your sauce.
• Beef broth (2 cups): The liquid that becomes your sauce, so quality matters here too.
• Fresh rosemary and thyme (1 sprig each), bay leaves (2): These herbs infuse the braising liquid with earthy, subtle notes that make people ask what your secret ingredient is.
• Polenta (1 cup coarse cornmeal): The base for your creamy bed—polenta labeled coarse cornmeal is what you want, not instant.
• Water (4 cups): The medium for cooking polenta until it becomes something entirely different from what you started with.
• Whole milk (1 cup): This transforms polenta from acceptable to something you'll crave.
• Unsalted butter (3 tbsp): Stir this in right before serving and watch the polenta become impossibly silky.
• Parmesan cheese (½ cup, grated): The final flavor layer that makes everything taste more like itself.
• Salt and black pepper: Season generously and taste constantly—this is how you build real flavor.

Instructions

Heat your oven and season the ribs:

Set the oven to 325°F and be generous with salt and pepper on all sides of the short ribs. This is your first chance to build flavor, so don't hold back.

Sear the meat until golden:

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the ribs for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally until all sides are deep brown—this Maillard reaction is everything. Transfer to a plate while you build the braising liquid.

Create your aromatic base:

In the same pot with all those beautiful browned bits stuck to the bottom, add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Let them cook for 5–7 minutes until they soften and release their sweetness, then add minced garlic for one more minute.

Build the braising liquid:

Stir in tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes until it darkens slightly, then pour in red wine while scraping up all those browned bits from the bottom—this is flavor you don't want to waste. Let it simmer for 5 minutes as the alcohol cooks off and the wine concentrates.

Combine everything and braise:

Add beef broth, then nestle the short ribs back into the pot along with any juices that have collected on the plate. Tuck in the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves, bring everything to a gentle simmer, then cover and slide into the 325°F oven for 2½–3 hours until the meat is so tender it might fall apart when you look at it.

Make the polenta while the ribs braise:

About 30 minutes before the ribs are done, bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a separate saucepan. Gradually whisk in the polenta while stirring constantly to avoid lumps—this takes patience but is absolutely worth it. Reduce heat to low and keep stirring every few minutes for 20–25 minutes until it's thick and creamy.

Finish the polenta with richness:

Stir in the milk, butter, and Parmesan cheese, tasting and adjusting salt and pepper as you go. The polenta should be smooth and luxurious enough to slowly flow back into itself when you drop a spoonful on a plate. Keep it warm on very low heat, stirring occasionally and adding more milk if it gets too thick.

Finalize the sauce:

Remove the short ribs from the braising liquid and set them aside. Fish out the herb sprigs and bay leaves, then skim any excess fat from the surface. Simmer the remaining sauce for a few minutes if you want it thicker and more concentrated.

Plate and serve:

Spoon creamy polenta into warm bowls, nestle a short rib or two on top, and pour that dark, savory sauce generously over everything. The polenta should cushion the meat while the sauce brings it all together.

Pin This

There was an afternoon when my neighbor smelled this dish cooking and asked if she could sit at my kitchen counter while it finished, and we ended up talking for three hours about memory and food and why certain meals matter more than others. That's when I understood this dish is about more than technique or ingredients—it's about the deliberate choice to spend time on something, to fill your home with intention. Every time I make it since, I think about that conversation.

Why Braising Is Worth Your Time

Braising is one of those cooking methods that seems to require patience but actually teaches you something about how food works. You're not rushing anything—you're letting low, gentle heat and time transform tough cuts of meat into something almost tender enough to eat with a spoon. The liquid surrounding the meat becomes infused with all the flavors you've built, and by the time you lift that lid after three hours, you have something entirely different from what you started with. This is the opposite of stress-cooking; this is the kind of cooking where you can step away, trust the process, and let your oven do most of the work.

The Polenta Moment

Polenta has this moment where it stops being cornmeal and becomes something creamy and luxurious, and if you've never experienced it, it might seem like magic. The key is patience while it cooks and stirring more often than feels necessary, because polenta is eager to scorch on the bottom if you're not paying attention. But once you stir in the butter and milk and cheese near the end, it transforms into this buttery, rich base that becomes the ideal vehicle for everything else on your plate. I've learned that polenta made this way is nothing like instant polenta from a box—this is the kind that makes people ask for the recipe.

Serving and Pairing Ideas

This dish is substantial enough to stand on its own, but it loves company. A crisp salad cuts through the richness beautifully, or steamed greens like broccolini add a welcome pop of green and slight bitterness that balances all that savory sauce. The polenta is creamy enough that it doesn't need extra sides, but if you want bread for soaking up every last bit of sauce, nobody will judge you. A robust red wine—something with enough tannin and body to match the richness of the braised meat—is practically mandatory here, and Barolo or Cabernet Sauvignon both feel right alongside this dish.

• Serve with steamed broccolini or a crisp arugula salad dressed simply with lemon and olive oil.
• A thick slice of crusty bread is never wrong when there's this much sauce involved.
• If you have leftover short ribs and polenta, they're shockingly good cold from the fridge, though reheating them gently is even better.

Pin This

This is the kind of dish that turns an ordinary evening into something memorable, the type of meal people remember and bring up months later. Make it when you want to cook something that feels like an occasion, even if the occasion is just a Tuesday night when you decided you deserved something special.

Recipe FAQs

→ How long should the beef short ribs be cooked?

Cook the ribs for 2½ to 3 hours until the meat is tender and easily pulls away from the bone.

→ What type of polenta works best for creaminess?

Coarse cornmeal polenta cooked slowly with milk and butter yields the creamiest texture.

→ Can I substitute Parmesan cheese?

Pecorino Romano is a great alternative for a sharper flavor in the polenta.

→ What vegetables enhance the braising liquid?

Onion, carrots, celery, and garlic add depth and sweetness to the braising sauce.

→ How can I thicken the braising sauce?

After removing ribs and herbs, simmer the sauce to reduce and thicken it to your preference.

→ What wine pairs well with this dish?

Robust red wines like Barolo or Cabernet Sauvignon complement the richness of the beef and sauce.