Honey Bourbon Dutch Oven Short Ribs

These honey bourbon Dutch oven short ribs have quickly become one of my favorite Dutch oven recipes! This is the kind of comfort food I crave on the regular, and it’s so easy to make, too! Short ribs get the rich marbling of fatty steaks with the deep rich flavor of a chuck roast. I love the fall-off-the-bone flavor, especially with the honey bourbon glaze!

We love these DUTCH OVEN HONEY BOURBON SHORT RIBS! It's so easy to make these flavorful and fall off the bone ribs right in your dutch oven. Less cleanup and more flavor!

This honey bourbon Dutch oven short ribs recipe is one of the recipes Pat requests most from the blog. Let me tell you something. That honey bourbon glaze is the stuff dreams are made of. Don’t fix this meal for a first date because manners go out the window when honey bourbon glaze is involved. Or do make it for a first date… as long as you want to marry the person. Because they are going to want to marry you immediately after tasting your cooking. Trust and believe.

What’s in This Dutch Oven Short Ribs Recipe?

Short Ribs: I recommend bone-in beef short ribs for this recipe. The bone helps prevent the meat from overcooking and turning out tough. Look for short ribs with even marbling that are all of similar size.
Flour: All-purpose flour helps the meat brown before we braise it.
Bacon: Adds delicious umami flavor to the dish and provides good fat to cook the veggies and short ribs in.
Onion + Garlic: Create a savory base of flavor for the dish.
Carrots: Add a pop of sweetness to the dish.
Honey Bourbon: Adds depth and sweetness to the ribs and the glaze.
Honey: Enhances the sweet honey flavor of the bourbon. I used Jim Beam Honey, but any brand will do.
Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth helps the ribs stay moist and tender as they cook. You could also use beef or vegetable broth if you prefer, but I found chicken broth to work best in the glaze.
Worcestershire Sauce: Adds tangy umami flavor to the ribs and the glaze.
Herbs de Provence: Adds a unique herbal and floral flavor to the dish that helps lighten it up a bit.
Sugar: Dark brown sugar adds extra depth and sweetness to the glaze.
Soy Sauce: Gives the glaze an extra kick of saltiness and umami flavor.
Mustard: Dijon mustard adds a touch of tanginess and spice to the glaze to balance out the sweetness.
Red Pepper Flakes: Add a little extra spice!

Tips for Success

I don’t trim my short ribs unless they have truly excessive amounts of fat on them, but you can certainly trim them if you prefer.
Don’t skip searing the short ribs; it adds tons of extra flavor.
To make these short ribs in a crockpot, follow the recipe through step 6, then transfer everything to a crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
When serving the next day, remove any fat that collects on top of the ribs from refrigeration before reheating. This will help prevent greasiness.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover Dutch oven short ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a Dutch oven or in the microwave until warmed through.

Pouring honey bourbon glaze over plate of short ribs

Serving Suggestions

I served these honey bourbon Dutch oven short ribs over mashed sweet potatoes and wow, were they amazing. They would also be great with my garlic mashed cauliflower, crockpot mashed potatoes, or Brussels sprouts with pear and blue cheese… mmm.

Dutch Oven Honey Bourbon Short Ribs

These honey bourbon Dutch oven short ribs are so moist and tender, and the honey bourbon glaze is to die for!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 20

Servings

Calories 688kcal

Author Becky Hardin

Equipment

Dutch Oven

Ingredients

For the Short Ribs

8 bone-in beef short ribs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup all-purpose flour
6 strips bacon cut into ⅛-inch pieces
1 sweet yellow onion peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
3 carrots trimmed and diced
1 cup Honey Bourbon
¼ cup honey
2-3 cups low-sodium chicken broth enough to cover ribs
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Honey Bourbon Glaze

½ cup honey
½ cup Honey Bourbon
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

For the Short Ribs

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Liberally salt and pepper all sides of the short ribs and dredge lightly in flour. Set aside.

8 bone-in beef short ribs, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, ¼ cup all-purpose flour
In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon until crispy. Transfer crispy bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Once cooled, transfer to a refrigerator container to save for later use.

6 strips bacon
If more fat is needed to sauté the carrots, onion, and garlic, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the bacon grease. Add the carrots and cook them for 2 minutes. Add the onions and cook until onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Transfer vegetables to a large heatproof bowl and set aside.

1 sweet yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic, 3 carrots
Turn heat to HIGH and place short ribs in the Dutch oven. Turn until all sides have browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer short ribs to the bowl with the vegetables.
Turn heat to MEDIUM. Pour in the Honey bourbon and scrape, or deglaze, the pan to release all the bits of flavor stuck on the bottom of the pan.

1 cup Honey Bourbon
Add the honey, chicken stock, Worcestershire Sauce, and herbs. Taste the broth and season with more salt & pepper, if needed.

¼ cup honey, 2-3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Add the veggies and short ribs back to the pot. Place the lid on the pot and set in on the middle rack in the oven. Cook for 2 hours at 350°F, then reduce heat to 325°F. Cook an additional 30-45 minutes, or until meat is falling off the bones and is fork-tender.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to rest, lid on, for 20-30 minutes.
Before serving, skim the fat off the top of the liquid and stir in the bacon.
Serve with mashed potatoes or creamy polenta and drizzle with the Honey Bourbon Glaze (below).

For the Honey Bourbon Glaze

Combine all glaze ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer (or low boil) 5 minutes or until mixture is reduced and is similar to syrup. The sauce will thicken as it cools. If it becomes too thick, add a little water, whisk and reheat to desired thickness.

½ cup Honey Bourbon, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ cup honey
Drizzle over the Honey Bourbon Short Ribs

Video

Notes

Storage: Store Dutch oven honey bourbon short ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.