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I truly believe there is nothing in this world better than a Beef Short Rib Sandwich. Saucy shredded short ribs covered in melty gruyere cheese and generously dipped in rich au jus – this is what food dreams are made.
Beef Short Rib Sandwich
I don’t know what changed in my biology since having children but I cannot seem to get enough of a beef sandwich. French dip, Philly Cheesesteaks, Lasagna hoagie, Italian Beefs – they all send my stomach into a tizzy.
Today’s short rib sandwich started out as a journey to create a classic French dip but pivoted when I found short ribs on sale at the grocery store. Short ribs, while given a fancy reputation are actually much easier and more forgiving to cook than any of the other beef fillings
Why You’ll Love This Beef Short Rib Sandwich
- The beef is slow-braised until fall-apart tender
- The jus is made directly from the braising liquid (no extra pots)
- Gruyère adds the perfect nutty, melty finish
- Seriously impressive for entertaining
- Every bite is rich, savory, and incredibly satisfying
Ingredients in our Beef Short Rib Sandwich
Short Ribs. Make sure you get bone in. Bones = flavor.
Onion + garlic.
White wine. For acidity and flavor.
Beef broth. Low-sodium.
Herbs. A bay leave and fresh thyme
Cornstarch. This isn’t necessary but if want a jus that’s thicker than broth, I like to thicken it with a slurry.
Baguette. I love to use a crispy bread for this. A soft bread will fall apart when dipped in jus.
Cheese. I love to use gruyere but if you want a more philly cheesesteak-style sandwich, you can use provolone. I also think goat cheese would be a nice contrast to the rich beef.
Short Rib Sandwich Process in a Nutshell
Brown the short ribs. An essential step in building flavor in the sandwich. Don’t be afraid to really brown all sides!
Cook the onions. Sauté the onions in the beef fat. Again building flavor.
Braise. Pour in the wine and broth. Add the browned short ribs back in the pot along with the thyme and bay leaf. Pelace in the oven and wait for the magic.
Make your time work for you. Shred the cheese and toast the bread while the short ribs braise.
Assemble. Shred the short ribs and pile the meat high on toasted buns. Cover with cheese and pop back in the oven until melted.
Make the jus. Strain the residual broth. If you want it thicker, make a slurry with cornstarch and beef broth. Whisk the mixture back into the broth. Simmer until thickened.
Substitutions
- Use any dry white wine.
- Add in carrots or fennel for a deeper vegetable flavor profile
- I also love to use brandy or vodka
- Love a pretzel roll or homemade sourdough for this.
- Swap out the gruyere for swiss, provolone, or goat cheese.
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success
- Make sure to use bone-in ribs. This will create infinitely more flavor than boneless.
- For smooth jus, make sure to strain the broth. Squeeze
- The beauty of short ribs is there are very tough to overcook so they’re forgiving.
- Be sure to use a crusty bread for your sandwich, otherwise the jus will simply disenegrate the bread.
- Don’t be afraid to brown those short ribs! Brown = flavor.
- To make in advance,
F
Short Rib Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 lbs bone in beef short rib
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 5 sprigs thyme
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 1/4 cups beef stock, divided
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 oz gruyere, shredded
- 1 baguette or 8 crusty rolls
- Mayo
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Let the short ribs sit out for 10 minutes before cooking. Pat dry and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt on all sides.
- Heat a large dutch oven with a lid or similar pot to a medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the short ribs, making sure to not crowd the pan so they can brown. Brown the ribs on all sides, it should take about 15 minutes. If needed, work in batches.
- Once all the short ribs are brown, remove them from the pan and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions to the empty pot. Toss the onion in the residual fat. Saute for 5-6 minutes until slightly softened. Pour in the white wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Bring the wine up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until reduced by half. Pour 1 cup of beef broth over the onions. Stir to combine. Return the short ribs along with any accumulated juices back in the pot. Cover the pot with a lid. Place in the oven and braise until the meat is tender, about 2-3 hours. Check after two hours.
- Prep the bread and cheese while the ribs cook. About 20 minutes before the ribs are done: Shred the cheese. Slice baguette into 8 pieces and split horizontally. Place cut-side up on a sheet pan. Drizzle the tops with remaining olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Toast at 325°F for 6–7 minutes.Set aside.
- When the ribs are finished, carefully remove them from the pot and keep warm. Discard the bay leaf and thyme. Use a slotted spoon to remove most of the onions. Increase the heat on the oven to 400 degrees.
- Use two forks to shred the short rib meat. Discard the bones and any fat. Divide shredded short rib over the bottom halves of the bread. Top evenly with Gruyère.Bake at 400°F for 5–6 minutes, until melted and gooey.
- Make the jus while the sandwiches bake (one container, fewer steps). Place a mesh strainer over a large liquid measuring cup. Pour the braising liquid and remaining onions through the strainer. Press the onions firmly to extract as much liquid as possible. If you want a thicker jus, return the strained liquid to the Dutch oven. In the same measuring cup, whisk together: remaining beef broth and cornstarch. Slowly whisk this mixture into the pot.Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until lightly thickened. You can always skip this step and simply serve the residual jus.
- Spread mayo on the top bread halves if desired. Close the sandwiches. Serve immediately with the hot jus for dipping.
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