Fork-tender beef slow-braised in red wine with aromatic vegetables and a rich, glossy pan sauce. It takes a few hours, but most of that time the oven is doing the work.
Heat the oven to 325°F. Season the 1½–2 lb beef short ribs with kosher salt and black pepper. Let them sit while the oven heats, then pat the surface dry if needed. Dry beef browns. Wet beef steams.
Heat 1½ Tbsp neutral oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs about 3–4 minutes per major side until deeply browned. Take them out and set them aside.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrots and celery and cook 6–8 minutes until softened and beginning to color. Add the 4 smashed garlic cloves and cook another 30 seconds.
Add 1½ Tbsp tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until it darkens to brick red and begins sticking slightly to the bottom.
Pour in 1½ cups dry red wine. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven and simmer until the wine is reduced by roughly half.
Add 1½ cups beef stock, 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary and the optional bay leaf. Return the ribs and their juices to the pot. The liquid should reach roughly halfway to two-thirds up the meat. Cover and put the Dutch oven into the 325°F oven.
Braise for about 2½ hours, then check the thickest rib with a fork. It should slide in with very little resistance. If the beef still fights back, cover the pot and give it another 30 minutes. The fork decides when it's done, not the clock.
Move the fork-tender ribs to a plate and loosely cover them. Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan, press lightly on the vegetables and discard the solids. Skim excess fat. Simmer the liquid for roughly 10–20 minutes until concentrated enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in 1 tsp Dijon mustard. Turn the heat off and whisk in 1 Tbsp cold unsalted butter. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Return the ribs to the finished sauce. Spoon the sauce over them and warm gently for a couple of minutes. They've spent three hours becoming tender. Don't celebrate by boiling the shit out of them.
Set the short ribs on warm plates and spoon the glossy red-wine sauce generously over the beef. Finish with fresh thyme or parsley if you have it. Wipe the rim and serve hot.
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