Generously salt and pepper the short ribs. Heat oil in a Dutch oven (or heavy skillet) over medium-high. Sear ribs 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden—this Maillard crust is flavor gold. Don’t crowd the pan; work in batches.

Remove ribs, lower heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté 5 minutes until they soften and pick up those fond bits. Stir in garlic for 1 minute—watch it so it doesn’t brown too fast.

Mix in tomato paste; cook 2 minutes while stirring. This step intensifies that savory umami note you love.

Pour in red wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits. Simmer 3–4 minutes until reduced by about half—this concentrates flavor.

Stir in beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a gentle bubble.

Return short ribs to the pot, meat-side up. Liquid should come two-thirds up the sides. Tuck in mushrooms if you like.

Cover tightly. Oven: move to a 325°F oven for 2¾–3 hours. Slow cooker: cook on LOW for 7–8 hours. Ribs are done when meat is fork-tender.

Let ribs rest in the liquid 15 minutes. Skim off fat from the surface with a spoon or fat separator for a cleaner sauce.

If the sauce seems thin, transfer it to a saucepan; simmer 10 minutes until it coats a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning—sometimes a pinch of sugar rounds out acidity.

Plate ribs atop creamy mashed potatoes, polenta, or buttered egg noodles. Spoon sauce and veggies over the top. A sprinkle of fresh parsley brightens everything up.