Short ribs are among Marlena's favorite food, and braising is my favorite cooking method, so its a mystery why I don't prepare this dish more often. A conundrum indeed, because braised short ribs, done right, are superbly succulent, fork-tender and flavorful. This, my recipe, is a traditional approach—aromatics, fresh herbs, and a long braise.
Makes four servings. The dish can easily be cut in half.
Ingredients:
2 bottles dry red wine, such as a Cabernet Sauvignon
2 tablespoons grape seed oil
4 slabs short ribs, trimmed of gratuitously-excess fat
6 shallots, quartered
10 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 large carrot, peeled, sliced thick
1 stalk of celery, sliced thick
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup Italian parsley
about 4 cups beef stock
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
gray salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Place the wine in a saucepan over medium heat. Once heated, using a stick lighter, set the wine aflame. Once the flame is burned out, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce by half, to about three cups. Remove from heat.
Browning the short ribs
In a large dutch oven, heat the grape seed oil over medium-high heat. Season the ribs with salt and pepper. Sear the ribs until brown, about four minutes per side. Due to the rib's shape, you may not be able to sear one side, which is fine. Reserve the ribs to a plate.
Lower the heat to medium. Remove all but one tablespoon of fat from the dutch oven. Add the shallot, garlic, carrot, and celery. Saute for two minutes. Add the bay leaves, thyme, and parsley. Saute for four more minutes, stirring often, until just brown.
Vegetables browned and ribs added back to the pot
Bringing the ribs, vegetables, and liquid to a boil before sticking in the oven
Return the short ribs to the pot. Add the reduced wine. Add the stock until the ribs are covered by just over half. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and move pot to oven.
Braise for about 2.5 to 3 hours, until the ribs are fork-tender. A couple of times during the braising, quickly open up the oven and skim any fat off the top of the braising liquid.
Short ribs reserved to a plate
Return dutch oven to the stove. Carefully transfer the ribs to a plate and cover with a tinfoil tent. If the meat has fallen off the bone, return the bone to the dutch oven.
Bringing the braising liquid and aromatics to a boil
Bring the remaining liquid in the dutch oven to boil over high heat, reducing the liquid down to just two or three cups. Taste and adjust seasoning. Strain through a chinoise, discarding any solids.
Red wine braised short ribs plated with creamy polenta and brussels sprouts
To serve, plate the meat and pour the sauce over it, accompanied by creamy polenta or mashed potatoes. Pairs well with a red wine from the left bank of France's Bordeaux region.
7 comments—please comment:
I've created a link to your recipe in our newest "Cast Iron Around the Web" entry at http://www.cookingincastiron.com
In Italy (and I'm Italian) I never seen brussels sprouts whit polenta and quite frankly this coupled is a little bit strange. But may be a good idea.. I will try!
The pairing is meant to be delicious and balanced, not necessarily traditional. I hope you try it and love it.
I made this last night with great success. Thank you for an excellent recipe.
Kristen, thank you for the kind comment. Glad to hear you liked it! Hope it was delicious.
Silly question here from a novice. What do you do with the vegetables in the pot? Throw them out? DO I have to use grape seed oil for this to taste good?
Hi, Anonymous.
To your first question: You discard the vegetables. By the time they have finished braising, they are mush, and all of their flavor is imparted into the braising liquid. If you want to serve vegetables, you can saute them and then add them into the sauce at the very end to warm through.
Second question: You do not need to use grape seed oil to sear the meat. Any high-heat oil is acceptable, including refined peanut, canola (rapeseed), and generic vegetable oil. Grape seed oil is wonderful because it has a neutral taste and very high smoke point, but many oils are fine substitutes. A refined, clean, olive oil with a high smoke point is another candidate.
A braise is a rustic preparation. Although you can aim for refinement in your straining and your plating, at the end of the day you still have a chunk of tough meat, converted to succulent deliciousness via low heat, liquid, and time. For your first attempt, buy the best ingredients you can and don't sweat the details.
Enjoy!
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