Braised Beef Short Ribs...

Braised Beef Short Ribs... I love braised meats... probably because the meat gets to be so flavorful and so tender when it's all said and done. And I love short ribs... something about them that's just so good! Maybe it's the collagen in the meat that eventually dissolves into gelatin that makes them extra-delicious...

So I made this dish some time ago...when I had my parents visiting for the holidays. Knowing that my dad and husband would enjoy a meat dish, specifically beef, I decided to make some slow braised short ribs. It was a cold and cloudy day, and any dish cooking away for hours in the oven would be a welcome meal. Made more than enough ribs... but I didn't mind, as I especially love having leftovers. That's because I can use the leftover meat to make other dishes throughout the week..... I'll add some sauteed mushrooms to some of the beef and serve it over soft polenta( the combination is so good!) or shred the meat to make sandwiches, enchiladas, soft tacos, burritos, etc.

This recipe isn't anything new... nothing fancy about it. You'll find plenty of recipes online for slow braised ribs, and most all follow the same technique. But this is how I made mine. So I'm posting it simply as a reference for myself.... just because I use my recipe index quite often:). Hope you enjoy...

Note: I ended up searing the ribs and cooking the vegetables in another pot....then used another baking dish for the final braising....the photos reflect that. But it is much easier if you have a dutch oven... as everything is done in one pot without the need for transferring liquids/meat.

Tip: You can serve this dish right away....but I really find it best when served on the second day, as the flavors meld together .... and I can skim off the fat that solidifies on top. Just reheat and reassemble the dish the following day.

You will need:

Sear:

3 1/2 lbs beef short ribs

oil, as needed

salt and pepper, to taste

Add:

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

3-4 garlic cloves minced

1 heaping TBS tomato paste

2 tsps dried savory ( or you can use a few thyme sprigs)

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 cups red wine( or you can substitute with stock)

veal/chicken stock/water, as needed to completely cover meat

Stir in:

1 1/2 lbs sauteed mushrooms, optional

Serve over:

polenta

mashed potatoes

buttered noodles

Directions:

~Preheat oven to 375 deg F~

1. Pat dry the ribs with some paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat 2-3 TBS of oil on medium heat... in a dutch oven( or a heavy pot, in my case).

3. Add 3-4 short ribs and brown on all sides. Remove and do the same with remaining short ribs. Set aside.

4. Drain most of the oil and reduce heat to med/low. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Stir to release some of the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Cook until softened a bit... about 5 minutes or so.

5. Add garlic and tomato paste. Stir and cook for another couple of minutes or so.

6. De-glaze with the wine( or stock, if using)... scraping any bits that may have formed on the bottom of the pot.

7. Add 2 cups of stock and the bay leaves and the savory( or thyme, if using)....

8. Place the browned short ribs in the wine/stock vegetable mixture... making sure the ribs are all sitting on the bottom of the dutch oven... pour extra stock as needed over the ribs until they are almost covered....you can use some water instead of the stock, but the stock gives the dish a bit more flavor.

9. Bring liquid up to a boil, remove from heat, then cover with a tight fitting lid.

10. Place covered dutch oven/baking dish in preheated 375 deg oven...and bake for about 2-3 hours or until meat is tender.... You may need to check periodically and add some water, if needed, especially if the lid isn't tight and steam escapes. Also, you may want to turn the ribs over halfway through the cooking time, so that they get cooked evenly. The meat should be quite tender...to the point of falling of the bone.

11. Remove the lid during the last 20-30 minutes of the cooking time....just so that the sauce reduces down a bit... you can also reduce the sauce by draining all the liquid and placing it in a saucepan on the stovetop to further reduce.

12. If serving the second day, allow to cool and refrigerate. Remove the solidified fat and reheat. Serve...

13. As an option, you can sauté some mushrooms and then stir them into the sauce before serving.... I ended up doing that with some of the leftovers.