Braised Short Ribs

This November was the month of the short rib. We used them to celebrate 5 different birthdays, and everyone gave these rave reviews. Despite the fact that you can find short ribs in all the high-falutin’ restaurants, I was surprised to learn they are actually not that expensive.

While this recipe takes a little time, it’s not nearly as complex as it  looks. Plus it has that fancy-pants quality that makes your guests jealous of your culinary prowess, and I think we all know that’s why you have people over for dinner in the first place.

6 pounds of bone in short ribs
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 celery stalks, pureed
1 carrot, pureed
1 yellow onion, pureed
1/2 cup tomato paste
5 sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and chopped
1 quart beef stock
2 cups red wine
1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1. The day before you cook the short ribs , season them with salt and pepper and refrigerate. You can also puree the veggies ahead of time. Pureeing is what gives you a nice, thick sauce, so don’t skip it.
2. The day you plan to eat the short ribs you will need to start the cooking process 5 hours ahead of time. Begin by preheating the oven to 325 degrees.
3. Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add half of the ribs and brown on all sides.  Transfer ribs to a plate. Repeat with the rest of the ribs, adding more oil if you need to.
4. Add celery, carrot, and onion to the pan along with a good pinch of salt, and cook over medium heat until softened.
5. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring until glossy, about 2 minutes. Add thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and garlic and stir for 2 minutes.
6. Add stock, wine, and vinegar and bring to a boil.  Return the short ribs to the pan, cover, and braise in the oven for 1 hour.
7. Lower the oven temperature to 225 degrees and cook for 4 hours.Remove the ribs to a large bowl. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
8. While the sauce reduces, skim the excess fat off. Serve ribs with sauce on top.

The Chef likes to serve these over linguine, horseradish mashed potatoes, or cheddar grits and likes to garnish the plates with freshly grated horseradish. Zesty.