He Didn't Know What Hit Him Braised Short Ribs

Short ribs have always been a bit of a hoity toity ingredient. It was the first thing that I tackled when I got my ceramic dutch oven. Lo and behold, not only was it just as easy to make as chicken, it was equally fool proof!! When I thought the dating thing with my boyfriend might go somewhere, I made braised short ribs as the first meal that I cooked for him. Boy oh boy, after the first bite, I think he saw a halo of our unborn children running around my head. He was utterly defenseless against my nuclear option! I'm experimenting with a new version of the dish for my bestie Nahal's birthday. Remember boys and girls, save the short ribs for the special someones in your life!

Recipe
3 pounds beef short ribs
1 bottle red wine
1 cup balsamic vinegar 
1 medium onion
2 medium carrots
3 ribs of celery
1 heads of garlic
10 sprigs thyme
10 sprigs rosemary
10 sprigs oregano
5 bay leaves
1 bunch Italian parsley
10 prunes
salt and pepper to taste
oil for browning the ribs



First, wash and dry the short ribs. Don't skimp on this step because it washes away any excess blood (I know, ewww) and drying off part means it won't splatter as much when we brown it. Season the cleansed ribs liberally with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy pot (dutch oven or stainless steel) on medium high heat. Pour one turn of the pan worth of cooking oil (no need to waste EVOO since the heat kills all the flavor of the oil) into the pot and put in the ribs to brown. Do not crowd the pan as that will trap steam and the meat won't caramelize as much. Brown the meat on all sides, around one minute each side. Take the meat out of the pan when done and let rest.

Give 'em space to brown

Happy little ribbies

While the ribs are doing their thing in the pot, dice the onions, celery and carrots. Once all the meat are browned, turn the heat down to medium and toss the veggies into the pot to caramelize. You only need to stir occasionally and it should take 5 minutes or so for them to cook down. Deglaze the pot by pouring in the entire bottle of red wine. Using a wooden spatula, scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the flavor from the burnt bits. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook the brew on medium until it comes to a boil.

Just about ready for the wine

Cooking off the alcohol

Preheat the oven to 325º. Thump the herbs with the back of a knife, that will help them release their oils. Don't need to pull off the leaves or chop them up, this is a rustic dish and we'll fish out the branches at the end. Put in all the herbs (thyme, rosemary, oregano and bay leaves) into the pot; peel the garlic and throw them in along with the prunes. Add the meat into the braising liquid, making sure that all the pieces are completely submerged. Pop in the oven and braise for 2.5 to 3 hours until the meat are off the bone tender. Give the pot a stir every hour or so to make sure that all the meat are under water.

Lots of fresh herbs

Getting ready for the oven

Braised short ribs are actually best if you make it the day before and let the ribs chill overnight. Just heat it up right before serving (350º in the oven or medium low heat on the stovetop). Finish by chopping up the Italian parsley and throw over the top. Good serving suggestion would be to pair it with mashed potatoes or soft polenta. Don't forget to spoon some sauce over the plate and enjoy!

Fish the meat out of the pot

Serving with soft polenta and beans

Reflections
I did the meat in two batches -- one in my trusty ceramic dutch oven and one in my new stainless steel pot. I made a few interesting observations. The stainless browns the meat faster, even on a lower heat setting, but the cast iron braises faster. I needed to keep the stainless steel pot in the oven for an hour longer (3.5 hours total) to get the meat to the same tenderness level as the dutch oven. This is also the first time that I made short ribs without any tomatoes. If you like, you can add some tomato paste at the end to thicken the sauce and add a bit of that tomato-y tanginess.