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a bowl with braised beef short ribs and polenta
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5 from 3 votes

How to Cook Beef Short Ribs

Braised short ribs have the best vibes. They're totally unpretentious, yet they pack a nuanced, sophisticated flavor punch thanks to a low and slow steep in a veggie- and wine-infused sauce. This recipe makes a big batch. It keeps well, but if you'd rather, you can halve it without making any additional changes to the method.
Course: Beef
Cuisine: American
Keyword: braised short ribs, how to cook beef short ribs, short ribs and polenta
Calories: 367kcal
Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 8 pounds 3(629 grams) bone-in beef short ribs
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large onion 250 grams, diced
  • 2 medium carrots 200 grams, diced
  • 2 ribs celery 200 grams, diced
  • 8 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 750- ml bottle dry red wine
  • 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
  • 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ¼ cup (30 grams) flour

Instructions

  • Sprinkle the short ribs evenly with the salt and pepper.
  • Heat a very large Dutch oven (I use my 9-quart Le Creuset) over medium-high on the stovetop.
  • In uncrowded batches, add the short rib and brown thoroughly on all sides. Remove to a plate.
  • If there is more than about two tablespoons of fat in the pan, remove it. Reduce heat to medium.
  • Preheat oven to 325°F with a rack in the lower third.
  • Add onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and stir to coat with the fat.
  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have released the browned bits from the bottom of the pan and are starting to soften.
  • Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for one minute.
  • Pour in the wine and the broth and add the herbes de Provence and the bay leaves.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Add the meat and any accumulated juices back to the pan, nestling it in so it's covered as much as possible by the liquid.
  • Cover and transfer to the oven to cook for about three hours, until meat is fork-tender and easily falls off the bone.
  • If possible, at this stage I like to let the whole thing cool and refrigerate it overnight. This allows much of the substantial fat content of the sauce to rise to the surface and solidify, making it easy to remove. The dish will still be amply rich, but the sauce won't be greasy. If you don't have time for this step, skim off as much of the liquid fat from the sauce as possible before proceeding.
  • Remove beef from pot and set aside. It's traditional to make an attempt to keep the bones loosely attached to the meat for serving, but I find they often fall off. When this happens I remove and discard the bones, and no one minds. You can choose what to do.
  • Remove and discard bay leaves.
  • Place the flour into a small mixing bowl. Spoon out enough of the sauce to mix with the flour and create a smooth paste.
  • Place the pot over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Whisk in the flour mixture.
  • Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about five minutes, until thickened.
  • Return beef to pot to coat with sauce.

Notes

  1. Beef short ribs are cut from the lower part of a cow's ribcage, behind the brisket. The heavily marbled meat sits atop a piece of bone. You'll find them cut in various sizes. For a recipe like this it doesn't matter too much. These are English-cut, about four inches long and two inches wide, which works perfectly.
  2. I've pictured a nicer dry red wine here than you need, just because it's what I had on hand. Most recipes will insist you use a full-bodied variety like cabernet sauvignon or shiraz, and you're welcome to. I find that lighter reds work beautifully as well. Virtually all of the alcohol cooks off during the long braising, so there's no need to worry about alcohol content in the final dish. The flavors concentrate as the liquid reduces, so choose something you like the taste of.
  3. Lower-sodium beef broth adds plenty of flavor and lets you control the salt levels in the final dish, which also concentrate as the sauce reduces.
  4. I've pictured the short ribs here served over cheddar polenta, and you can't beat that. Mashed potatoes (basic or boursin) work beautifully, as would mashed cauliflower. A bottle of red wine and a simple green salad round out the meal.
  5. To make this recipe gluten-free, simply swap in a 1:1 GF flour blend.
  6. Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge and can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave. Or freeze for up to a year.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 593mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g