Recipe: Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

Comfort food at its finest, our red wine braised short ribs are a classic, and especially delicious when paired with mashed potatoes, rice, or thick buttered egg noodles. Cabernet is ideal for braising, but any dry red wine will do for this recipe.

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 2-2 ½ hours

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 beef short ribs
• 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (1 ¼ cups)
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped (1 ½ cups)
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped (1 cup)
• 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
• 3 cups red wine
• 3-4 cups low sodium beef or chicken broth
• 6 branches fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Rub two teaspoons of kosher salt all over the short ribs. Peel the carrots using a vegetable peeler, remove the root end, and cut into two to three-inch pieces. Trim both ends of the onion with a small knife, remove the peel, and roughly chop into two-inch pieces. Roughly chop the celery into two-inch pieces. Cut the garlic head in half crosswise. Rinse the thyme under cold water and pat dry with paper towel.
2. Place a four-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot on the stove and turn to high heat. Add the canola oil and heat until simmering. Evenly layer the short rib pieces in the pot, leaving one to two inches between each piece. Sear the beef in two batches, flipping occasionally until golden brown on all sides. Place cooked meat on a large plate.
3. Drain all but two tablespoons of fat from the pot. Add the carrots, onions, celery, and garlic, and cook while stirring until browned on all sides. Add the wine and simmer until it no longer smells like alcohol (four to five minutes) and has reduced by half. Add the beef or chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
4. Add the short ribs to the pot. Add the thyme and enough beef or chicken broth to cover the ribs. Cover the pot and bring to a low simmer. Cook the short ribs for two to two and a half hours, or until tender.
5. If you prefer cooking the short ribs in the oven, preheat your oven to 325 degrees, and cook for two and a half hours, or until tender.
6. After two hours, remove the lid and poke the short ribs with a fork. If the beef is tender and falls apart easily, it’s ready. If not, return the lid and check on it every ten minutes until ready.
7. Remove the short ribs from the pot and strain the cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Add the cooking liquid in a small pot and cook over high heat until reduced by half. Season the liquid with remaining kosher salt and black pepper, and serve alongside the short ribs.