Braised grass-fed short ribs are one of the ultimate comfort foods. Slow cooking this affordable cut in red wine & veal stock transforms it into a fork-tender, intensely flavorful, satisfying meal. Short ribs are perfect for chasing away winter’s chill, but so good that you’ll find yourself craving them year round.
Wrapping the short rib pieces in cheesecloth before braising them gives you a finished result that’s prettier on the plate, but this step can be skipped to save time.
Drink Parings: California Cabernet, Red Bordeaux or Australian Shiraz
Ingredients Serves: 6
- 2 1/2 lbs Sliced/Portioned Grass-Fed Beef Short Ribs
- 1 cup diced Shallots
- 2 1/2 cups finely sliced Leeks
- 1 cup diced Celery
- 1 2/3 cups diced Carrots
- 2 cups of diced Onion
- 6 sprigs Parsley
- 9 sprigs Thyme
- 4 Bay Leaves
- 5 cloves Garlic, lightly crushed
- 1 bottle Red Wine (Cabernet or Malbec)
- 5 cups White Veal Stock
- Olive Oil
- All Purpose Flour
- Grapeseed or Canola Oil for searing
- Cheesecloth
Instructions
Sweat 1 cup each of the vegetables (shallots, leeks, celery, carrots and onion) plus 6 sprigs of parsley, six of thyme and two bay leaves in olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until their aroma wafts up from the pot.
Add the red wine and bring to a simmer, cooking for 40-45 minutes (until the wine has reduced to a syrup consistency). Remove from the heat.
While the wine is reducing, trim any sinew & excess surface fat from the short ribs. Season them with salt & pepper, then dust with flour to coat, shaking off any excess.
Sear the short ribs on all sides in a frying pan with canola or grapeseed oil over high heat. Depending on the size of your pan, you may have to sear in batches.
Preheat your oven to 325˚F.
Add the remaining onion, garlic cloves, thyme, carrots, bay leaves and leeks to the reduced wine. Spread the vegetables out so they make a bed in the bottom of the pot.
Using kitchen shears, cut the cheesecloth into a rough square large enough to hang over the sides of the pot when pressed down. Dampen the cheesecloth with water, and lay it over the vegetables.
Add the seared short ribs on top of the cheesecloth in a single layer & fold the ends of the cloth over.
Add the veal stock to the pot, cover it and return it to the heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then move the pot to the oven to braise until the ribs are fork tender (roughly 1 ½-2 hours, check them after an hour or so).
Remove the pot from the oven and take out the bundle of short ribs. Discard the cheesecloth (if you used any) and set the ribs aside.
Strain the braising liquid. Discard the solids and let it cool enough for the fat to rise to the top. Skim off the fat.
Prepare your sides of choice – we recommend a starch or beans and a green vegetable, and served ours with white beans in jus and rapini.
Just before serving, put whole short ribs in a frying pan with the reserved braising liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced to a glaze, occasionally basting the ribs to keep them from drying out.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the short ribs to plates with your sides. Pour the remaining reduced braising liquid from the pan over them as a sauce. Serve.