I love short ribs. Tender, luscious, fall-off-the-bone goodness that feels both elegant and sinful. They also happen to be under utilized by home cooks because there is some suspicion that they are hard to cook, or cook properly.
Nothing could be farther from the truth. Short ribs are very forgiving and can shine on the grill or in the pot for a number of dishes. The only negative for some can be the fat that gets released, especially if they are bone-in, but there are two main ways to work around that.
First is to make this dish a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight. The fat will rise to the top and harden, making it easy to remove. The second way (because you didn’t plan ahead like me) is to use ice.
Once you remove the dish from the oven, remove the meat and place a stainless steel mixing bowl in the pot. Fill it with ice and a little water. The fat will firm up, sticking to the bowl as well as on the surface of the stew. Remove the fat. You won’t get as much fat out as the overnight method, but some fat is good, right?
These short ribs are delicious and are best served over some buttery mashed potatoes or cheesy polenta. Enjoy! – Chris
Ingredients
8 whole beef short ribs (bone in)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups red wine (something inexpensive)
2 cups beef or chicken stock
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, add the olive oil over medium heat.
In batches, brown the ribs on all sides and set aside.
Add the onion and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and stir with the vegetables.
Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan.
Add back the ribs, stock and herbs.
Chris Chisholm is a Certified Specialist of Wine and a graduate of Boston University Wine Studies and Wine Making programs. He is also a graduate of Cook Street School of Culinary Arts in Denver, CO. He has worked as a personal chef and chef instructor.
If you have any questions, email Chris at chris@snugharborwine.com. You can also follow Chris on Instagram @winechefchris for more delicious food photos!