Baked Braised Beef Short Ribs
Serves 4-6
The note on this recipe reads "Excellent!" - a seemingly old-school recipe, kicked up a notch by baking the ribs for a short while after a long braise. The meat will fall off the ribs as you have come to expect, but drying the meat slightly gives it a pleasing texture. The creme fraiche or sour cream with horseradish accompaniment adds a flavourful note. Slather the tasty gravy on buttered noodles, mashed garlic potatoes, farro, couscous - your choice of carbohydrate.
Good food doesn't take much work, but it takes time (and thyme)! For absolute best results, make this an easy 3-day experience:
Day 1 - season the meat,
Day 2 - braise the ribs for 3 hours and chill overnight so the fat will congeal on the surface
Day 3 - remove the fat, rewarm and serve with the trimmings
Alternatively, compress Days 1 & 2 together. If you make it all on the same day, season the meat early in the morning so the herbs can work their way in for a few hours. Skimming the fat is harder when the dish is warm, but not impossible.
Adapted slightly from Smitten Kitchen, your guests will leave contented. More options: Red Wine Braised Short Ribs and Pineapple Short Ribs.
Day 1 - Season the Ribs
Ingredients
6 large beef short ribs, about 14-16 ounces each, or equivalent in smaller ribs
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon ground pepper
Method
Season the short ribs with the tablespoon of thyme and the pepper. Use your hands to coat the meat well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Day 2 - Braise the Ribs
Ingredients
olive oil for sautéing
1 cup diced onions or shallots
1 carrot, diced
1 rib celery, diced
4 sprigs of thyme or 1-2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups port
2 1/2 cups hearty red wine
6 cups beef or veal stock
4 sprigs fresh parsley or several shakes dried parsley
Method
Take the short ribs out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking so the meat is brought to room temperature. After 30 minutes, season them generously on all sides with salt.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Farenheit.
When it's time to cook the short ribs, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven (or a saute pan and then transfer everything to a Dutch oven). When the oil is hot, sear the ribs until they are nicely browned on all three meaty sides. Don't crowd the meat. It's better to sear them in small batches. Transfer them to a plate to rest.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme and the bay leaves. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up all the crusty bits in the pan. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables begin to caramelize.
Add the balsamic vinegar, port and the red wine to the vegetable mixture. Turn the heat to high and reduce the liquid by half.
Add the stock and bring to a boil. Arrange the ribs in the Dutch oven. The stock mixture should almost cover the ribs.
Add the parsley to the meat. Cover the pot tightly and braise in the oven for about 3 hours.
To test for doneness, remove the lid (watch for steam) and pierce the meat with a paring knife. It should yield easily.
Remove the pot from the oven and if possible, refrigerate it for several hours or overnight.
Day 3 - Reheat and Finish
Ingredients
3/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
Salt and pepper
3 dozen small pearl onions, whole or 4 shallots, chopped (optional)
olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper
2 bunches Swiss chard or equivalent amounts of spinach or arugula (optional)
Method
Combine the creme fraiche (or sour cream), horseradish and salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Take the Dutch oven out of the fridge, skim off the congealed fat and discard the fat. Reheat the ribs slowly, either on the stovetop at low-medium or in the oven at 300 degrees.
If using, toss the pearl onions/shallots in the olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Saute the onions on the stovetop or roast them in the oven.
Turn the temperature on the oven up to 400 degrees. Remove the ribs from the Dutch oven and place on an ungreased baking pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes until brown.
While the ribs are browning, strain out the vegetables from the gravy and place in a serving dish. Continue heating the gravy on the stove top to thicken slightly. Taste for seasoning. If desired, mix 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch in 2-4 teaspoons of cold water. Add slowly to the gravy to thicken it slightly.
When ready to serve, add some olive oil to the saute pan and toss the Swiss chard, spinach or arugula in, stirring frequently until wilted and tender. Add a drop of water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the greens on the serving plate, top with the pearl onions, followed by the ribs.
Serve with the vegetables on top of the meat or on the side, along with the creme fraiche as a topping.
Serves 4-6
The note on this recipe reads "Excellent!" - a seemingly old-school recipe, kicked up a notch by baking the ribs for a short while after a long braise. The meat will fall off the ribs as you have come to expect, but drying the meat slightly gives it a pleasing texture. The creme fraiche or sour cream with horseradish accompaniment adds a flavourful note. Slather the tasty gravy on buttered noodles, mashed garlic potatoes, farro, couscous - your choice of carbohydrate.
Good food doesn't take much work, but it takes time (and thyme)! For absolute best results, make this an easy 3-day experience:
Day 1 - season the meat,
Day 2 - braise the ribs for 3 hours and chill overnight so the fat will congeal on the surface
Day 3 - remove the fat, rewarm and serve with the trimmings
Alternatively, compress Days 1 & 2 together. If you make it all on the same day, season the meat early in the morning so the herbs can work their way in for a few hours. Skimming the fat is harder when the dish is warm, but not impossible.
Adapted slightly from Smitten Kitchen, your guests will leave contented. More options: Red Wine Braised Short Ribs and Pineapple Short Ribs.
Day 1 - Season the Ribs
Ingredients
6 large beef short ribs, about 14-16 ounces each, or equivalent in smaller ribs
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon ground pepper
Method
Season the short ribs with the tablespoon of thyme and the pepper. Use your hands to coat the meat well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Day 2 - Braise the Ribs
Ingredients
olive oil for sautéing
1 cup diced onions or shallots
1 carrot, diced
1 rib celery, diced
4 sprigs of thyme or 1-2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups port
2 1/2 cups hearty red wine
6 cups beef or veal stock
4 sprigs fresh parsley or several shakes dried parsley
Method
Take the short ribs out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking so the meat is brought to room temperature. After 30 minutes, season them generously on all sides with salt.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Farenheit.
When it's time to cook the short ribs, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven (or a saute pan and then transfer everything to a Dutch oven). When the oil is hot, sear the ribs until they are nicely browned on all three meaty sides. Don't crowd the meat. It's better to sear them in small batches. Transfer them to a plate to rest.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme and the bay leaves. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up all the crusty bits in the pan. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables begin to caramelize.
Add the balsamic vinegar, port and the red wine to the vegetable mixture. Turn the heat to high and reduce the liquid by half.
Add the stock and bring to a boil. Arrange the ribs in the Dutch oven. The stock mixture should almost cover the ribs.
Add the parsley to the meat. Cover the pot tightly and braise in the oven for about 3 hours.
To test for doneness, remove the lid (watch for steam) and pierce the meat with a paring knife. It should yield easily.
Remove the pot from the oven and if possible, refrigerate it for several hours or overnight.
Day 3 - Reheat and Finish
Ingredients
3/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
Salt and pepper
3 dozen small pearl onions, whole or 4 shallots, chopped (optional)
olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper
2 bunches Swiss chard or equivalent amounts of spinach or arugula (optional)
Method
Combine the creme fraiche (or sour cream), horseradish and salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Take the Dutch oven out of the fridge, skim off the congealed fat and discard the fat. Reheat the ribs slowly, either on the stovetop at low-medium or in the oven at 300 degrees.
If using, toss the pearl onions/shallots in the olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Saute the onions on the stovetop or roast them in the oven.
Turn the temperature on the oven up to 400 degrees. Remove the ribs from the Dutch oven and place on an ungreased baking pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes until brown.
While the ribs are browning, strain out the vegetables from the gravy and place in a serving dish. Continue heating the gravy on the stove top to thicken slightly. Taste for seasoning. If desired, mix 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch in 2-4 teaspoons of cold water. Add slowly to the gravy to thicken it slightly.
When ready to serve, add some olive oil to the saute pan and toss the Swiss chard, spinach or arugula in, stirring frequently until wilted and tender. Add a drop of water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the greens on the serving plate, top with the pearl onions, followed by the ribs.
Serve with the vegetables on top of the meat or on the side, along with the creme fraiche as a topping.