Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs

I'm not a big red meat eater.

I think a lot of you know I was vegetarian for along time and then one day....at the luau at Disney.....well that's another story.

Like I said, I'm the kind of person who will choose fish, pork or chicken over red meat most times, but these short ribs! Lord have mercy, these ribs were so delectable, so flavorful, so unbelievably delicious that I would choose them over a piece of chicken any day of the week.

Don't let the amount of time this spends in the oven stop you from making these. This is the perfect dish to make on a chilly fall afternoon. Pop them in the oven for few hours, mash up some taters, grab that pot back outta the oven, dish out the ribs and veggies and slather those taters in the wine infused gravy and you have a complete meal.



There were a few changes that I made. The 2 packages of short ribs that I bought totalled almost 6 pounds. I just made them all. I decreased the onion to 2 (I know those of you who know how much of an onion freak I am just gasped, but 3 looked like just way too much). I did use the Cabernet Sauvignon. I believe it was a wine by Coppola in fact. Who knew Francis made wine? I also decreased the beef broth to 1 cup. I just couldn't fit 3 more cups in my dutch oven. Other than that, the recipe is the same.

Don't skip the herbs! I think they made a world of difference. The gravy this makes is so good! I had to stop my youngest from drinking it with a straw!!

If 5 pounds of short ribs is too much for your family, half the recipe, do whatever you have to do, but you must make these and then eat these and then call or write to thank me!

Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs
Recipe from Bon Appetite, October 2011

5 lbs bone in beef short ribs, cut crosswise into 2” pieces.
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium onions, chopped (I used 2)
3 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 750ml bottle dry red wine (preferably Cabernet Sauvignon)
10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
8 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
4 cups low sodium beef stock (I only used 1 cup)

Oven to 350. Season the short ribs with salt & pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, brown the short ribs on all sides (about 8 minutes per batch). Transfer to a plate. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the drippings from the pot.

Add the onions, carrots and celery to the pot and cook over medium high heat, stirring often until onions are browned (about 5 minutes). Add the flour and tomato paste, cook stirring constantly, until well combined and deep red (2 – 3 minutes) . Stir in the wine and then add the short ribs and any accumulated juices. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer until wine is reduced by half (about 25 minutes) Add all the herbs to the pot along with the garlic. Stir in the stock. Bring to a boil, cover and transfer to the oven.

Cook until the short ribs are tender 2 – 2 ½ hours (to test if the ribs are done, pull on a bone. It should slide out easily). Strain the sauce from the pot into a measuring cup. Spoon the fat from the surface and discard. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve in a shallow bowl over mashed potatoes with sauce spooned over.