Braised Short Ribs

My version of Braised Short Ribs as adapted from Food & Wine "Chef Recipes Made Easy"

Magnificent.  Total and compete deliciousness. Awe-inspiring.  And, I must admit to never before really buying into the "depth of flavor" catch phrase, until now.  There is depth, width, height, multidimensional flavor coursing through this dish.  Try it now.  Don't wait.  Run to the butcher.

That said, before trying this recipe, do not do what I did.  Do not go to the store without a plan, discover short ribs behind the meat counter and then think you will be making them for dinner.  You will be sad.  Very, very sad.  This recipe requires forethought and planning.  It requires patience and time.  Lots of time. Like days of time (Don't panic.  It will all be so worth it)

The beautiful short ribs I thought I would be whipping up for dinner one night.

 Ingredients (six servings)
2 Tbs Coconut Oil
6 short ribs cut about 2 inches thick
Himalayan Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large onion chopped
2 sliced carrots
5 thickly sliced garlic cloves
One 750 Mil bottle dry red wine (We used a Malbec)
4 thyme sprigs
3 C chicken stock

Active time One hour  Total 3 hours 15 min + overnight marinating.

The sizzling ribs browning in my favorite pan.

In a large skillet, heat the oil.  Season the ribs with salt and pepper, add them to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned and crusty. (Patience is key) Transfer the ribs to a shallow baking dish.  (See photo below which includes marinade)

Almost ready to move to the shallow baking dish.

 On to the marinade (where I got so involved in chopping and cooking that I forgot to photo document).  Add the onion, carrots, and garlic to the same skillet used for cooking the ribs.  Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until soft and lightly browned.  Add the wine and thyme and bring to a boil over high heat.  Pour hot marinade over the ribs and let cool.  Next, cover and  pop in the fridge overnight, turning the ribs once.

Our marinade boiling before pouring over the ribs.

End of day one of cooking frenzy.  The smell in the kitchen is heavenly and these babies are ready for the fridge.

 Day Two
Preheat the oven to 350.  Transfer the ribs and marinade to a large enameled cast-iron casserole.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Cover and cook in the lower third of the over for 90 min or until the meet is tender but not falling apart.  Uncover and braise for 45 minutes longer.  Turn the ribs once or twice until the sauce is reduced by half

Almost done!

 Transfer the meat to a clean shallow baking dish and discard any bones if they fall off. Strain the sauce into a a heat proof measuring cup and skim off as much fat as possible.  Pour the sauce over the meat. Quite frankly, this is where I transferred the meat directly to my plate.  (I skipped the next broiler section.  It was late.  We were hungry and the dish smelled so divine we couldn't wait any longer)  If you chose to continue on....Preheat the broiler.  Broil the meat, turning once or twice, until glazed and sizzling, about ten minutes.  Now you patient chefs can transfer the meat to plates and spoon the sauce on top and serve.  Enjoy!

Enjoy the flavors, the aroma and the experience.  Fun and over the top delicious!

Served over grilled Non Gmo sweet corn.