Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 3 carrots, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 bottle (750ml) dry red wine
- 2 cups beef stock
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
Steps
Preheat your oven to 325°F.
Season the short ribs generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the ribs until deeply browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side. Don’t rush this — the color is flavor. Set the seared ribs aside.
Pour off most of the fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add the onion and carrots and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute until the paste darkens slightly.
Pour in the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil and let it reduce by about a third, around 8 minutes. Add the stock, thyme, and bay leaves.
Return the ribs to the pot — they should be mostly submerged. Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to the oven.
Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the meat is completely tender and pulling away from the bone. Check once halfway through and spoon the braising liquid over the ribs.
Remove the ribs carefully. Skim the fat from the surface of the braising liquid and strain it into a saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Season to taste.
Serve the ribs over mashed potatoes or polenta with the sauce spooned over the top.