Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs
Fall is my favorite time of year. The crisp air and the changing leaves always make me want
to cook heartier meals, but I’m not quite ready to have the oven on all the time just yet. For me, braising is a great way to go. A little liquid in a stovetop pan really brings out the deeper flavors of short ribs or pork, and it’s
great for other meats and root vegetables too.
The right pan is key and I’m excited about our
newest pan for fall. From the classic French cookware maker Staub, it’s called the Grenadine Braiser. You’ll love it. It’s made of enameled cast iron—perfect for slow simmering, plus it’s practically indestructible and you can use it on all types of stovetops, broilers and ovens.
But my favorite part about this pan is the
design. I love how it looks, and it has a special honeycombed base that keeps food from sticking and helps cook evenly. Not only that, but each pan is one-of-a kind: designed by Francis
Staub himself and cast in a sand mold that’s
only used once. It takes a full day to make
one of these pans!
If you feel like braising this fall, try my recipe for Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs—I think your friends and family will be in for a treat.
Serves 4
Marinade
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 carrot, scrubbed and sliced
- 1 celery rib, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon crushed juniper berries
- 10-12 peppercorns
- 1 bottle (750-ml.) full-bodied red wine
- 4 lbs bone-in beef short ribs, trimmed of fat
- 6 oz bacon, sliced
- Seasoned flour (½ cup AP flour, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 2 tsp fresh black pepper)
Procedure
- Combine the first ten ingredients in a large bowl. Add ribs, cover and marinate in refrigerator 12 to 24 hours.
Braising Aromatics & Liquid
Ingredients
- 2 carrots, peeled, medium dice
- 2 celery ribs, sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 4 cloves crushed garlic
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups reserved marinade
- 1 cup veal or beef stock
- 1 oz dried porcini mushrooms, reconstituted in 1 cup boiling water, strained
- 1 sprig of rosemary, approx. 3"
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp cognac
- buerre manié (1 tbsp flour & 1 tbsp softened butter mixed together)
Procedure
- Remove ribs from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Place colander over a bowl and strain the wine; discard the vegetables.
- Place Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the bacon until slightly crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the oil behind. Dredge the ribs in the seasoned flour, making sure to shake off any excess flour. Add ribs to pan in batches; brown on all sides. Transfer ribs to a plate and set aside. Add vegetables and sauté until browned, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add reserved marinade to deglazed pan. Stir well with a wooden spoon, add the veal stock and porcini liquid to the pan. Return ribs and bacon to the pan, bone-side up; bring to a boil, reduce to low heat and simmer, covered, but with the lid cracked on the stove top until ribs are tender, about 2 hours, 45 minutes.
- In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, sauté porcini mushrooms in 1 tbsp of butter for about 3-5 minutes. Deglaze with 2 tbsp of cognac, and set aside.
- Transfer ribs to platter and cover with foil. Strain cooking liquid into a saucepan. Discard vegetables. Bring liquid to a simmer over medium heat and skim fat. Whisk in the beurre marié and continue to cook until sauce has thickened. Add porcini mushrooms and return ribs to the pot. Adjust seasoning and serve.
From the Sur La Table kitchen.
