Beef Short Ribs

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Prep and Sear: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the short ribs dry and season generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy, oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the short ribs well on all sides, about 5-7 minutes total per batch. Remove the browned ribs to a plate.

Step 2

Sauté Vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Step 3

Deglaze and Build Sauce: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until it darkens slightly. Pour in the red wine, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced by about half, approximately 8-10 minutes.

Step 4

Braise: Add the beef stock, thyme, and bay leaves to the pot. Return the short ribs (and any accumulated juices from the plate) to the pot, nestling them into the liquid so they are mostly submerged.

Step 5

Cook Low and Slow: Cover the pot tightly with a lid or foil and transfer it to the preheated oven. Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender and easily pulls away from the bone.

Step 6

Finish Sauce and Serve: Carefully remove the ribs from the pot to a clean platter and tent them with foil to keep warm. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a separate bowl or fat separator, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids. Skim off any excess fat from the surface. Return the strained liquid to the pot and simmer on the stovetop until the sauce reduces and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 10-15 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 7

Serve: Spoon the rich sauce over the short ribs and serve immediately.