MONDAY RECIPE POST - BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIBS IN RED WINE SAUCE

There were some beef short ribs in the freezer.  I don't remember ever cooking them but had always heard how good they were.  I did my usual search online and found a wonderful recipe at this site called Recipetineats hosted by Nagi.  I enjoyed her food blog very much.  I don't put all her tips in my post, so I always recommend you take a look at the original version, not only for those tips but to see other recipes and photos.  She gives other ways to cook this meal, in a slow cooker for instance, and there is a great how-to video.  I will be going back often as I will enjoy adding other meals to our list.  Thank you Nagi!   We made this for the first time on March 21st, 2021 and gave it a ten-out-of-ten.

Braised Beef Short Ribs in Red Wine Sauce

Serves 5

Calories: 524 per serving

A lot of cooking time so I started early, first preparing all the ingredients in the morning which is a big time and energy saver.  (I am at my most productive in the a.m.)  The beef was put into the oven at 2.30 p.m. and meal was on the table at six.  I most always have hubs in the kitchen, and was happy to get everything ready before we started cooking the meal.  Normally he will do most of the meal prep while I read the recipe and pitch in with things like chopping the garlic and herbs at the kitchen table.  I have mentioned this before but since retirement he has become an excellent chef and enjoys being more of an adventurous cook than I.  Consequently we have a lot of fun in the kitchen.

5-6 beef short ribs 

1-1/2 teaspoons each salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 large onion, chopped (brown, yellow or white)

2 celery ribs, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups very dry red wine

2 cups beef stock or broth, low sodium

2 sprigs thyme 

2 bay leaves

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large ovenproof pot over high heat.

Add half the ribs and brown thoroughly all over (5 - 7 min in total). They should have a nice carmelized crust on the surface.  Do this in one layer and cook in batches if you have to.  When each batch is done remove and put on a plate until you need them again  

Turn heat down to medium.

Add onion and garlic into the same pot and cook for 2 minutes.

Add carrot and celery, cook for 5 minutes until carrot is softened.

Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.

Add wine, broth, thyme and bay leaves.

Stir until tomato paste is dissolved.

Put beef back into the liquid.  They should be submerged but if not add a little water.  If there are pieces above the liquid, these will steam when cooking, so not to worry too much about this step.  Just so that most of the meat is submerged.

Cover with lid and transfer to oven for 3 hours, or until the meat can easily be pried apart with forks. 

Remove carefully from the oven and keep covered to stay warm until serving.   

In the recipe Nagi says to remove the beef and strain all liquid in the pot, pressing juices out of the onion, carrots, etc, but adds that this is optional.  We decided to skip this step and keep the vegetables.  

You may want to thin or thicken the liquid if necessary - simmer to reduce/thicken, add water to thin, also adjusting seasonings to your own taste. 

Place beef on serving plate, spoon sauce over.  

Serve and enjoy!

We both said we wouldn't change a thing with this meal.  It was delicious.  

Our beef short ribs didn't have any bones.  It is hard to tell if the flavor was affected because we thought this had an amazing taste without.

There was a lot of broth left.  I will freeze in 1 cup portions and use for any beef-based soups we make.

We served it with macaroni and cheese and a mixed green salad.  I like to add blueberries to my salad, along with a few walnut halves and dried chopped dates.  It was a Boston lettuce and we sliced mini sweet peppers and sliced mushrooms.  It all went together very nicely.  I don't add any dressing to my salads normally.  I think it comes from not having any salads in childhood.  We always had lots of other vegetables from my Dad's garden, but the only lettuce brought home was fed to our pet rabbits and my Dad, God Bless him, only considered salad as 'rabbit food'.  Little did I know how much I would enjoy salads later on in life.  Hubs enjoyed one of his favorites, blue cheese dressing.

Have a great week everyone.