Twoways to braise short-ribs:
Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine with Bacon, Parsnips, and Pearl Onions
Beer-Braised Short Ribs with Prunes, Brandy and Lemon Essence
Dont be a Scrooge when you choose thewine or beer for this dish. A goodfull-bodied red will do wonders for the sauce in the first version below, and adark, flavorful beer is preferable to a light lager in the second.
These two short-rib recipes work equally well with widelyavailable English-style short ribs or with more pricey flanken-style shortribs.
According to a sidebar in a recent issueof Cooks Illustrated,the two types are equally tender and good, but the flanken-style are about twiceas expensive and harder to find.
English-style short ribs: 2-to 4-inch lengths of wide flat rib bone, to which a rectangular plate of fattymeat was attached. A bit stringierbecause they contain longer segments of grain.
Flanken-style short ribs: typically available from a specialty butcher,are pieces of meat, about ¾ inch thick, cut acrossthe ribs and grain, that include two or three segments of rib bone. Diners may favor this style because the relatively thin, across-the-graincut can make the meat a bit easier to eat.
Whichever cut of short-ribs you choose, they make for ease in entertainingbecause the roasting and cooling can be done a day (or an evening), even twodays, in advance. Justfinalize sauce, garnish on the actual serving day.
If you prefer braising and serving the ribs on the same day, justbypass cooling the ribs in the braising liquid. Remove ribs from the potstraight out of the oven, strain the liquid, then let liquid cool a bit so thatthe fat separates to the top. This is time consuming, since a certain amount ofcooling is necessary to defat the braising liquid. With a wide shallowspoon, skim as much fat as possible from the surface of the cooled liquid andcontinue with the recipe.
Basically, after trying these dishes, I recommend followingthe initial steps but skipping the two “endgames.” We are notbig fans of parsnips here which affects our feelings about the first version,and we tried the prune version, and personally I’d stick to a finish more akinto our osso buco recipe. (Just a simple garnish of grated lemon rind, freshlychopped parsley and some chopped garlic. Mince them finely together andpass with the dish.)
Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine with Bacon, Parsnips, and Pearl Onions
6 pounds bone-in short ribs, trimmed of excess fat skin
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups dry red wine
3 large onions, chopped medium
2 medium carrots, chopped medium
1 large celery stalk, chopped medium
9 medium garlic cloves, chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
¼ cupall-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 can ( 14.5 ounces) drained canned chopped tomatoes
1 ½ tablespoonsminced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
3 medium bay leaves
1 teaspoon tomato paste
Bacon, Pearl Onion, and Parsnip Garnish
6 slices bacon (about 6 ounces),cut into ¼ inchpieces
4 medium parsnips (about IO ounces), peeled and cut diagonally into3/4-inch pieces
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoonsalt
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450°F.(230°C.). For English-styleribs, arrange short ribs bone-side down in single layer in large flame-proofroasting pan; season with salt and pepper. Roast until meat begins to brown,about 45 minutes; drain off all liquid and fat with bulb baster. Return pan tooven and continue to cook until meat is well browned, 15 to 20 minutes longer.(For flanken-style short ribs, arrange ribs in single layer inlarge roasting pan; season with salt and pepper. Roast until meat begins tobrown, about 45 minutes; drain off all liquid and fat with baster. Return pan tooven and continue to cook until browned, about 8 minutes; using tongs, flip eachpiece and cook until second side is browned, about 8 minutes longer).
2. Transfer ribs to large plate;set, aside. Drain off fat to small bowl and reserve. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. (149°C.) Place roasting pan on two stovetop burners set at medium heat; add wineand bring to simmer, scraping up browned bits with wooden spoon. Set roastingpan with wine aside.
4. Transfer ribs from pot to large plate, removing excess vegetables that maycling to meat; discard loose bones that have fallen away from meat. Strainbraising liquid into medium bowl, pressing out liquid from solids; discardsolids. Cover ribs and liquid separately with plastic wrap and refrigerateovernight. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days.)
5. To prepare garnish and finish dish: In Dutch oven, cook baconover medium heat until just crisp, 8 to 10 minutes; remove with slotted spoon toplate lined with paper towel. Add to Dutch oven pearl onions, parsnips, sugar,and salt; increase heat to high and sauté, stirring occasionally, untilbrowned, about 5 minutes. Spoon off and discard solidified fat from reservedbraising liquid. Add defatted liquid and bring to simmer, stirring occasionally;adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Submerge ribs in liquid, return tosimmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook, partially covered, until ribs are heatedthrough and vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes longer; gently stir in bacon.Divide ribs and sauce among individual bowls, sprinkle each with one tablespoonparsley, and serve.
Serve the short ribs over noodles or mashed potatoes.
Serves 6.
Beer-Braised Short Ribs with Prunes, Brandy and Lemon Essence
Brandy-soaked prunes take the place of vegetables here,so this version is particularly suited to a mashed root vegetable or potatoaccompaniment.
6 pounds bone-in short ribs, trimmed of excess fat skin
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups dry red wine
3 large onions, chopped medium
2 medium carrots, chopped medium
1 large celery stalk, chopped medium
9 medium garlic cloves, chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
¼ cupall-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 can ( 14.5 ounces) drained canned chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoonsDijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
3 medium bay leaves
Brandy, Prune, and Lemon Essence Garnish
½ cup brandy
2 teaspoons brown sugar 2 teaspoons grated zest from Ilemon 6 tablespoonschopped fresh parsley leaves
1. Adjustoven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450°F. (230°C.). For English-style ribs, arrange short ribs bone-side down insingle layer in large flame-proof roasting pan; season with salt and pepper.Roast until meat begins to brown, about 45 minutes; drain off all liquid and fatwith bulb baster. Return pan to oven and continue to cook until meat is wellbrowned, 15 to 20 minutes longer. (For flanken-style short ribs, arrangeribs in single layer in large roastingpan; season with salt and pepper. Roast until meat begins to brown, about 45minutes; drain off all liquid and fat with baster. Return pan to oven andcontinue to cook until browned, about 8 minutes; using tongs, flip each pieceand cook until second side is browned, about 8 minutes longer).
2. Transfer ribs to large plate; set, aside. Drain off fat to small bowl andreserve. Reduce oventemperature to 300°F. (149°C.) Place roasting pan on two stovetop burners set at mediumheat; add beer and bring to simmer, scraping up browned bits with wooden spoon.Set roasting pan with beer aside.
3. Transfer ribs from pot to large plate, removing excess vegetables thatmay cling to meat; discard loose bones that have fallen away from meat. Strain braising liquid into medium bowl, pressing out liquid from solids;discard solids. Cover ribs and liquid separately with plastic wrap andrefrigerate overnight. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days.)
3. Heat 2 tablespoons reserved fat in large Dutch oven over medium-highheat; add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté, stirring occasionally, untilvegetables soften, about 12 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about30 seconds. Stir in flour until combined, about 45 seconds. Stir in beer fromroasting pan, chicken stock, thyme, bay leaves, mustard, and salt and pepper totaste. Bring to boil and add short ribs, completely submerging meat in liquid;return to boil, cover, place in oven, and simmer until ribs are tender, about 2to 21/2 hours. Transfer pot to wire rack and cool, partially covered,until warm, about 2 hours.
4. Transfer ribs from pot to large plate, removing excess vegetables that maycling to meat; discard loose bones that have fallen away from meat. Strainbraising liquid into medium bowl, pressing out liquid from solids; discardsolids. Cover ribs and liquid separately with plastic wrap and refrigerateovernight. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days.)
Serves6.
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