6 to 8 Beef short ribs, on the bone
2 T. Olive oil
1/2 Sweet onion, chopped
1 C. Dry red wine
1 can Diced tomatoes
2 - 4 C. Rich beef broth
1 -2 cloves Fresh garlic, whole
To taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 T. Freshly chopped parsley, to garnish
Cornstarch, to make a slurry
Preheat an oven to 325°F.
Season the ribs with salt and fresh pepper all over.
In a heavy Dutch oven (I like the low ovens from Le Creuset), heat the empty pan over medium heat, and when hot add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the short ribs and brown them on all sides. Don’t crowd the pan. Get them very brown on all sides.
Remove the ribs from the pan when done and add the onion to the pan. Cook the onion in the oil and drippings until just translucent, then deglaze the pan with the red wine. Reduce the wine to 1/4 cup, and add the diced tomatoes with their liquid to the pan.
Return the ribs to the pan and add the garlic. Add enough beef broth to nearly cover the ribs with liquid. Move the covered pan to the oven and bake for at least 2 to as much as 4 or 5 hours. Spoon off as much of the floating grease and fat as you can. You might have to do this several times.
When the ribs are done, you will be able to just pull the bones right out of the ribs with your fingers or tongs. Turn the ribs over so the tops, which may be a little dry, become moistened and juicy again. Uncover and continue to cook for 30 to 45 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Remove the pan from the oven and if the sauce isn’t thick enough, it may be thickened on the stove over medium heat, by adding a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch blended with water, no lumps!). The sauce is right when it coats the back of a spoon and nicely glazes the ribs. Taste the sauce and add more seasoning if necessary.
I like to serve these over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Garnish with a little freshly chopped parsley, if desired. Serves 4 to 6.
George suggests…Alexander Keith Nova Scotia Style Lager
Why he likes it:
The toasted malt notes of the beer pair well with the rich meat notes of the ribs.
Define: Slurry
A slurry is thick suspension of solids in a liquid. Often in cooking, a slurry is used to thicken a sauce. A common slurry used is cornstarch blended in water. Another favorite method is saving some of the broth or liquid used in cooking the protein in a bowl and blending the cornstarch in with the broth instead of water. Either method requires care to ensure no lumps are in the newly formed slurry.
