Red Wine and Tomato Braised Short Ribs

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The point of this blog, besides keeping me off the streets at night, is to chronicle making nice meals at home and to show people that cooking is not nearly as intimidating as it seems at first. You've (hopefully) noticed that I attribute almost all of my recipes to a source. Primarily Julia Child, let's be honest. Even when I tinker with a recipe (like last week's soup), I'm always basing my ideas off of someone else's original idea. Part of the fun of cooking is to improvise and make a recipe your own. The wine helps bolster this confidence.


At any rate, let me tell you about braising ...

I had no clue what braising was for many years. Or at least, I had no sense of how to braise at home without the use of a crock pot. (Aside: if you don't have one, get yourself a crock pot!) A long long time ago, the Food Network had actual culinary school trained cooks, known internationally as "chefs." Sure, they also had Rachel "Bell Peppers and Hamburger Meat in Everything" Ray, and I'm fairly certain Guy Fieri is the harbinger of the Apocalypse with a side of Blusabi Xtreme Dippin' Sauce, but Food Network introduced an entire generation of 20-somethings to the concept of sous vide and roux and sauces from scratch and braising at home. For me, it was watching an episode of "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" with Anne Burrell. Braised short ribs. Looked incredibly delicious. Sounded incredibly complicated.

Turns out, when I found her recipe, that the only complicated part with braising is maintaining patience.


Braising: Take a tough cut of meat. Brown it. Put it in a delicious liquid or sauce. Slow cook at a low temperature for hours upon hours. Feast.

Incredibly simple, incredibly rich, incredibly decadent, incredibly delicious. Whilst I'd highly recommend this as a fall or winter dish, there is no reason not to try out your braising chops now in order to prep for the cold months. Not surprisingly, given how rich this meal is, a little bit goes a long way. We served 4 adults and had plenty of leftovers. Serve these ribs with a dollop of the cooking sauce on top of a bed of mashed potatoes. Especially the purple potatoes, if you can find them, cooked with the skins on. Because who doesn't like purple food?!

Special thanks to the Justin and Dre for having me over and helping with this post. And thanks for the photos, Justin.



Ingredients:

  • 6 bone-in short ribs
  • Kosher salt
  • Pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, quartered
  • 2 ribs of celery, cut into 4 pieces each
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped into three pieces each
  • 2 cloves of garlic, smashed
  • 1 1/2 cups tomato paste
  • 3 cups cabernet sauvignon
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves


To Prepare:
  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Set your short ribs out on a plate. Season generously with salt and pepper, and let sit for 20 minutes to allow the salt to permeate and to to get the ribs to room temperature.
  3. In a heavy pot with a lid, preferably cast iron or a dutch oven, coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil and heat on medium high. Brown the short ribs, in batches if needs be, until a nice crust forms. Turn and brown the opposite side. Once finished set aside on a plate.

  4. In Justin and Dre's food processor (since you don't own one yourself and are completely jealous), puree your onion, celery, carrots, and garlic to form a coarse paste.

  5. When the short ribs are all browned and removed from the pan, add the vegetable paste to the fat and oil and begin to brown, approximately 5-7 minutes.
  6. Once, as Ms. Burrell puts it, a "crud" has formed, scrape the paste and stir the mixture, browning more of the surface.


  7. Add the tomato paste and brown for 5 minutes.
  8. Add the wine and scrape the mixture off the base of the pan. Stir to combine all ingredients into a uniform sauce. Cook until the sauce is reduced by about half.
  9. Add the short ribs to the pan. Add 2 cups of water and stir to incorporate.
  10. Add your thyme and bay leaves.

  11. Cover with a heavy lid, and place in the oven for 3 hours.
  12. Serve your short ribs with a bit of the braising liquid over purple mashed potatoes.




Bon appetit!






















Are, are you still here? Well then, enjoy this gif. This is what you're missing by not inviting me over to cook a meal!

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