When I make this recipe, I think of my aunt. Her dad was a chef and she said this was one of her favorite meals that he made. It is no wonder since beef short ribs are fall-apart, tender with rich flavor since they are braised for several hours in a red wine sauce.

Short ribs are a meaty cut of beef but can also be fatty. This is the reason they need to be prepared properly — seared first on all sides and then cooked long and slow. The recipe also calls for ‘soffritto’ the Italian word for the vegetable flavor-base of onions, carrots, celery and garlic, diced small. The soffritto is sautéed until slightly brown and then tomato paste added. They are finished in a covered pot with the seared beef on low temperature while cooking in the red wine and broth liquids. Your kitchen will be aromatic with the wonderful flavors as the ingredients begin to blend.

This is pure comfort food but can also be an elegant dinner party entrée. It does take many steps and several hours to make but it is worth it in the end and will become a family favorite!

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients:

6 – 8 beef short ribs

Salt and ground pepper

3 TBSP olive oil

3-4 garlic cloves, minced or smashed

1 large onion, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

3 TBSP tomato paste

2 cups dry red wine (your choice, I prefer Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy/Pinot Noir or Zinfandel)

3 cups beef stock or broth

3 sprigs thyme

3-4 bay leaves

2 TBSP all-purpose flour

1 TBSP heavy cream

Handful of parsley chopped for garnish

Directions:

1. Sprinkle beef with salt and ground pepper on both sides. Let rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Once a drop of water dances on the surface, add the 4 beef ribs to the pan. Brown 5-7 minutes on each side. Remove and repeat with remaining ribs. Place the seared beef ribs on a plate and set aside.
3. Turn down the heat to medium, add the onion and garlic to the pot and cook about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add the carrots and celery. Cook for another 5 minutes until softened.
5. Add the tomato paste and blend, cooking for another 2 minutes.
6. Add the wine, stock, thyme and bay leaves. Blend the mixture completely until the tomato paste is dissolved.
7. Return the seared beef ribs to the pot and nestle into the liquid.
8. Cover with the lid and cook on the stove top for up to 2.5 hours, or until the meat falls apart from the bone.
9. Remove the beef ribs carefully from the pot to a cutting board. Cover with foil to keep warm.
10. At this point, you can either strain the liquid in the pot pressing the juice out of the vegetables and then discarding them; returning the liquid back to the pan. Or, keep the vegetables (as I do) and proceed in thickening the sauce.
11. To thicken the sauce, add the flour and heavy cream in a small bowl and mix until the flour is completely dissolved. Then, add a spoonful of the cooking liquid from the pan to the bowl to blend and heat up the flour mixture. Add this to the vegetable mixture and stir until combined thoroughly. Bring the mixture to a simmer for about 3-5 minutes.
12. Place the beef on a serving platter or directly into individual serving bowls. Spoon the vegetable sauce over. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Normally, I’d serve this over mashed potatoes or polenta but to keep it low carb I used Cauliflower Mash instead. Whatever you choose, it will be delicious!

Enjoy! XOXO Jill