dp spotlight sf Recipe: Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

We know we usualy write about easy recipes with minimal steps. But sometimes there are those meals that are really worth going the extra mile - this is one of them.

These short ribs will make you feel like you're eating at a Michelin star restaurant. They are loaded with flavour and make a truly luxurious meal.

The marinade is reduced down at the end to provide a rich sauce with intense flavour. To soak up the sauce, you'll want to serve the short ribs on top of some rice or polenta.

So crack open a nice bottle of red, and enjoy this fine dining experience in the comfort of your own home.

INGREDIENTS:

Servings: 4

Marinade

1 bottle red wine (one that you'd want to drink!)
4 carrots, chopped into 1-inch rounds
1 leek, cut into 1-inch rounds
1 medium onion, cut into chunks
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
BBQ lighter (to help burn off the alcohol)
Large sealable bag or container

Bouquet Garni

1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
10 whole peppercorns
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Cheese cloth & kitchen twine

Short ribs

4 100% grass-fed bone-in short ribs
1/4 cup flour
1 tbsp kosher salt
3 tbsp cooking oil (we use avocado oil)
4 cups beef broth (homemade is always best, we recommend low-sodium
version if purchased)
Parchment paper (to make the cartouche)
2 tbsp unsalted butter (preferrably 100% grass-fed!)
2 tbsp chopped chives
Fresh ground pepper and finishing salt to serve

PREPARATION:

STEP 1
Prepare the boquet garni by placing all the ingredients in a cheese cloth and tying with the kitchen twine.

STEP 2
Make the marinade by bringing the red wine to a simmer on low heat in a pot. Add the carrots, leeks, onions, garlic and bouquet garni to the pot.

STEP 3
Use the BBQ lighter to burn off the alcohol. Continue to simmer and burn the alcohol until you no longer smell hot alcohol coming from the pot (alcohol will sting your nostrils a bit). Burning off the alcohol ensures it doesn't act as a cooking agent for the short ribs while marinating overnight.

STEP 4
Once you no longer smell alcohol from the pot, turn off the heat and transfer marinade to the sealable container. Season all sides of the short ribs with kosher salt and place in the container with the marinade. Refrigerate overnight.

STEP 5 (Day 2)
Set the oven to 275 deg F. Remove short ribs and bouquet garni from the container and set aside. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven on high heat.

STEP 6
Place flour in a large dish and dredge the short ribs in the flour, shaking off the excess. When the oil is shimmering, add the short ribs and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until a nice dark brown on all sides. Remove the short ribs to a resting rack or plate. Depending on the size of your dutch oven, you may need to do this step in multiple batches, remembering to add oil as needed.

STEP 7
Pour out any excess oil from the dutch oven, making sure to reserve the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Return to medium-high heat and add the short ribs, marinade, bouquet garni, and beef stock. The short ribs should be covered with liquid; add more stock as needed.

STEP 8
Bring to a boil on the stove. Cover with a cartouche - a lid made out of parchment paper with a hole in the middle. The cartouche allows some evaporation to occur while braising. Transfer to the oven and braise for about 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender.

STEP 9
Using a slotted spoon and tongs, carefully transfer the short ribs to a plate or platter. They should be very tender, so take extra caution when transferring. Remove the bouquet garni and discard. Strain the liquid from the dutch oven through a sieve into a large bowl, shaking and tapping the edge of the sieve to help the liquid through. Discard the vegetables in the sieve.

STEP 10
Add the liquid in the bowl to a large sauce pan on high heat. Reduce the liquid and make sure to continue stirring so the sauce doesn't stick to the bottom. Continue reducing until the sauce is close to your desired consistency for the glaze, then add the butter. Continue stirring until the butter completely melts and continue reducing until the sauce becomes a thick glaze.

STEP 11
Turn off heat and carefully return short ribs to the sauce pan. Baste the short ribs in the sauce until they are well glazed.

STEP 12
Carefully transfer the short ribs to serving bowls. We layered ours on top of a bed of rice to help soak up the sauce. Finish by sprinkling fresh chopped chives and salt and pepper to taste.