Braised Beef Short Ribs

Photo: flickr user inuyaki.com

Ingredients

1 bot red wine - (750 ml)

1/2 cup chopped carrot

2/3 cup chopped leek, white and pale green

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 garlic cloves smashed

10 Italian parsley sprigs

2 thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

8 pounds x bone-in short ribs - (½ ea)

Oil as needed

Salt to taste

Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Flour for dusting

2 cups veal stock - (to 3 cups) see * Note

2 cups chicken stock - (to 3 cups)

Preparation

* Note: There is good frozen veal stock available from several manufacturers at fancy grocery stores. If you can't find it, use homemade beef stock or homemade or canned chicken stock.

Bring wine, carrot, leek, onion, garlic, parsley, thyme and bay leaf to boil in wide pot. Tilt pan away from burner and carefully ignite with match. Allow alcohol to burn off, then light again. If there are no flames, alcohol is completely cooked away. Cool marinade, then pour over short ribs, seal in plastic bag and marinate in refrigerator 8 to 24 hours. Remove meat from marinade and strain marinade into saucepan, reserving vegetables. Bring marinade to simmer and skim any impurities that rise to top. Remove from heat.

Heat 1/8 inch oil in large skillet over high heat. Season both sides of each piece of meat with salt and pepper and dust with flour, patting off excess. Place meat in hot oil and cook until well-browned on all sides (adjusting heat as necessary to keep from burning), 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove meat to heavy oven-proof pot or casserole big enough to hold all meat snugly in one layer.

Pour off excess oil from skillet, return to heat and cook reserved vegetables until they begin to caramelize, 3 to 4 minutes. Spread vegetables over meat in even layer and add marinade and 2 cups each of veal and chicken stock. Meat should be covered with liquid; if not, add more veal or chicken stock as necessary. Bring liquid to simmer on stove. Press a parchment paper lid snugly over meat. Bake in 275 degree oven until meat is very tender, 3 to 4 hours.

Remove meat from pot and strain liquid into tall narrow container. Discard vegetables. Once meat has cooled slightly, it can be covered and refrigerated for up to two days. Skim fat that rises to top of braising liquid and strain liquid several times through chinois or other fine mesh strainer, until chinois remains clean. Reserve 1/3 of braising liquid for reheating short ribs before serving, if making in advance. Transfer remaining braising liquid to saucepan and

If reheating short ribs, place in oven-proof casserole with reserved liquid to cover. Reheat at 300 degrees until hot through. Serve this with mashed potatoes, fresh egg noodles or polenta.

This recipe yields 4 servings.