If you are hosting guests during the holiday season, there is no better dish to serve than these slow-cooked short ribs. With just a few ingredients, it is the ultimate make-ahead dinner of all time and requires very little hands-on time.
Prep Time25 minutesmins
Cook Time3 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Total Time3 hourshrs55 minutesmins
Servings: 6
Ingredients
6-7pounds beef short ribs (6 meaty bone-in ribs)brought to room temperature
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2tablespoonsolive oil, divided
2medium yellow or red onions,diced (about 2 cups)
2medium carrots,diced
2celery rib,diced
3garlic clovesthinly sliced, or minced
4thyme sprigs
2bay leaves
3tablespoonstomato paste
2 1/2cups full-bodied red wine
2 1/2cupslow-sodium beef broth(can also use chicken broth or a mix)
115-ouncecan whole tomatoes
2tablespoonsbalsamic vinegar,optional
1/4cupchopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Pat the ribs dry and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
In a Dutch oven or other oven-safe pot large enough to fit all the ribs, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, brown the ribs on all sides, about 6 minutes per batch. Remove the ribs from the pot as they are done and place them on a small sheet pan or large plate. If necessary, drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot (I rarely need to drain any unless the ribs were really fatty).
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot and stir in the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Reduce the heat to medium, and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, and cook for another minute.
Add in the wine and use a wooden spoon to loosen all the browned bits in the base of the pot. Bring the wine to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 3-4 minutes uncovered, reducing the wine by about half. Pour in the beef broth, tomatoes with juices, and balsamic vinegar, if using. Bring to a boil, stirring to break up the tomatoes a bit.
Using tongs, nestle the short ribs back into the pot, along with all of their juices. Arrange the short ribs so they are bone-side up and the meat is submerged in liquid. Bring to a gentle boil once again, then cover and transfer to the oven.
Cook, undisturbed, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until meat is meltingly tender and almost falling off the bone. To check their doneness, you can gently poke the meat with a small sharp knife after the 2 1/2 hour mark. I almost always take them to 3 hours.
If serving immediately, use a slotted spoon to carefully transfer ribs to a large plate, doing your best to keep the bones attached to the meat. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Let cooking liquid stand briefly, then skim off as much fat from the top as possible. Bring the liquid to a simmer and return the ribs to the pot. Warm the ribs for about 5 minutes.
Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley alongside mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, or mashed cauliflower, if desired.
Notes
To store: Refrigerate leftovers, tightly covered, in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To reheat: Reheat gently in a preheated 300ºF oven until completely warmed through.
To freeze: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.