Step by Step

STEP BY STEP Beer and Balsamic Braised Beef Short Ribs

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY RENÉE KOHLMAN

ender, melt-in-your-mouth beef short ribs make a delicious meal, especially during the T cooler months of the year. Short ribs tend to have a lot of fat and connective tissue, making them ideal for hands-off, “low and slow” cooking methods such as braising, whether in a slow cooker, on the stove top or in the oven. I imagine an instant pressure cooker gadget could cook them much faster, but I quite like having something cooking low and slow in the oven while I putter around the house.

Short ribs are taken from the chuck, brisket, rib, or plate areas of beef. They contain a short portion of the rib bone, which is overlain by meat of varying degrees of thickness.

There are two common cuts of short ribs: English-style, which are cut into long or short one-bone pieces, and flanken-style, which are cut into strips across several ribs. Plan on at least one pound per person, or about two 8 cm pieces per person. Of course, this all depends on how meaty the ribs are, and the appetite of the folks at your table.

Beer and balsamic vinegar lend a sumptuous richness to these ribs, which fall off the bone in the very best way. Because there are a few steps to this dish and the cooking time is the better part of the afternoon, this recipe is ideal for weekend cooking. Serve with buttery mashed potatoes or even parsnip puree for elevated supper fare.

Beer and Balsamic Braised Beef Short Ribs

Serves 4-6

2 kg bone-in beef short ribs, Englishstyle 3 Tbs (45 mL) canola oil ½ large yellow onion, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 2 medium carrots, chopped 2 garlic cloves, smashed ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper ¼ cup (60 mL) tomato paste ½ cup (120 mL) balsamic vinegar 3 Tbs (45 mL) Worcestershire sauce 1 bottle (330 mL) dark beer 2-3 cups (500-750 mL) low-sodium beef broth ¼ cup chopped parsley, for garnish Sprigs of thyme, for garnish

1. Season the short ribs generously and on all sides with salt and pepper. Warm a large 35 cm (14 inch) braising pan or a Dutch oven (8-9 L) over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Once it’s hot, brown the ribs on all sides in batches. Transfer the browned ribs to a plate and repeat with remaining ribs. 2. While the ribs are browning, add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic to a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until smooth. 3. Preheat the oven to 325º F. 4. Once all the ribs are browned and removed from the pot, stir the vegetables into the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 7-8 minutes until the vegetables are browned. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 3 minutes, until thickened. 5. Pour in the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and beer. Scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. 6. Return the ribs to the pan, arranging them with the meatiest sides facing down. Add enough beef broth to cover the ribs. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then turn off the heat. Cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil, then with the lid. The foil helps prevent too much liquid from evaporating from the pot. 7. Bake for 3 hours, or until the meat can be easily pierced with a fork and the meat seems like it wants to fall apart from the bone. Remove from the oven and let the ribs rest for 15 minutes, uncovered. Skim as much fat as you can off the top. 8. To serve the simple way: Garnish with chopped parsley and place on the table alongside mashed potatoes. 9. To serve the elegant way: Preheat the oven to 350º F. Remove the ribs from the sauce and place on a baking sheet. Roast them for 15 minutes until the edges start to crisp. Meanwhile, strain the braising liquid into a medium saucepan and simmer it over high heat for 10-15 minutes, until reduced by a third. The sauce should be opaque and be slightly thickened. Arrange the ribs on a platter and drizzle with half of the sauce. Generously mound some mashed potatoes on each plate or shallow bowl. Arrange 2 ribs on the potatoes and drape with additional sauce. Garnish with parsley and thyme.

This recipe is ideal for weekend cooking

To Make Ahead:

Chill the entire dish in its braising liquid in the fridge (covered, of course) for up to 2 days. The great part about this is the fat is solidified and easier to remove. Plus, this resting time allows the ribs to develop even more flavour. This is a great tip if you are planning on entertaining - just reheat and serve as steps 8 or 9.

Renée Kohlman is a busy food writer and recipe developer living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Her second cookbook, ‘Vegetables: A Love Story” has just been published.