Recipe of the Week
Braised Beef Short Ribs
February 9, 2012

This is one of those meals where you'll need to plan ahead. The beautifully marbled ribs create a tasty sauce but have a high fat content. Taking the time to remove this rendered goodness creates a finished meal that you won't soon forget. You also have the advantage of preparing this dish ahead of time ….. even the day before.

Ingredients:
*1 ½ lbs beef short ribs
* ¾ cup red wine
*3 cloves garlic minced
*1 sprig fresh rosemary approximately 8" cut in half
*2 ½ onions sliced, 1 onion reserved
*1 cup celery sliced
*1 cup carrots sliced
* ½ cup banana peppers sliced
*1 jalapeno minced (I leave the seeds)
*1 15 ½ ounce can tomatoes drained, seeds removed
*1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
*1 Bay leaf
*Zest of ½ lemon in large pieces
*3 cups smoky beef stock
*4 Tablespoons canola oil, 2 Tablespoons reserved
*2 Tablespoons corn starch
*Kosher salt to taste
*Cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat 2 Tablespoons of oil in a stovetop to oven dish until very hot.

Generously season the short ribs with salt and pepper.

Add the ribs to the hot oil and cook on all sides until the meat begins to caramelize. Once caramelized, remove the ribs from the pot and set aside.

Deglaze the pot with red wine and cook until it is reduced by half. Make sure to scrape the tasty morsels from the bottom of the pot.

Once the wine has reduced, add the garlic and rosemary sprigs. Arrange the ribs in a single layer.

Add 1 ½ onions, celery, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, lemon zest and smoky beef stock.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and bake the ribs in a preheated 300 degree oven for 3 hours. The meat will be falling off the bone at this point.

Remove the ribs from the liquid, cover with tin foil and refrigerate them until ready to use. Strain the liquid and discard all of the vegetables.

Refrigerate the liquid overnight or place it in the freezer for up to two hours. This will cause the fat to rise to the top.

Gently remove the layer of fat that has formed on top of the liquid.

Place the 2 Tablespoons of reserved oil in a sauté pan and heat over medium high heat. Add the reserved onions and cook until they begin to soften.

Add the defatted liquid and the ribs to the pan and cover. Cook until the ribs are thoroughly reheated.

Put the corn starch in a small bowl. Add 4 Tablespoons of the hot liquid and stir until the corn starch is thoroughly incorporated.

Slowly pour the corn starch mixture back into the pan. Make sure that you whisk constantly so that it is evenly distributed throughout the liquid.

Continue cooking for several minutes until the liquid begins to thicken into a sauce.

Plate the ribs and cover them with the sauce.

A nice crusty bread is a great accompaniment!

Enjoy!