I can't remember exactly
where I had my first taste of beef short ribs. A restaurant? Someone's
house? I do know they were served over cheesy polenta and together they
did this little dance in my mouth (I think it was a rumba). Anyway,
the meat was so tender and overall was a very good food memory.
Fast-forward
in time, I now love making short ribs at home. The process is so easy
and your reward is a very flavorful dinner everyone loves. However, I
never cook short ribs and serve them right away. I usually make them in
the morning or put them away until the next day. I like to let the fat
settle at the top and remove it before serving. This type of dish
always tastes better after the flavors meld.
If you've never
heard of beef short ribs, the best cuts come from the lower (ventral)
section, between the 6th and 10th rib, often called the short plate.
The short plate is what gives them their name (not the fact that they
are short). The meat itself is on top of the bone, about 1-2" in
height. Make sure to select a package with meaty hunks as lots of times
they are packaged with more hidden fatty pieces inside.
This recipe pairs wonderfully with our 2008 Noble Pig Pinot Noir.
It's one of those magical food pairings that exists when you drink a
wine with good acidity and enjoy it with a good cut of meat (that is
higher in fat). Acid cuts fat and the magic is in your mouth. Just try it.
Now, this recipe also requires a full bottle of wine in the cooking
process. I would normally suggest Pinot Noir as the wine to use, but
you might be hard-pressed to find a decent bottle of Pinot Noir in the
$10-$15 range that is acceptable for drinking and cooking. Remember, if
doesn't taste great in your glass, it won't do anything good to your
food. You will be able to find decent Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel
in that price range and I suggest using one of those.
This will become one your staple autumn meals...start perfecting it now!
Beef Short Ribs
6-7 beef short ribs, (about 4.5 lbs), trimmed of fat
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion
6 stalks of celery, large-dice
4 small carrots, peeled and large dice
1 fennel bulb, large dice, fronds and core removed
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 750-ml bottle of red wine
Fresh thyme sprigs
Fresh rosemary sprigs
6 cups beef stock
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
Heat
the olive oil in a large Dutch oven (at least 7 quarts) and add the
onion, carrots, celery and fennel, cooking over medium to low heat for
20 minutes; stir occasionally. Add the garlic, cooking for one minute
more. Pour wine over the vegetables, bring to a boil and cook over high
heat for at least 10 minutes, or until reduced by half. Add 1 Tablespoon
Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper. Tie the rosemary and
thyme together with kitchen twine or add them to these little bouquet garni bags I use for my herbs and add to the pot.
While
the vegetables are cooking, place the short ribs on a sheet pan and
season them well with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 400°F and roast them for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Place the roasted ribs on top of the vegetables in the Dutch oven.
Add
beef stock and brown sugar, stirring slightly at the top to mix in
brown sugar. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 2 hours or until the meat
is extremely tender.
Cathy is currently in the development stages of her vineyard and winery in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. She is a food writer forDavis Life Magazine and blogs daily about wine, food and everydayliving. She lives with her husbandand two sons. You can visit her at noblepig.com.