Now that the landscape has turned wintery and the furnace is kicking into high gear, I’m craving nothing more than slow evenings and comfort food. Braising is one of my favourite ways to prepare meats in the cooler months. Aside from being exceptionally easy, it’s cozy, slow, and totally relaxing. Not to mention, it’ll make your house smell incredible.
This is the time of year that I preserve the last of summer’s remaining tomatoes and, while many of them are made into sauce, I like to blanch and freeze a fair few for occasions like this. That being said, if you don’t feel like going through the trouble of blanching and dicing fresh tomatoes, you can certainly use canned instead. While fresh is always best, this recipe will do just fine either way.
Short Ribs Braised in Tomatoes and Wine
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs Short Ribs
- 1 Small Onion, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons
- 3-4 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Beef Stock
- 1 Cup Blanched and Diced Tomatoes, or canned diced
- 1/2 Cup Dry Red Wine
- 2 Large Rosemary Sprigs
- Salt + Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Heat a 4 quart Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan (about a 1/2 Tbsp).
- Pat the meat dry and season all sides with salt and pepper.
- Once the oil is rippling, but not yet smoking, add half of the side ribs to the bottom of the Dutch Oven (it should sizzle vigorously). Leave the meat to brown (about 2-3 minutes) before flipping each piece, and continuing to sear on all sides. Once finished, transfer the meat to a plate or cutting board, wipe the bottom of the Dutch Oven clean, and repeat the process with the second batch. Once finished, wipe the Dutch oven clean one last time and allow it to cool slightly.
- Return the Dutch Oven to medium heat and add 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Add the the onions and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re quite soft and slightly translucent (about 4-5 minutes). Add the minced garlic and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and slightly darker in colour.
- Add the broth, tomatoes, and wine to the Dutch Oven and bring it to a simmer. Salt and pepper the liquid to taste, but err on the side of caution, as the meat’s surface will play a role in the dishes saltiness (you can always add a little more before serving). Then, add the ribs to the liquid, place the rosemary sprigs over the meat, cover, and cook in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, or until meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.
- Once finished, remove the ribs from the oven and serve over garlic mashed potatoes, or your favourite side.
- Enjoy!
Leave a Reply