Braised Short Ribs

Hands-down the best short ribs we’ve ever made — or had

Servings

4-6

Ready In:

5 hours

Good For:

A Decadent Dinner

About this Recipe

By: Ridgely Evers

Short ribs are always good, but these are truly great. We had them first at a wonderful restaurant in New York called Balthazar, and the chef was kind enough to share the recipe. We’ve evolved it since, and are happy to share it with you.

Like any braise, they do take time (mostly spent waiting for them to braise), but it’s absolutely worth it.

It pays to go to a good butcher who will cut the ribs across the bones for you; this makes for a much nicer presentation. And you’ll want a very large enameled or cast iron Dutch oven (if you don’t have one, a friend or neighbor is sure to). The only other thing you may need to get is some kitchen twine, which isn’t expensive.

5-7 pounds of meaty short ribs
fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, bay leaf)
2 wide pieces celery
3 large carrots, cut in 1-in chunks
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4 shallots, peeled and thickly sliced

8 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
3 Tb tomato paste (the kind in a tube is best)
3 Tb AP flour
1/2 cup ruby or tawny port
750ml rich red wine (cheap is fine)
6 cups beef or veal (better) stock

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F (verify using an oven thermometer)

Bind each rib with kitchen twine; season liberally with Kosher salt and fresh coarse-ground pepper

Place the herbs between the two celery stalks, then cut in half and bind with twine

Heat a couple of Tb of olive oil in the Dutch oven over high heat until it starts to smoke

Brown the ribs well on both sides to form a seared crust, in two batches (don’t overcrowd); set aside when done

Step 2

Lower heat to medium, and sauté the carrots, onion, shallots, and garlic, stirring occasionally until the onion is soft and beginning to brown

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes, then stir in the flour and add the herb bundles

Add the wine and port, raise the heat to high, and cook until the liquid has reduced by about a third (15-20 minutes)

Place the ribs in the pot in two layers, then add the stock plus enough water to cover

Add a couple of teaspoons of Kosher salt, and bring to a gentle simmer

Step 3

Set the pot in the oven, with the top on but slightly ajar; cook for 3 hours

After about 90 minutes, bring the ribs on the bottom to the top

The ribs are done when they are starting to fall off the bone

Put the ribs on a platter and remove the twine

Step 4

Skim the fat off the top and discard, then strain the liquid through a sieve or colander into a saucepan.

Put the pan over medium heat, bring to a strong simmer, and allow it to reduce by half, skimming fat periodically

Return the ribs to the Dutch oven, add the sauce, and simmer for 10 minutes to reheat before serving

Step 5 (optional)

If you’d like a richer sauce (pro tip: you do!), carefully pick the bones, herb bundle, and any other hard bits out of the strained solids, leaving only the vegetables

Place the vegetables and some of the sauce in a blender or food processor; pulse gently until everything is pureed

Blend the puree back into the remaining sauce before re-warming the ribs

Wine Pairing

Short ribs, whether on their own or as a pasta sauce, really call for a big, rich red like Altobasso, Cannonau, or Vero