Short ribs are the meaty ends of the beef rib from the chuck, rib, and brisket. They are rich and succulent, but fairly fatty, so before braising, it is very important to first brown them well to render the excess fat. Short ribs are available cut two ways: English—cut between the bones so each piece consists of one rib, or flanken—cut across the bones, so each piece consists of several bones. Either cut is appropriate for this dish.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　4 to 6 pounds beef short ribs

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　2 tablespoons canola oil

　　2 onions, preferably Vidalia, chopped

　　2 carrots, chopped

　　2 stalks celery, chopped

　　1 tablespoon tomato paste

　　3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

　　1/2 cup red wine vinegar

　　1 (750-ml) bottle red wine, preferably Pinot Noir

　　6 cloves garlic, crushed

　　Bouquet garni (4 sprigs of thyme, 4 of sprigs flat-leaf parsley, 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh, tied together in cheesecloth)

　　2 to 2 1/2 cups beef stock (page 227) or low-fat, reduced-sodium beef broth

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. To brown the short ribs, season them generously with salt and pepper. In a large, heavy-duty Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown the ribs on all sides, in two or three batches so as not to crowd them, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.

　　

Step 2

To make the sauce, remove all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the Dutch oven. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium. Add the tomato paste and flour and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Add the vinegar and wine to deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook, uncovered, until the wine is reduced, 5 to 7 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Return the short ribs to the pan and add the garlic, bouquet garni, and enough stock to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

　　

Step 5

To make the sauce, using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked short ribs to a warm platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Spoon off any excess oil left on the surface of the pan and discard along with the bouquet garni. In the Dutch oven, using an immersion blender, puree the sauce and vegetables until smooth. Or, once the beef is removed, ladle the sauce and vegetables into a blender and puree a little at a time until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce coats the back of a spoon; thin with more stock, if needed, to achieve this consistency. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 6

To serve, return the short ribs to the sauce and turn to coat. Heat briefly over medium heat if necessary to rewarm, then serve.

　　From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.