Luscious Oven-Braised Short Ribs
Serves 6
Most recipes for short ribs tell you to brown the meat on the stove top before adding the braising liquid and cooking it. This recipe doesn’t, eliminating the mess, time, and attention that this step requires. The ribs do their own work in the oven while you putter around doing something else. Add the potatoes in the last forty-five minutes, or omit them and serve the ribs with noodles, rice, or polenta if you prefer. The meat in its sauce turns out luscious.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 leek, cleaned and finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup red wine
- 1/2 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 1/2 pounds short ribs
- 2 to 3 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters (optional)
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
DIRECTIONS
- Mix all the ingredients except the meat and potatoes in a 9- x 15-inch roasting pan. Add the ribs and rub all over with the marinade. The meat should fit comfortably in a single layer in the pan. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or up to overnight. Occasionally turn the meat over in the marinade. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Braise the short ribs for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, reducing the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit after an hour. Turn the ribs over. Add the potatoes in the last 40 minutes of cooking. Add water to the pan if too much liquid evaporates. You want to end up with glistening ribs in a reduced glaze.
cook's note
Short Ribs: Cooked properly, these wide, rectangular bone-in ribs (separated) are covered in flavor-producing soft tissue and fat that melts away during braising to infuse the sauce. They’re almost guaranteed to become a guy’s fondest food dream. Buy them in the meat section or place an order with the butcher.
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