Braised Short Ribs

A couple of years ago, we were invited to our dear friends home for dinner. It was a very elegant dinner party, with amazing wines and delicious cheeses preceding dinner. Being a cheese lover, I actually over- indulged, so by the time dinner was served, my stomach limit was way over the limit. When dinner was placed in front of me, I stared in awe at my plate. Gorgeous, succulent, melt-in-your-mouth short ribs braised in hearty red wine over a perfectly creamy bed of polenta. Some how I reached for a bite and couldn't stop, flavors dancing in my mouth, of garlic, wine, the most tender beef, falling off the bone, no need for a knife, delicious. I had long forgotten how full I was from those gorgeous cheeses, I couldn't get enough of the ribs! Why did I ask for a small portion, don't listen to me! Why is hubs sitting all the way across from me? Will anyone notice if I stand up and lean all the way over to his plate... I have been dreaming of those short ribs ever since. But where I live, short ribs can not be found in the food markets. What? How is this possible? How does a girl's dream come true without short ribs?? So I have been on a search, for months, years, and then.....a new market! A new butcher! "Sure" he says, "I can get you short ribs, how much do you want?" How about 50 pounds? Who knows when I will be able to find them again..."I'll take 3 1/2 pounds, please".

Genrously salt and pepper and season with Oregano.

Next time, I am making a double batch.

Chopped onions, carrots, celery, garlic.

Add 1 large can plum tomatoes.

Let's just admire these gorgeous short ribs that I have been dreaming of for years, thank you for visiting.

Short Ribs with salt and pepper and Oregano

Served over a bed of garlic mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in short ribs (about 4 1/2 pounds)
• Kosher salt
• Fresh Ground Pepper
• 2 tablespoons Oregano
• 1 large Spanish onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 can peeled plum tomatoes ( 28 ounces)
• 2 cups hearty red wine
• 4 cups homemade chicken broth

Directions

Season each short rib generously with salt and pepper and Oregano. Coat a pot large enough to accommodate all the meat and vegetables with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Add the short ribs to the pan and brown very well, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd pan. Cook in batches, if necessary.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
While the short ribs are browning, puree all the vegetables and garlic in the food processor until it forms a coarse paste. When the short ribs are very brown on all sides, remove them from the pan. Drain the fat, coat the bottom of same pan with fresh oil and add the pureed vegetables. Season the vegetables generously with salt and brown until they are very dark and a crud has formed on the bottom of the pan, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape the crud and let it reform. Scrape the crud again and add the tomatoes. Brown the tomatoes for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat if things start to burn. Reduce the mixture by half.
Return the short ribs to the pan and add 2 cups chicken broth or until the water has just about covered the meat.  Cover the pan and place in the preheated oven for 3 hours. Check periodically during the cooking process and add more water, if needed. Turn the ribs over halfway through the cooking time. Remove the lid during the last 20 minutes of cooking to let things get nice and brown and to let the sauce reduce. When done the meat should be very tender but not falling apart. Serve with the braising liquid.THIS RECIPE HAS BEEN LINKED UP TO THESE WONDERFUL BLOGS: