Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs With Carrots

Name: Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs With Carrots
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: french
Ingredients: 5 pounds meaty beef short ribs, cut flanken- or English-style; Salt and pepper; Olive oil; 1 large onion, peeled and halved; 2 whole cloves; 2 bay leaves; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 cups dry red wine; 4 cups beef or chicken broth, heated; 2 pounds small carrots, peeled and cut in 2- or 3-inch lengths of roughly equal thickness; 1 medium leek, white and tender green parts, cut in 1-inch dice (about 2 cups); 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 teaspoon potato starch or cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water (optional); 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, for serving; 2 tablespoons finely cut chives, for serving

By David Tanis

Total Time: 3 hours
Rating: 4(975)
Comments: Read comments

Everyone loves beef short ribs. Because the meat is well-marbled, a couple of hours’ slow cooking keeps it incredibly succulent. This homely combination of beef with carrot, cooked rather plainly, is classic in traditional French cooking, and produces truly delicious results. Like all other braises, this one improves if made a day (or two) in advance of serving, though you can certainly make it all in one go if you wish. Cooking it ahead accomplishes a number of things, not least of which is that it needs only reheating to serve. Another is that refrigerating the braise in its juices always seems to intensify the flavors. Yet one more reason: It is easier to remove the fat on the surface of the liquid when it is cold, rather than trying to skim it from the surface hot.

Featured in: The Succulent Short Rib Upends the Roast

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

5pounds meaty beef short ribs, cut flanken- or English-style
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1large onion, peeled and halved
2whole cloves
2bay leaves
2tablespoons tomato paste
2cups dry red wine
4cups beef or chicken broth, heated
2pounds small carrots, peeled and cut in 2- or 3-inch lengths of roughly equal thickness
1medium leek, white and tender green parts, cut in 1-inch dice (about 2 cups)
2tablespoons unsalted butter
1teaspoon potato starch or cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water (optional)
3tablespoons chopped parsley, for serving
2tablespoons finely cut chives, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Season each rib generously all over with salt and pepper. If time permits, set aside for an hour to let seasoning penetrate meat.
Step 2
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add olive oil just to film the bottom. Working in batches so as not to crowd pan, brown a few short ribs at a time on both meaty sides. Reduce heat as necessary to achieve browning gradually; it may take 4 to 5 minutes per side for well-browned ribs. This will guarantee a dark, rich color for the sauce. Transfer ribs to a Dutch oven or deep, wide baking dish. Leave skillet on the heat.
Step 3
Use a clove to pin a bay leaf to the rounded side of each onion half. Set the onion cut side down in the skillet and let cut side brown for a minute or two. Transfer onion to pot with ribs.
Step 4
Add tomato paste and wine to skillet and bring to a simmer, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon to dissolve all of the flavorful brown bits, then pour wine mixture over ribs.
Step 5
Add broth to Dutch oven, cover and bake for 2 to 2½ hours, until meat is very tender when probed. Remove from heat, uncover and skim fat from surface. (See note.)
Step 6
Fill a large saucepan with well-salted water and bring to a boil. Add carrots and simmer until done, but not too soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain carrots, reserving ½ cup of cooking water.
Step 7
Return saucepan to stove over medium-high heat and add butter. Add leeks, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until barely softened. Add carrots and reserved cooking water. Gently combine, turn off heat and cover for 5 minutes.
Step 8
Carefully transfer short ribs to a large, deep serving platter. Bring braising juices to a boil over high heat. If you wish to thicken the sauce lightly, add potato starch mixture and cook 1 minute more. Ladle sauce over ribs.
Step 9
Transfer carrot and leek mixture, along with buttery juices, to a serving dish. Sprinkle carrots and ribs with parsley and chives and serve.

Tip

For increased flavor and easier fat removal, prepare the recipe through step 5. Instead of skimming the fat right away, refrigerate the meat in the pot overnight, covered, and then remove the fat the next day.

Ratings

4 out of 5

975 user ratings

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Comments

Jennifer7 years ago

I used to make "beef burgundy" back in the 70s in the exact same way-this is wonderful with short ribs. I would note that I used the potato starch to thicken the sauce, but it didn't work too well-I would try a classic beurre manie the next time, a la Julia-just smash butter with flour and make a slurry with the braising liquid and return to the pot.

salsera6 years ago

Wow. Made this tonight. Added shiitake mushrooms. I browned the meat etc....then after added it to my crockpot. Followed recipe but after skillet directions put meat in crockpot. Cooked onions in skillet, added to pot. Cooked wine and tomato paste in skillet then added to crock pot. Cooked one hour on high, then a few hours on low. Made the carrots as instructed. It was fantastic. Would cut fat off before plating the food next Time. It was a lot of work doing it on the dinner plate. Delicious.

Sharon7 years ago

This was delicious! I made a half recipe with just over 2 lbs of short ribs for 2 of us. My teenager would have preferred more carrots and fewer leeks, so I’ll adjust next time. Made mash potatoes and a salad for sides, delicious Sunday dinner on a cold winter night.

Rose1 year ago

If i put it in the refrigerator for the next day what is the preferred re-heating method? back on top of the stove? oven? microwave would prob toughen the meat? please advise.

Jude1 year ago

This was delicious, served with a yellow cauliflower purée. However I don’t see why you would cook the carrots this way or why the sauce would need that additional water. Added the carrots to the meat with about 25 min to go, and added the leeks sautéed in butter at the end. Much simpler and tastier.

Juanita1 year ago

I made 1/2 Recipe with 2 lbs short ribs, followed recipe exactly. In 2 1/2 hours baking in 350 oven, tightly covered in a cast iron Dutch oven. Meat bwas tender and flavorful but ALL the liquid was gone. Recommend baking at a lower temp or checking in the middle to see if more stock is needed.

Nanette8 months ago

Interesting. I made mine with 4 pounds of short ribs, 2 cups of wine and only 2 cups of broth. I have a ton of liquid, after 2 1/2 hours at 350. Leftovers will go into a ragu along with the leftover meat!

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