Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

It was a snowy 'stay at home' day.  What better way for me to spend the day than in the kitchen, putting extra effort into dinner and watching a good movie.  In the great gift of beef from my sister, ( I love food gifts!) was a package of short ribs. A cut that most home cooks avoid, yet, has delicious flavor!  It is used more for its rich flavor than the actual meat.   I chose a traditional recipe from Ina Garten.  I find her recipes solid and well thought out.  Because it was a lazy day at home, I did not mind putting the time into this hearty, beautiful dish.  Yes, beautiful.  You can taste the layers.  You can taste the history behind the lengthy procedure.  I envision the mothers of days gone by, that would take this lowly cut and the root vegetables left at the end of winter, and create this lush dish as though they were cooking for kings.  I know I sound poetic tonight.  I just love when food invoves more than speed and trendy ingredients. 

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
printable recipe

6 beef short ribs
Kosher salt and pepper
1/4 c. olive oil
1 small fennel, fronds, stems and core removed, large diced
1 leek, cleaned and large diced, white part only
1-1/2 c. chopped onion
4 c. large diced celery
2 carrots, peeled and large diced
3 garlic cloves minced
2 T. tomato paste
1 (750-ml) bottle of dry red wine
Fresh rosemary
Fresh thyme sprigs
1 T. brown sugar
6 c. beef stock

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Season the short ribs with salt and pepper.  Place on a baking sheet. Roast the beef for 15 minutes.

When you remove from the oven reduce heat to 300 degrees.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large dutch oven.  Saute the fennel*, leek, onion, celery, and carrots for 20 minutes on medium-low heat.
*Unlike other veges, leeks need a bit more attention to cleaning.  They are very sandy.  Soak the slices in cold water for a bit, then rinse.

Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.

Add the tomato paste and stir through.

Next add the wine, yup the entire bottle.  I promise you, very worth it!
Bring to a boil.  Turn down to a simmer and allow to reduce by half.

Tie the fresh herbs with string in a bouquet garni (fancy term that simply means tie it together so it doesn't float all through the broth.
Lay the ribs over the vegetables.

Add the sugar and the beef stock.  Bring to a simmer.

 Put the lid on and place in the oven about 2-1/2 hours.  
Remove the beef to a warm platter.  Remove and discard the herbs. Cook the broth and vegetables on the stove top for 20 minutes to allow it to reduce and thicken.

The house smelled wonderful all day.  It gave us a warm and cozy feeling smelling the delicious stew.  I served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and a simple roasted asparagus.