A couple years ago, for a Christmas party I hosted, I made short ribs and served them on top of creamy mashed potatoes. I don't remember exactly how many pounds of short ribs I bought and made but I do remember that I planned for each person to have two pieces (and 3 or 4 extra pieces for the extra hungry few). I thought that it would be enough...
My guests went to the kitchen hoping for seconds but were sadly disappointed when they saw an empty cast iron pot, still stained from the braising liquid, sitting on top of the stove. "No more?" some guests asked while looking at me with sad puppy eyes... "No more."
My guests went to the kitchen hoping for seconds but were sadly disappointed when they saw an empty cast iron pot, still stained from the braising liquid, sitting on top of the stove. "No more?" some guests asked while looking at me with sad puppy eyes... "No more."
I guess what I'm trying to say is that this recipe works! For the Christmas party that I was telling you about, I served appetizers (many of them), a pasta casserole (a large one), and several sides of vegetables but all that did not matter because what my guests really really wanted was the braised short ribs (much much more braised short ribs).
I recently made braised short ribs again. But this time, I used short ribs from grass-fed cows and homemade bone broth. And believe me when I tell you, the homemade bone broth makes them even better!
As for the polenta, well, it was my first time making polenta and it was actually scary! When you read instructions on making polenta, they don't say "be prepared and wear safety gears!" but I will tell you, "BEWARE OF THE SPLATTER!"
Even on low heat, the polenta kept on bubbling and splattering out from the pot! A few splats hit me on my hand and even my face! But everything is a learning experience and what I learned from making polenta is to always use the deepest pot you can find! Seriously, a 2-foot deep pot if you have one! Or use a pot lid as a shield! That way, the splattering polenta would have a harder time burning the bejesus out of you!
Good luck and cook safe :)
Even on low heat, the polenta kept on bubbling and splattering out from the pot! A few splats hit me on my hand and even my face! But everything is a learning experience and what I learned from making polenta is to always use the deepest pot you can find! Seriously, a 2-foot deep pot if you have one! Or use a pot lid as a shield! That way, the splattering polenta would have a harder time burning the bejesus out of you!
Good luck and cook safe :)
BRAISED SHORT RIBS SERVED WITH POLENTA
Braised short ribs recipe inspired by William-Sonoma
Polenta recipe adapted from New York Times
Braised short ribs recipe inspired by William-Sonoma
Polenta recipe adapted from New York Times
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INGREDIENTS FOR BRAISED SHORT RIBS:
3 tablespoon olive oil 3.5 pounds meaty, bone-in, individual-cut short ribs 1 yellow onion, chopped 2 carrots, cut into strips 3 large cloves of garlic, chopped 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1.5 cups dry red wine 2.5 cups bone broth (or beef stock) 1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (and more for garnishing) 2 bay leaves salt and pepper |
INGREDIENTS FOR POLENTA:
1 cup stone ground white cornmeal 5 cups water, plus more for thinning 1 teaspoon of salt 6 tablespoons butter |
DIRECTIONS FOR BRAISED SHORT RIBS:
Preheat oven to 325°F. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Season the short ribs well with salt and pepper. In batches to avoid crowding, add the short ribs to the Dutch oven and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the Dutch oven and heat. Add the onion and carrots and stir occasionally, until the onion softens, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well. Pour a little wine in the pot to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Make sure you scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Return the short ribs to the pot. Add the rest of the wine and the bone broth to the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 2.5 hours. Transfer the ribs to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Let the cooking liquid stand for 5 minutes. Skim off the far from the surface and discard. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Cook, stirring, until reduced by about one-forth, about 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Scrape the brown stain of side of the pot and stir into the liquid – that stuff is very flavorful! Return the short ribs to the pot.
DIRECTIONS FOR POLENTA:
Just before serving, make the polenta. In a medium-size heavy saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Pour cornmeal slowly into the water, stirring with a wire whisk. Continue stirring as mixture thickens, 3 minutes. *Be careful, the polenta will splatter!
Turn heat to low. Cook for at least 45 minutes, stirring at least every 10 minutes. If polenta becomes too thick, think it will a little bit of water. Stir well and continue cooking. You can add up to 1 cup of water as necessary to keep polenta soft enough to stir.
Add 6 tablespoons of butter to the polenta and stir until the butter is fully melted.
To serve, spoon polenta on plate, top with a 1 bone-in short rib, spoon braising liquid over and around the short rib, add carrots, and garnish with a small sprig of rosemary.
Enjoy!
Preheat oven to 325°F. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Season the short ribs well with salt and pepper. In batches to avoid crowding, add the short ribs to the Dutch oven and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the Dutch oven and heat. Add the onion and carrots and stir occasionally, until the onion softens, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well. Pour a little wine in the pot to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Make sure you scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Return the short ribs to the pot. Add the rest of the wine and the bone broth to the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 2.5 hours. Transfer the ribs to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Let the cooking liquid stand for 5 minutes. Skim off the far from the surface and discard. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Cook, stirring, until reduced by about one-forth, about 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Scrape the brown stain of side of the pot and stir into the liquid – that stuff is very flavorful! Return the short ribs to the pot.
DIRECTIONS FOR POLENTA:
Just before serving, make the polenta. In a medium-size heavy saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Pour cornmeal slowly into the water, stirring with a wire whisk. Continue stirring as mixture thickens, 3 minutes. *Be careful, the polenta will splatter!
Turn heat to low. Cook for at least 45 minutes, stirring at least every 10 minutes. If polenta becomes too thick, think it will a little bit of water. Stir well and continue cooking. You can add up to 1 cup of water as necessary to keep polenta soft enough to stir.
Add 6 tablespoons of butter to the polenta and stir until the butter is fully melted.
To serve, spoon polenta on plate, top with a 1 bone-in short rib, spoon braising liquid over and around the short rib, add carrots, and garnish with a small sprig of rosemary.
Enjoy!
