Traditional red wine-braised short ribs are great and all, but my favorite aspect of the process of cooking is trying new things; I mean, it's why I have a recipe blog, after all! So, with this in mind and a really nice set of bone-in short ribs (you'll want bone-in for this recipe), I set out to use what was defrosted and to do so in a new way.
As it turns out, Alison Roman has done it again...this time taking a comfort-food-favorite, short rib, and creating her own version that is savory, rich, and absolutely wonderful. She's also created a YouTube Channel for her recipes, "Home Movies", and has an episode featuring the recipe I will list here!
Roman highly recommends going to a butcher for your meat, and if you can, that's fabulous! I think for some, access to a good butcher with regularity is a challenge; so, as a delivery-based and subscription-option-ready solution, I recommend CrowdCow.
NOTE: You can halve this recipe no problem.
Ingredients:
5 lbs. bone-in short ribs, at least 1.5” thick
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
1 ½ lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes (other small, waxy potatoes are fine too), quartered lengthwise
1 large yellow onion, sliced or quartered if small
6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
4 whole chili de Arbol (or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper), plus more for serving
2 tbsp. cumin seeds
2 tbsp. fennel seed
1 tbsp. coriander seed
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tbsp. tomato paste
½ cup white wine vinegar
3 cups beef or chicken broth (or bouillon dissolved in 3 cups of water, or just 3 cups of water)
2 lemons, seeds removed, thinly sliced, divided
3 cups cilantro, tender leaves, and stems, coarsely chopped, divided
BEFOREHAND: Season short ribs with salt and pepper 24 hours in advance. If you forget to do this, you can just do it before and let them rest for 10-15 minutes, but letting the s&p sit on the meat is always a plus.
FIRST: Preheat the oven to 325. Heat the canola oil in a large Dutch oven, Roman says at least 8qt., on medium heat. Sear short ribs until browned on all sides -- even the short ends -- which should take about 5 minutes per side. Use tongs to transfer ribs to a baking sheet (they'll be here a while).
THEN: Drain the fat from the pot carefully, and add the potatoes, cut side down, and season them with salt and pepper. Close the lid and allow them to cook -- no peeking! -- for about 5 minutes; they should be nicely browned on one side. Stir the potatoes and continue to cook until evenly browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet with the ribs, but be sure to leave bits of fat behind.
THEN: Add onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should achieve a golden brown color. Add the chili de Arbol, cumin, fennel, coriander, and cinnamon, stirring to coat and toast the spices.
THEN: Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, adjusting the heat as needed to allow it to caramelize and not burn. Should take about 2 minutes.
ALMOST THERE: Return the short ribs and potatoes to the Dutch oven, being sure to submerge the ribs -- prioritize them for the flavor and braising. Scatter with half of the lemon.
FINALLY: Cover and place the Dutch oven in the oven for 2.5-3 hours, until the short ribs are falling off the bone tender and the potatoes are so soft, they're almost creamy.
OPTIONAL: Increase the oven temperature to 425 and remove the lid of the Dutch oven. Cook until short ribs and any potatoes on top are browned and starting to crisp: 25-35 minutes.
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