Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Serves 6-8

Add this recipe to your entertaining repertoire! Short ribs braised in red wine is a classic dish with complex flavors, yet is to easy to make. The comforting, deep flavors happen with just a bit of hands-on prep time for the first step -- the searing of the short ribs and the sautéing of the aromatics. Then, the real magic happens during the low temperature and long braising time in the oven. Succulent bites of short rib are nearly upstaged by the delicious sauce made from the braising liquid and aromatics. It’s hard to imagine a better supper menu for a cool fall day.

Ingredients:
8 short ribs
3 tablespoons flour
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
2 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced
1 shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup red wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 oz tomato paste
2 sprigs of rosemary
4 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cups beef stock

Garnish:
2 tablespoons chives, minced

Serve with:
Garlic Mashed Potatoes - To make delicious garlic mashed potatoes, heat whole milk with 4 crushed cloves of garlic, bring to a simmer; discard the garlic, and use infused milk when mashing boiled potatoes.

Cherry Tomatoes - Heat cherry tomatoes in a skillet over high heat, stirring or rolling the tomatoes around in the skillet until the skins begin to blister.

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF.

2. Lightly dredge the short ribs in a dusting of flour, and then generously salt and pepper all sides of the ribs.

3. Brown the short ribs in the canola oil over medium-high heat until they become seared on all sides. Remove the browned short ribs from the braiser and set aside. Remove any excess canola oil, but leave the browned bits in the pan.

4. Add the butter, and sauté the onion, shallot, garlic, carrot, and celery until the vegetables begin to soften.

5. Add the wine and simmer until the liquid reduces down by half. Then, add the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce whisking to combine. 

6. Add in the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Place the seared short ribs on top of vegetables; pour in the beef broth until the short ribs are covered half way up, and cover the pot.

7. Place the braiser in the oven and bake for about 2.5 - 3 hrs, or until the meat becomes tender and easily falls off of the bone.

8. Skim any excess fat off the top and discard.

9. Serve the short ribs with the braising liquid and vegetables over garlic mashed potatoes with blistered cherry tomatoes on the side. Garnish with minced the chives.