Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine

[Mikey]

I tried this recipe a couple of weeks ago and the results were very good. I didn't have exactly the right ingredients at the time so I though I'd try it again today.

The recipe can be found here (I don't follow it exactly, but close):

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/ ... ibs-367736

I think the recipe is meant for short ribs cut across the bone, but I got whole prime rib bones from Costco (the four top ones in the pic) supplemented by a few pieces from the local supermarket




Liberally dusted with salt, pepper and garlic powder:







Into a cast iron dutch oven in two batches to brown on all four sides.





While they were browning I prepared the classic combo of onions, carrots and celery. In France it's mirepoix. In Italy it's soffritto. Here it's onions, carrots and celery.

[Mikey]

The ribs are nice and brown:




In goes the mirepoix to cook until the onions are beginning to carmelize:





Next ingredients - flour and tomato paste.




Once the flour and tomato paste are incorporated, a bottle of cab. I used the cheapest bottle I could find at Costco. At $6.99 this is actually pretty drinkable, but the whole bottle (minus a couple of sips) went in along with the ribs.

[Mikey]

Once the wine is cooked down some - parsley, oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, a whole head of garlic cut down the middle.




Add the beef stock, bring to a boil, and into the oven at 325 deg (the recipe says 350 but I want a slower cook).






Now I'm just waiting. I'll serve it up later with mashed potatoes and steamed artichokes.

[Mikey]

Here's what it looks like coming out of the oven after 2 1/2 hours, in the pot and with the meat removed from the bones (they basically fall out) and set aside.






Next step is to strain out all the chunks of veggies and herbs, spoon off as much of the fat as possible, and start cooking down the sauce until it begins to thicken a little.







Here it is served up on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes, with a steamed artichoke on the side. You can pretty much cut the meat with a fork at this point.



I suppose I should have cleaned up the plate a little better before taking the picture.

Oh well...it tasted pretty damn good.