Braised Short Ribs of Beef

American Beef

Brining gives a result that is twice as good as not brining: The meat tastes slightly sweet, the flavor is deeper, and the meat is more tender.

Ingredients

  • Basic brine for beef and poultry:
  • 10 cups water
  • 2 cups kosher salt
  • 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
  • 10 juniper berries (optional)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Short ribs:
  • 4 three-bone, cross-cut beef short ribs, 1 pound each (see Chef's Notes)
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 stalk celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 3 cups chicken stock or low-salt, canned chicken broth
  • 2 medium vine-ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

For the brine: Bring the brine ingredients to a boil over high heat in a large pot. Stir and
simmer 3 minutes.
Put short ribs in brine and weight down with a plate so ribs are submerged. Let sit, refrigerated, up to 4 hours. Remove meat and pat dry with paper towels.

For the ribs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat olive oil in a large nonreactive saute pan over medium-high heat until oil is almost smoking. Add meat, lower heat to medium, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove ribs to a plate as they brown. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat and return pan to heat.

Add onion, celery, and carrot and saute until vegetables are browned, about 10 minutes. Make sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom and sides of the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add vinegar and wine and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until reduced by half. Add stock and bring to a boil again. Add ribs, scatter tomatoes over meat, cover, and braise in the preheated oven until meat is tender, about 3 hours.

When done, remove from oven and let rest, covered, 30 minutes. The meat will reabsorb cooking liquid as it cools. Remove ribs to a platter. Pour braising liquid into a narrow bowl and skim off fat, then bring to a boil in a saute pan and cook until reduced to a sauce consistency.

To serve, reheat meat in braising liquid. Boil to reduce to a sauce consistency if necessary. Whisk in oregano and adjust salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley.


Chef's Notes: It is important to let the brine cool before adding meat, fish, or poultry. If you do not brine the meat, season it well with salt and pepper before browning. Crass-cut ribs are large, and the meat texture is dense because the cut is across the grain of the meat and the bane. They are an even size, end to end, in they soak up brine and cook at an even rate. English-cut short ribs ore cut along the lengths of the bone. The meat tapers in thickness down toward each end and the grain is looser since it runs parallel with the bone. These short ribs will work very well as a substitute but cut the brining time to about 3 hours. Serves 4

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Submitted 10/15/06.
Source: Michael Chiarello's Flavored Oils and Vinegars
Submitted By: lionel mandrake

Braised Short Ribs of Beef