Chef Tee’s Braised English-Cut Short Ribs
Serves 4 to 6
Prep time: 10-to-15 minutes; cooking time: 1-to-1 1/2 hours

Ingredients

  • 2 slabs of 4-inch English-cut short ribs (ask butcher to cut these for you)
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 2 Tbsps. vegetable oil
  • 1 cup onion, cut in 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup celery, cut in 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup carrots, cut in 1-inch cubes
  • 2 Tbsps. tomato paste
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 4 cups beef demi-glace (homemade demi-glace takes hours to prepare; save time and use store-bought demi-glace)
  • 2 cups water

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 500°F.
  2. Season all sides of meat with Salt & Pepper; set aside.
  3. Heat vegetable oil in large heavy gauge pot or Dutch oven on top of stove over high heat until oil just starts to smoke.
  4. Carefully place one slab of ribs, flesh side down, in pot; cook on high until nicely browned; remove slab from pot.
  5. Repeat step 4 with second slab; set both slabs aside.
  6. Add onion, celery, carrots to hot pot minus ribs; stir vegetables in pan drippings; cook over medium-high heat until begins to brown (about 5 minutes).
  7. Add tomato paste; stir; cook additional 2-to-3 minutes.
  8. Add red wine; bring to a boil; add demi-glace, water; stir; bring to a boil again.
  9. Add short ribs back to pot (browned/flesh side up).  You may need to add more water or wine to pot, so liquid falls just below top of ribs.
  10. Cover pot tightly with aluminum foil; bake 45 minutes, then lower oven to 350°F and cook for additional 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  11. Remove from oven; carefully remove foil, so hot steam doesn’t burn you.
  12. Meat is done when bones separate easily from meat.
  13. Gently remove meat from pot; then use large spoon to scoop out thick, glossy layer of fat floating on top of sauce; discard fat.
  14. Spoon remaining sauce over ribs; serve with potatoes and your favorite vegetables.