Merlot Braised Beef Short Ribs
Marta Rivera, chef and author of the Sense & Edibility site, made this custom recipe using our Kuhlman Cellars Merlot - and it is incredible! Rich, deep flavors and relatively easy preparation. Perfect for dinners prepped ahead of time and needing just a few final touches to bring it all together. Pair this meal with a nice red wine. Preparation time: 30 minutes; cooking time: 2.5 hours; plating time: ~5 minutes.
Directions
Season and Sear the beef short ribs:
First, move your oven rack to the lower half of the oven to accommodate your dutch oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Heat the oil over high heat in a dutch oven. While you're waiting for the oil to heat up, pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel.
Season the short ribs liberally on each side with salt and pepper.
Once the oil starts to shimmy in the pan, press the short ribs into the pot with your tongs to make sure every bit of surface area comes in contact with the bottom of the pan.
Sear the short ribs for 4-5 minutes- without disturbing - until they develop a nice crust. The meat is properly seared when it moves without sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Sauté the Aromatics:
Once the ribs are seared on top and bottom, remove them to a plate. (Note: The meat will not be cooked through at this point.)
Decrease the heat to medium-high and sauté the onions and garlic in the pot using a wooden spoon to stir, occasionally.
Sauté the aromatics for 3-4 minutes. You want them to take on a little color and look glossy.
Deglaze the Pot and Finish the Braising Liquid:
Add the wine to the pot using a flat-edge wooden spoon to scrape up the fond from the bottom then stir in the beef stock.
Add the diced tomatoes with their liquid, the mustard, bay leaf, and thyme leaves. Stir everything together and bring the mixture up to a boil.
Once the liquid begins to boil, return the short ribs to the pot, ensuring they are partially submerged.
Cover the pot with the lid and carefully place it into the oven.
Braise the short ribs for 2 1/2 hours.
Finish the Short Ribs:
Remove the ribs from the pot to a platter and let them cool slightly. Extract and discard the bay leaves.
In the meantime, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth.
Once the ribs are cool, remove the bone (they should slide out easily). Shred the meat with two forks, or leave the ribs whole.
Return the meat to the pot and stir to coat the meat in the sauce. Reheat the sauce over low heat if the sauce has cooled too much.
Serve the Merlot Short Ribs nestled in a bed of cheesy garlic grits, mashed potatoes, or cooked pasta.
Ingredients
1/4 cup vegetable oil (we use olive)
6 lb beef short ribs or spare ribs, trimmed of fat and silverskin
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 tsp black pepper
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups red wine, such as Kuhlman Cellars' Merlot
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes (or 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp dried thyme leaves (or 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves)
1 bay leaf
