Ingredients:
6 pounds beef short ribs
3 shallots (or 1 large onion, peeled)
4 large celery stalks
3 large carrots (peeled)
4 cloves garlic (peeled)
3 dried bay leaves
Sprigs of fresh thyme
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
2 quarts beef stock
1 cup red wine
Kosher salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.
1. Preheat oven to 300 F.
2. Quarter the shallots, and chop the celery and carrots into roughly 1-inch chunks.
3. Dry the ribs thoroughly with paper towels and generously season them with kosher salt.
4. Heat a small amount of oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy, oven-proof soup pot until it is very hot. Brown the beef well on all sides over high heat. It might get smoky, so ventilate well. You will need to work in batches, as the ribs will not brown as well if the pan is crowded. Remove the ribs and set aside.
5. Lower the heat somewhat and add the carrot, celery, shallot, and garlic and sauté in the resulting beef juices until slightly browned.
6. Pick out the carrots and set them aside. (There is no easier way of doing this).
7. Add the wine and use a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula to loosen all the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.
8. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, a couple of thyme sprigs, and the browned beef. Add the stock. If there is not enough liquid to cover the meat, add water until the ribs are barely submerged.
9. Season the liquid to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover with a tightly fitting lid and transfer the pot to the oven.
10. Let the beef braise untouched for 3 hours. Add the carrots and braise for another half hour. Remove pot from oven and let it cool for 30 minutes, then cover partway and transfer to the refrigerator. Once the meat is fully chilled you can cover it completely.
11. When you are ready to serve, scrape the fat from the top of the ribs, then gently reheat it and serve. Mashed potatoes or creamy polenta are both wonderful accompaniments.
12. Enjoy!
Make-Ahead Beef Short Ribs