Possibly the best thing I’ve ever cooked. My recipe skips the fresh herbs and red wine in favor of developing a rich French onion jam/gravy. And as a bonus, you only need one pot!
Ingredients:
- ~1 pound short ribs (3 pieces), seasoned on all sides with Kinder’s Prime Steakhouse
- 3 medium Vidalia onions, finely diced
- 1 cup carrots (6-8 medium), chopped
- 2~3T olive oil
- 1t sugar
- 1~2T flour
- 2~3T butter
- 4T minced garlic
- 3T Worcestershire
- 1T Dale’s low sodium marinade
- ~2 cups beef broth
- 6 bay leaves
Step 1: Sear the ribs
Get a good layer of oil heating on medium-high (6-7) heat in a heavy pot or Dutch oven. Season your short ribs on all sides generously. When you can smell the oil or it just starting to shimmer, add your ribs. Brown all 6 sides and remove from heat.
Step 2: Caramelize the onions
Add your finely diced onions to the hot oil, season with Kinder’s or whatever you like. Reduce the heat to medium-low (2-3). You’re going to need to check the onions every 5-10 minutes over the next half hour/hour, scraping up the fond for the first few checks. Add 1 teaspoon sugar once the pan is not ripping hot to help the caramelization process. Onions will be done when a deep golden color and the fibers start to break down leaving a gummy texture.
Step 3: Build the gravy
Once the onions are done increase heat to medium (5), flatten the pan, and sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons flour to coat the onions. Stir, then make a hole in the center of the pan. Add 2-3 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons minced garlic. Cook until fragrant, then add 3 tablespoons Worcestershire and 1 tablespoon Dale’s. Stir to incorporate.
Step 4: Braise the ribs
Set your oven to 250 degrees. Add your short ribs and any drippings back to the pot. Nestle them into the onion jam so they sit low in the pot. Add carrots, then enough beef broth to just cover the short ribs (~2 cups for my ribs). Add seasonings to taste and the bay leaves. Cover and put in the oven for at least 4 hours.
Step 5: Check for texture
Your ribs should be extremely tender with a significant amount of reduction in the pot. If not, turn the oven temp up to 300 degrees for an additional hour then re-check. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice, with some crusty bread to spread the onion jam and fatty bits over – delicious!
Chris Bowden 