Braised beef ribs are an impressive meal — and an easy one. This recipe calls for cooking the beef ribs the day before, refrigerating overnight, and serving the next day. It’s a really tasty and easy dinner!
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
My dad made the juiciest, most tender “Wow” beef ribs this week. Yes, it’s a 2-day process, but actual practical cooking time is two hours at most, spread over two days.
The key to braised short ribs
The most important step is to allow the short ribs to cool after the initial slow cook and then chill in the refrigerator overnight. This makes it much easier to remove the generous amount of excess fat that solidifies in the chilling process.
The ribs will also spend all night soaking up the flavor of the broth.
More tips for great beef short ribs
- Use good wine. You must use a good bottle of wine, a wine that you enjoy drinking. The better the wine, the better the result.
- Use veal stock. Veal broth can be hard to find. We got ours from our local butcher. Use it when you can get it. If not, beef broth will do.
The recipe on which this dish is based comes from San Francisco’s Campton Place restaurant. (We found it in a magazine years ago, but we can’t tell which magazine from the clipping.)
How to store and reheat leftover beef short ribs
To store leftover short ribs, place them in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3 or 4 days. Heat in a covered saucepan over medium-high heat on stovetop, checking and stirring frequently, until heated through.
To freeze those leftover short ribs, freeze them with their sauce in an airtight, freezer-safe container that fits them perfectly (you don’t want too much air in the container or they’ll get freezer burn). Or put them in a freezer safe ziplock bag and remove all the air. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat on the stove.
Sides to serve with your short ribs
- Creamy polenta
- Garlic mashed potatoes
- Cheese risotto with leek and crispy sage
- Zucchini Spinach Gratin
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette Roasted Root Vegetables
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Braised Beef Ribs
A non-alcoholic substitute for the wine in this recipe would be to use more stock, laced with a hefty dose of balsamic vinegar and a dollop of tomato paste. The taste is not the same as wine, but it is still worth preparing.
ingredients
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12 short beef ribsbone-in, about 6 lb
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Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
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1/4 Cup Extra virgin olive oil
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1 yellow Onionpeeled and chopped
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1 stem celerychopped
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1 carrotpeeled and chopped
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1 (750ml) bottle well dry red wine (we used a Zinfandel)
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6 cups Veal stock (or substitute beef broth)
method
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Fry the ribs:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Season the ribs with salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add the ribs and sear on all sides. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overstuffing the ribs (this will help with browning).
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Fry the vegetables:
Place ribs on a plate. Drain off the excess grease (don’t turn off the drain or you’ll clog your sink!). Add onions, celery, and carrots to skillet and sauté, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.
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Deglaze pan with wine, reduce sauce:
Pour the wine into the pan, deglaze the pan and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine by three quarters until thick and slightly syrupy, about 15 minutes over high heat.
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Braise the ribs in the oven:
Return the ribs to the pan, add the veal stock and enough water to cover the ribs. Bring to a boil, cover with foil and put in the oven. Braise, cook in oven until meat is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Add the vegetables back in during the last 1/2 hour of cooking.
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Chill overnight:
Allow the ribs to cool in the liquid, then cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.
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Remove the excess fat:
The next day, remove the excess fat that has solidified on top from the overnight chill.
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Reduce the sauce with ribs:
Place the pan with the ribs and cooking liquid, uncovered, over medium-high heat. Cook until liquid is reduced by three quarters, about 1 hour. Continue cooking and spooning the sauce over the ribs until the sauce is thick and the ribs are translucent. Be careful not to burn the glaze; Toss the ribs in the pan to keep them from burning.
Serve with mashed potatoes, egg noodles or rice.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 1257 | calories |
| 88g | Fat |
| 9g | carbohydrates |
| 86g | protein |
