Name: Braised Short Ribs
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 3 h 30 min
Total time: 16 h
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 kg beef short ribs; 2 tsp coarse salt; 2 tbsp oil; 2 onions; 2 carrots; 2 sticks celery; 1 head garlic; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 500 ml red wine; 500 ml beef stock; 2 bay leaves; 1 tbsp soy sauce

2 kg

1 Brown on every surface, in batches 20m Every side, including the ends. This is a lot of surface area and all of it is flavour.

4 Return the ribs, add the liquid, bring to a simmer 10m

5 Braise at 150°C / 300°F until the bones pull free 3h 15m

6 Chill overnight, lift off the set fat, then reheat gently 12h Fat solidifies on top in the fridge and lifts off in a sheet. There is no easier way to degrease.

2 tsp

2 tbsp

2 Soften, then cook out the purée 12m

2 sticks

1 head

2 tbsp

500 ml

3 Deglaze and reduce by half 10m

500 ml

1 tbsp

Chill it

Short ribs are extremely fatty, and skimming hot liquid gets maybe half of it. Overnight in the fridge the fat sets into a solid disc you can lift off whole, and the sauce underneath sets to a jelly — visible proof of how much gelatin the collagen produced. Reheating from cold is also gentler on the meat.

Notes

Strain the sauce and reduce it if it is thin. Braising liquid is rarely finished when the meat is.
Bone-in gives more gelatin and a much better sauce.
Make it two days ahead on purpose. This is a dish that improves twice.

Method

Brown on every surface, in batches

Soften, then cook out the purée

Deglaze and reduce by half

Return the ribs, add the liquid, bring to a simmer

Braise at 150°C / 300°F until the bones pull free

Chill overnight, lift off the set fat, then reheat gently

Chill it

Notes