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Beef- Braised Beef Short Ribs

List of Ingredients

1 (750-ml) bottle red wine

1/2 cup chopped carrot

2/3 cup chopped leek, white and pale green parts only

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, smashed

10 sprigs Italian parsley

2 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

8 pieces bone-in short ribs (about 1/2 pound each)

Oil

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Flour, for dusting

2 to 3 cups veal stock (see Note)

2 to 3 cups chicken stock




Recipe

Bring wine, carrot, leek, onion, garlic, parsley, thyme and bay leaf to boil in wide pot. Tilt pan away from burner and carefully ignite with match. Allow alcohol to burn off, then light again. If there are no flames, alcohol is completely cooked away.

Cool marinade, then pour over short ribs, seal in plastic bag and marinate in refrigerator 8 to 24 hours.

Remove meat from marinade and strain marinade into saucepan, reserving vegetables. Bring marinade to simmer and skim any impurities that rise to top. Remove from heat.

Heat 1/8 inch oil in large skillet over high heat. Season both sides of each piece of meat with salt and pepper and dust with flour, patting off excess.

Place meat in hot oil and cook until well-browned on all sides (adjusting heat as necessary to keep from burning), 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove meat to heavy oven-proof pot or casserole big enough to hold all meat

snugly in one layer.

Pour off excess oil from skillet, return to heat and cook reserved vegetables until they begin to caramelize, 3 to 4 minutes. Spread vegetables over meat in even layer and add marinade and 2 cups each of veal and chicken stock. Meat should be covered with liquid; if not, add more veal or chicken stock as necessary.

Bring liquid to simmer on stove. Press a parchment paper lid snugly over meat. Bake in 275-degree oven until meat is very tender, 3 to 4 hours.

Remove meat from pot and strain liquid into tall narrow container. Discard vegetables. Once meat has cooled slightly, it can be covered and refrigerated for up to two days.

Skim fat that rises to top of braising liquid and strain liquid several times through a fine mesh strainer, until chinois remains clean. Reserve 1/3 of braising liquid for reheating short ribs before serving, if making in advance. Transfer remaining braising liquid to saucepan and reduce to sauce consistency, about 2 cups.

If reheating short ribs, place in oven-proof casserole with reserved liquid to cover. Reheat at 300 degrees until hot through. Serve this with mashed potatoes, fresh egg noodles or polenta. Serves 4.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 704 calories; 971 mg. sodium; 142 mg. cholesterol; 56 g. fat; 5 g. carbohydrates; 44 g. protein;

0.57 g. fiber.

Note: There is good frozen veal stock available from several manufacturers at fancy grocery stores. If you can't find it, use homemade beef stock or homemade or canned chicken stock.

From the "The How-to on Braised Beef Short Ribs."
South Bend Tribune 1/15/01