Port-braised Short Ribs
Source of Recipe
Five Points restaurant
Recipe Introduction
You want rich, meltingly tender beef and a sauce that calls out for creamy mashed potatoes? You want an easy dish that can be slow-cooked at your leisure, then served a day or two later, tasting even better? Then you want short ribs.
A wintertime favorite, short ribs start with a humble cut of meat, but turn
into something sublime during braising. Chefs around town love them for
their versatility. Change the cooking liquid and seasonings and you have a
totally different dish. Consider the hearty short ribs braised in red wine
and port served up by Marc Meyers at Five Points or the Asian-inspired ribs
cooked in soy sauce, white wine, vegetable stock and plenty of fresh ginger
by Glenn Harris at Jane. And Jim Botsacos gives short ribs a Greek accent at
Molyvos with cinnamon, red wine, chicken stock and tomatoes.
Short ribs are better cooked in advance. When you let the meat rest
overnight, "the meat relaxes, the flavors marry and the acidity in the
braising liquid continues to soften the meat," says Botsacos. An added
benefit: It's easy to remove fat from the chilled braising liquid.
Serves 4
List of Ingredients
4 large, meaty short ribs, each cut 6 inches long
1 bottle full-bodied red wine, such as Zinfandel
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and fresh pepper, to taste
2 carrots, chopped coarse
2 ribs celery, chopped coarse
2 small white or Spanish onions, chopped coarse
8-ounce can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 bulb garlic, halved crosswise
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
2 cups full-bodied sweet port
1-2 cups chicken or beef stock, as needed
Recipe
Marc Meyer, executive chef and owner of Five Points suggests serving these
ribs with celery-root puree, mashed potatoes or soft polenta.
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the ribs and wine and let
marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
To cook the ribs, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a roasting pan large
enough to hold all the ingredients. Remove the ribs from the marinade,
reserving the wine. Blot the ribs dry, season generously with salt and
pepper, and sear ribs well on all sides. Remove the ribs and set aside.
Pour the fat from the pan, add the remaining oil and the carrots, celery,
onions, bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic and thyme. Cook on medium-high heat
until the vegetables are softened and the onions are lightly caramelized.
Add the tomato paste and let it sizzle a minute. Add the reserved marinade
and the port; reduce over medium-high heat until thickened somewhat.
Return the ribs to the pan and add enough stock to cover. Bring to a boil,
then lower the heat so the liquid is at a simmer. Simmer the ribs about 3
hours, until the meat is meltingly tender.
Remove the ribs from the pan; keep warm. Strain the liquid and return it to
the pan. Reduce the liquid to the desired consistency and serve with ribs.
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