Short Ribs over Creamy Polenta

Short Ribs over Creamy Polenta

 

Prep time: 30 Min

Cook time: 2 H & 30 M

Total time: 3 Hour

Source:  Adapted from:  Once Upon a Chef

 

Ingredients

 

• 4 lbs. short ribs
• 1 medium sweet onion (Vidalia) diced.
• 6 cloves garlic, put through a press.
• 2 large carrots, sliced 1/4 to 1/2 inch
• 2 stalks celery, chopped.
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (I use the tube kind)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups red wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 5-6 sprigs fresh thyme, or 2 tsp dried
• 2 tsp salt, and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup AP flour, divided (read instructions)

 

 

Instructions

 

1. Preheat your Dutch oven over medium heat. Have a throw-away piece of foil ready over a sturdy cutting board. Put the flour into a small dish.
2. Place the ribs onto the foil and season with salt and pepper all the way around, then press into the flour and tap off the excess. Depending on the size of the ribs, you may need to take turns browning them.
3. Place the olive oil into the Dutch oven and begin browning, turning every couple of minutes until all sides have had their turn on the bottom near the heat. Remove and place on the foil when finished.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, if you need additional olive oil, use as little as possible. Cook the onions, celery, and carrots for 5 minutes or so until they start becoming translucent. Add the garlic and the tomato paste and stir constantly until the tomato paste is well distributed and before the garlic can begin browning.
5. Add the remaining flour to the pan, stirring well to coat all of the vegetables, then add the wine and broth, bay leave and thyme sprigs. Stir well as this will thicken your mixture slightly so having it evenly added will help ensure a smooth gravy. Add the short ribs back to the DO and bring the mixture to a boil, cover with a lid and place in the preheated oven for 2.5 to 3 hours. When time is up, all you need to do is serve.

 

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Notes

May 21, 2023

 

Served With: Creamy Polenta, made with half milk, half water, parmesan and about 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese and 3 tbs of butter. Along with some boiled peas.
 

This Braised short rib dinner in wine sauce made enough for the two of us to have again as leftovers, which this time it was super easy to layer the polenta, ribs, and gravy into a ceramic dish, covered with foil at 325 for about 40 minutes.

 

Not a dish for the ones in a hurry, but this has crazy good flavor. Adapted from Once Upon a Chef, who by the way IMO is one of the best food bloggers on the internet. PS - there is no rhyme or reason to how I choose what to cook - crazy just happens.

 

It is technically still spring here in the N GA Mountain area, and temperatures have yet to rise above 80. Had I thought this through, I would have prepared the ribs the day before, and allowed the fat from the cooking/gravy mixture to float to the top so it could be skimmed off. Having Crohn’s disease does not always play nice with fats, as I have a really hard time digesting them, especially having a 2-year bout with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

 

Always watch the fat content. This recipe will not make a repeat appearance for about 1.5 years. I am trying to actually make a plan for 5 years total, but that's another story and explanation for the reasons.

 

All Photographs Copyright Tink's Kitchen and JSGrey