Basic Short Ribs and Creamy Polenta

My mouth is literally watering, even as I just type that drool-worthy title. This was a meal I wouldn’t have dared approached, mostly because red meat is not my forte, but YOU requested and I listened! And as someone who isn’t an expert with Short Ribs, let me tell you: this was easy, fun and above all, DELICIOUS. Any dish that is slow cooked to perfection is bound to be bursting with flavor, and these Short Ribs did not disappoint. I hunted for recipe after recipe in research to choose how I wanted to cook these: Do I do Sticky and Glazed? Teriyaki style? Chrissy Teigan’s infamous ribs? Crockpot? My main goal was to create something that would be fairly simple but deliver on the flavor-game. So, I gathered up my research and advice (I even asked the butcher what he recommended) and let me tell you…this was life-changing. Ok that’s dramatic, but it was still REALLY good.

Love meals that “require” wine!

A great bonus for Short Ribs is the fact that they kind of require a side dish that isn’t salad. (Sorry but salad is just v unmotivating when you have a killer, rich meal). I liked how the Pioneer Woman created a Polenta with her Short Ribs and so I used her recipe to make that side dish; it was perfect! These would be good with mashed potatoes or risotto, but I’d encourage you to have some sort of creamy, carb-y side to compliment the entire ensemble. You can find the recipe here! 3 Ingredient Creamy Polenta I can’t get over how freaking good these ribs were. Plus I’m pretty sure my boyfriend fell in love with me all above again after eating this meal, but…maybe I’m being overconfident.

P R E P

Any prep that involves bacon already puts me in a cooking mood. The prep for this is simple: chop up the bacon and veggies, season the meat, and open the required bottle of wine. Have I mentioned how on board I am with a recipe when wine is literally REQUIRED?!

4 Ribs is roughly a pound

Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Chopped shallot, carrots and onion

What you’ll need

• A large stock pot that’s oven-proof with a lid. I used my Dutch oven. You can also use a Crockpot!
• 1-1 1/2 lb of Beef Short Ribs. Make sure they’re bone-in!
• 1/4 cup of flour. Plus a bowl to put this in.
• 4 slices of bacon, diced.
• 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil.
• 1 shallots, finely chopped or minced. If you don’t have these, you can omit.
• 2 carrots, diced. No need to peel these!
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, diced.
• 2 cups of red wine. I have a thing for cooking with French wine, but feel free to use whatever you’ve got!
• 2 cups of Organic Beef Broth.
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme.
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Serving Size: 2

Total Prep Time: 10 minutes.

Total Cooking Time: 3-4 hours.

Generally flour ribs

Place em’ all in the pot and sear!

Perfectly seared ribs

BEFORE

AFTER

Directions

• Prep it all! Start by cutting up the bacon slices, set aside. Next, chop up the veggies (shallot, onion and carrot), set aside.
• Sprinkle Ribs with salt and pepper. Using your hands or with tongs, drench the ribs in flour so that they’re fully covered.

Dutch Oven Instructions

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Heat Dutch Oven on medium-low heat. Once hot, add in bacon and cook until it’s nice and crispy. Remove (save the bacon, you’ll add it in at the end), and do not discard the grease.
• Add Olive Oil to the pan, and increase heat to high. Carefully place each rib into the pot and cook evenly for each rib for roughly 30-45 seconds (you’ll want these to look brown and seared). Remove ribs and set aside.
• Decrease heat to medium-low. Add in your veggies and cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Pour in wine and bring to a boil. Using a wooden spoon, gently scrape the bottom of the pot to get all the extra goodies. Cook for about 2 minutes on boil.
• Remove from heat, and add Beef Broth, salt and pepper. This is your opportunity to do a taste test! Using a spoon, take a little sneak peak: I found that I needed to add a little more salt, but that was my preference.
• Add in ribs, making sure they’re almost completely submerged in the juices.
• Add thyme and rosemary right on top. Place lid over the pot and place in the oven.
• Cook for 1 hour and 45 minutes, and then turn heat down to 325 degrees and cook for another 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let sit for 20 minutes with the lid on. Don’t be tempted to dig right in! Letting it rest is key for that fall-off-the-bone perfection.
• Place on top of the Creamy Polenta and serve hot!

Crockpot Instructions

• Using a large saucepan (this should be big enough for all the liquid), cook bacon until crispy. Remove (keep these, we’ll use them at the end!).
• Add olive oil, and sear short ribs on all sides. Place into Crockpot.
• Using the same pan, add veggies and cook until they’re lightly brown for about 8-10 minutes.
• Add in red wine and broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and pour entire contents into Crockpot.
• Place bacon bits, thyme and rosemary in the Crockpot, cover, and cook for 6-7 hours on low, or 3-5 hours on high.

Put over creamy polenta–enjoy!

POST COOKING NOTES

• I was pleased at how simple this was! The prep process was pretty easy and didn’t take a ton of time: the chopping of the veggies took the longest but only because I cannot seem to cut onions without turning into a sobfest because my eyes WON’T stop watering.
• The Polenta took awhile, that’s my only feedback to myself (haha). This quite literally fell off the bone and the flavor was hearty and delicious. Hope you enjoy as much as I did!

 

 

Advertisement