Balsamic and Beer-Braised Short Ribs
- 5 pounds (about 2¼ kg) bone-in short ribs (English-style—i.e., separated; about 6 large or up to 10 smaller ones), at room temperature, trimmed of excess fat
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 2 tablespoons (35 grams) tomato paste
- ½ cup (120 ml) balsamic vinegar (no need to use your best aged balsamic here)
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bottles (24 ounces or 110 ml) dark beer, such as a black lager
- 2 to 3 cups (475 to 710 ml) beef stock
- Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, to serve (optional)
Instructions:
Ribs are one of the most perfect dinner-party foods, because their cooking time is flexible enough that if people show up late your short ribs don’t mind.
- Season the short ribs generously and on all sides with salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven (7 to 8 quarts) over high heat, and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, brown the short ribs on all sides, in batches. I take my sweet time in this stage, making sure I get a nice brown sear on all six sides. A single batch can take me 10 to 15 minutes to brown. Transfer the browned ribs to a plate, and then repeat with remaining ribs.
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Once all the ribs are browned and removed from pot, turn heat down to medium-high and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the oil and fat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and a little brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic cloves, and sauté for 3 minutes more. Add the tomato paste, and cook for another few minutes, until thickened; then add the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and beer, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom. Return the browned ribs to the pot. If you can, arrange them all with their meatiest sides face down. If you have too many ribs and not enough surface area, stand them up on their sides, with the bones vertical. Add enough beef stock just to cover the ribs. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then turn off heat. Cover the pot tightly with foil, then with a lid—I find when I don’t use foil the liquid evaporates too much in the oven, leaving the ribs exposed and a bit dry.
- Bake for 3 hours, or until the meat can easily be pierced with a knife, or pieces can be torn back with a fork. If the bones look as if they don’t want to stay in much longer, that’s another good sign. Remove from the oven and let the ribs rest for 15 minutes, uncovered. Skim as much fat as you can off the top.
- There are two ways to finish the dish. The first is the simplest route from oven to table; the second provides a little more texture and elegance.
- Simply serve the short ribs as they are, with a side of the parsnip purée.
- Preheat your oven to 420 degrees. Remove ribs from braise and spread them out on a large baking sheet. Roast them for 15 minutes, or until the edges start to crisp. Meanwhile, strain the braising liquid into a saucepan and simmer it over high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until reduced by a third. The sauce should be fairly opaque and have more body to it. Arrange the roasted ribs on a serving platter and drape them generously with half the sauce. To serve, generously mound some parsnip purée on each serving plate or shallow bowl. Arrange 1 to 2 short ribs on the parsnips and ladle with additional sauce. Garnish with parsley, if using.