Hunter’s-Style Braised Short Ribs

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Hunter’s-Style Braised Short Ribs

Hunter’s-Style Braised Short Ribs

Mushrooms and vermouth make these short ribs "hunter's style," and the mushroom flavor is boosted even further by using the mushroom soaking liquid to braise the ribs. Serve these ribs over fresh wide pasta noodles, like pappardelle.

Ingredients

  • 2kg English-style beef short ribs (8 to 12 ribs)
  • dried mushrooms
  • 3 Tbs. vegetable oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • 2/3 cup medium-diced carrots
  • 2/3 cup medium-diced celery
  • 2/3 cup medium-diced onions
  • 1 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
  • 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 Tbs. no-salt-added tomato paste
  • 1 to 2 tsp. paprika
  • 1/2 cup vermouth
  • 1 cup lower-salt chicken broth
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1 to 2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

In a small bowl, pour 1-1/2 cups hot water over the mushrooms. Let steep until the mushrooms are soft, then drain the mushrooms (reserve 1 cup of the soaking liquid) and chop them coarsely.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 160°C. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 Tbs. of the oil over medium heat.

Season the ribs with 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Add half of the ribs to the pot (or as many as will fit without overlap), and cook, turning with tongs, until nicely browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the ribs to a platter and repeat with the remaining ribs. Pour off all but a thin layer of fat from the pan.

Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, carrots, celery, and onions to the pan. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until the aromatics are soft and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the reconstituted dried mushrooms, garlic, thyme, tomato paste, and paprika, and cook, stirring, until well distributed and fragrant, about 1 minute.

Pour the vermouth into the pot and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot, until the liquid is reduced to about 2 Tbs., about 1 minute.

Transfer all the ribs (and any juices that have accumulated) back into the pot. Pour 1 cup water, the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, chicken broth, and red wine over the ribs, and using tongs, arrange the ribs as evenly as possible and no more than two layers deep.

Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover, and put the pot in the oven. Cook, turning the ribs with tongs about every 40 minutes, until they are fork tender, about 2-3/4 hours. (The meat may fall off most of the bones about midway through cooking; this does not mean that the ribs are fully tender.)

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve the ribs with the sauce spooned over, sprinkled with chopped parsley.