Succulent Oven-Braised Short Ribs

April 26, 2011 by Jathan Fink 9 Comments

Short ribs soak up full-bodied flavor from red wine and a plethora of fresh vegetables as they slow cook to melt-in-your-mouth perfection.

These short ribs get their fabulous flavor from a blend of fresh vegetables, herbs and a heady red wine. The longer you can marinate the ribs the better, so try to prepare the marinade the day before and allow them to soak overnight in the refrigerator, turning occasionally. However, the time can be reduced to as little as two hours if necessary. Also, remember to bring the meat to room temperature before cooking. Due to the recipe’s long cook time, this dish is best prepared on a lazy afternoon when you can stay near the oven and do something else, preferably enjoying a good book like this month’s book club pick, Cabinet of Curiosities. The potatoes are added during the last 45 minutes of cook time, or they can be omitted all together and replaced with pasta, rice or polenta.

PREP: 10 minutes + 6 or more hours to marinate
COOK: 2 1/2 to 3 hours

INGREDIENTS

1 onion, finely sliced
5 garlic cloves, smashed
2 small leeks, cleaned and finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
4 sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup red wine (For best results, use the same wine you will drink with dinner.)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 1/2 pounds short ribs
6 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients except the meat and potatoes in a 9- x 15-inch roasting pan. Add the ribs and rub all over with the marinade. The meat should fit comfortably in a single layer in the pan. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or up to overnight. Occasionally turn the meat over in the marinade. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Braise the short ribs for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, reducing the heat to 350°F after an hour. Turn the ribs over. Add the potatoes in the last 40 minutes of cooking. Add water to the pan if too much liquid evaporates. You want to end up with glistening ribs in a reduced glaze.

YIELDS: 6 servings

Filed under Food Tagged with beef, entertaining, main dishes, recipes, short ribs, Sunday dinners

About Jathan Fink
Jathan is a journalist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He is also a travel junkie, foodie and jazz aficionado. A California native, he resides in Texas.

9 Responses to Succulent Oven-Braised Short Ribs

Pingback: Celebrate family and friends this May | Jathan & Heather
Darcy says:

May 3, 2011 at 7:45 pm

At first glance, I figured the picture came out of a Food magazine…….but then certain features of the picture became familiar!! Anyway, this sounds delish, I printed it out *S*

Reply
- Jathan Fink says:
  
  May 3, 2011 at 9:05 pm
  
  Darcy,
  
  As other readers can attest, this is a fantastic dish. We know you’re going to love it. Let us know how it turns out for you after you prepare it and what your family thought.
  
  By the way, what gave it away? Our yellow kitchen? 🙂 After all, you have eaten more than a meal or two at our table.
  
  Love,
  Jathan & Heather
  
  p.s. You should also try our Buttermilk Pancakes. Just be sure to add the toasted pecans. I seem to remember that you do have a couple pecan trees in your backyard.
  
  Reply
Margaret says:

May 3, 2011 at 5:55 pm

Thanks, they were delicious! I changed a bit and used shallots instead of onions and slightly increased the garlic. Loved them. Making them for Mother’s Day.

Reply
- Jathan Fink says:
  
  May 3, 2011 at 9:00 pm
  
  Margaret,
  
  We’re so glad you loved this recipe as much as we do. We’re sure shallots give this a deeper flavor, as does the addition of more garlic. We love it when our readers really make the recipe their own and then share their own ideas. Thanks for staying in touch.
  
  Best,
  Jathan & Heather
  
  Reply
Pingback: Celebrate family and friends this May « Jathan & Heather
Pingback: Celebrate family and friends this May « Jathan & Heather
Margaret says:

April 30, 2011 at 5:10 pm

I am making this for tomorrow, it sounds delicious! One question, when cooking is the pan covered throughout? Thanks.

Reply
- Jathan Fink says:
  
  May 1, 2011 at 3:04 am
  
  Hi Margaret,
  
  Yes, keep the pan covered with foil for the entire cook time. You’ll only need to remove the foil when you add the potatoes, but be sure to cover again before returning the pan to the oven.
  
  Enjoy!
  Jathan & Heather
  
  Reply