Somehow another snowstorm has made its way to the North Fork, so I’m about done with winter. The only thing getting me through it is knowing the weather gives me an excuse to cook the heartiest of comfort foods.
In this series, I’m taking you through how to cook with booze. And, of course, I’ll be trying lots of it along the way.
With hours in the oven, these red wine braised short ribs will fill your home with tempting aromas. The full-bodied cabernet sauvignon from Osprey’s Dominion mixes with the tomatoes and broth to create a rich braising liquid that makes this dish. Serve it over pasta or polenta, finish with fresh herbs and soon you’ll forget all the snow you have yet to shovel from your driveway.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. short ribs
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil
- A half a head of garlic
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes
- 2 cups dry red wine
- ½ cup or more beef broth, as needed
- 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, minced
- ½ cup parsley for garnish
Directions
- Take your short ribs out of the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before cooking to bring them to room temperature. Season generously with salt and pepper. Set the oven to 275 degrees. Heat a few Tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven over high heat. Once the oil smokes, add in the short ribs to sear on all sides, including the bone. The point is not to cook them through, but just give them some color. (Fair warning: This will get smoky.)
- Remove the short ribs and set aside. Lower the heat to medium high, and add in the garlic head, cut side down, and the onion, carrot and celery. Saute for five to 10 minutes until soft. Add in the tomato paste and cook for another two minutes.
- Drain the liquid from the can of tomatoes into the pot and one by one, squeeze each tomato to break it up before dropping it into the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Add in the wine and stir.
- Nestle the short ribs into the liquid. If the meat isn’t almost completely covered, top it off with beef broth. Finish with thyme and cover. Place in the oven for two to two-and-a-half hours, until the meat easily falls away from the bone. Finish with fresh parsley and serve over polenta.
