Recipe Details

If you've never had beef short ribs before, you're missing out on one of life's great pleasures, and I'm not exaggerating this time. Beef short ribs are like the most flavorful, delectable, tender, soft pot roast you can possibly imagine—but the meat is on a handy stick for your eating convenience. And really, if you make 'em right, the stick is only incidental; the meat falls off the bone if you so much as breathe on it. Oh, is it ever a comfort food.

Ingredients

• 8 

  whole beef short ribs (bone in)

• Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

• 1/4 c. 

  all-purpose flour

• 6 

  pieces pancetta, diced

• 2 tbsp. 

  olive oil

• 1 

  whole medium onion, diced

• 3 

  whole carrots, diced

• 2 

  whole shallots, peeled and finely minced

• 2 c. 

  red or white wine

• 2 c. 

  beef or chicken broth (enough to almost cover ribs)

• 2 

  sprigs thyme

• 2 

  sprigs rosemary

Description

• 1. 1Salt and pepper ribs, then dredge in flour. Set aside.
  2. 2Cook pancetta in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until complete crispy and all fat is rendered. Remove pancetta and set aside. Do not discard grease.
  3. 3Add olive oil to pan with the pancetta grease, and raise heat to high. Brown ribs on all sides, about 45 seconds per side. Remove ribs and set aside. Turn heat to medium.
  4. 4Add onions, carrots, and shallots to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape bottom of pan to release all the flavorful bits of glory. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes. 
  5. 5Add broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add ribs to the liquid; they should be almost completely submerged. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs (whole) to the liquid. 
  6. 6Put on the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350˚F for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325˚F and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Ribs should be fork-tender and falling off the bone. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to sit for at least 20 minutes, lid on, before serving. At the last minute, skim fat off the top of the liquid. (You can also refrigerate the mixture, then remove solid fat from the top.)
  7. 7Serve 2 ribs on a bed of creamy goat cheese polenta, spooning a little juice over the top.