Braised Short Ribs

These braised short ribs are pretty much foolproof. As long as two things happen, you are in for some very fine eats. First, the beef must be really well browned — I’m talking deep, dark, crusty, and caramelized. The other key step is easier. Just braise them until they’re fork-tender. To paraphrase an expression, ‘stick a fork in them, they’re done.’ After browning properly, the only way to mess these up is to undercook them, so don’t.

Preparation Details

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 2 hrs 35 mins

Total Time: 2 hrs 55 mins

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 3 ½ pounds beef short ribs
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry sherry
• 1 quart beef broth

Steps

1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer crisped bacon with a slotted spoon to a Dutch oven. Keep bacon drippings in the skillet.
3. Generously season short ribs with salt and pepper.
4. Heat bacon drippings in the skillet over high heat. Cook short ribs in hot drippings until browned and caramelized on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer ribs to a Dutch oven, reserving drippings in the skillet. Add thyme and bay leaf to the Dutch oven. Set aside.
5. Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir onion in the skillet until soft and golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
6. Whisk flour into onion mixture and stir until mixture becomes paste-like and light golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes.
7. Pour sherry into onion mixture; cook until thick and hot, about 2 minutes. Pour onion-sherry mixture into the Dutch oven; pour in beef broth and season with salt. Bring to a simmer and cover the Dutch oven with a lid.
8. Transfer the Dutch oven to the preheated oven and cook until short ribs are fork-tender, about 2 hours. Remove ribs to a serving dish, reserving sauce in the pot.
9. Set Dutch oven over high heat and boil sauce until reduced and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Spoon reduced sauce over ribs.
10. Enjoy!