by amanda
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Photo by Sarah Shatz
5 pounds beef short ribs, bone on Ask a question about this ingredient
Kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient
Freshly ground black pepper (I like a coarse grind) Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon vegetable oil Ask a question about this ingredient
1 large onion chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
1 carrot, peeled and chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
1 celery rib, chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
2 garlic cloves, skin left on Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons light brown sugar Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate (comes in a jar; slightly thicker than ketchup) or paste (comes in a block) Ask a question about this ingredient
2 fresh (or dry) bay leaves Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 cup Madeira Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup red wine Ask a question about this ingredient
2 to 3 cups chicken broth Ask a question about this ingredient
Heat the oven to 225 degrees. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat a large heavy Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the oil, then the short ribs (add them in batches, if necessary) and brown on all sides. Transfer the ribs to a plate as they finish browning. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat.
Ask a question about this stepAdd the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the vegetables are soft and all the browned bits in the base of the pot have been loosened. Put the short ribs (and any juices that have collected on the plate) back in the pot.
Ask a question about this stepAdd the light brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, tamarind paste, and bay leaves. Pour in the Madeira and red wine. Add enough chicken broth to just cover the ribs. Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the pot and transfer to the oven.
Ask a question about this stepBraise the shortribs until they are very tender when pierced with a fork, about 4 hours (longer if the short ribs are big). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shortribs to a plate. Let the cooking liquid settle; spoon off as much fat as possible (ideally, you'd do this over the course of two days and would, at this point, put the liquid in the fridge overnight and peel off the layer of fat in the morning). Set the pot on the stove over medium high heat. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil and reduce to a syrupy consistency.
Ask a question about this stepLay a short rib or two in each of 4 wide shallow bowls. Spoon over a little sauce. Serve proudly.
Ask a question about this stepthis is spectacular. reducing the sauce took a while but totally worth the wait. beautiful, rich sweet and sour flavor.
Dear Amanda: I just discovered this recipe! I must have twenty-leven recipes for braised short ribs, because I love them so, and MUST make them at least once a winter. Thank you SO much for posting Dan's recipe. This is definitely the version I'm making for 2012. I've never eaten anything he made that I didn't want to eat again. And again. And again! xoxo, June
Glad you found it -- and hope it goes well for you!
I'm about to post a photo of these gorgeous short ribs sitting on buttery polenta. This is a marvelous dish. Thank you, Dan Barber and food52!
YUM! I'm going to make these for an intimate dinner party on Saturday - I unfortunately haven't yet learned not to make untested dishes for my guests. Good thing I have Food52!
If Dan won't come, you would have a bevy of food52 bloggers knocking themselves out to sit at your table! You are so kind to invite a favorite chef or cook...nothing saddens me more than when someone says, "I couldn't invite you over for dinner, I'd be too intimidated!" great recipe--good tips on the proper braising method. Newer ovens and good cooking equipment can really alter a recipe !! (conversely, dorm kitchens/starter apartment kitchens also require a fearless plunge into an "I'll wing it" philosophy) Now tell us about one of your stellar successes!
Will do -- although my memory tends to hang on to the failures!
Sorry, that was actually me, Amanda. Was signed in as Sarah so I could upload one of her photos!
The first thing I look at for any braised meat dish recipe is the oven temperature. I would say that 99% of the time, the oven temp called for in the recipe is 325+. In my Le Creueset pots, with lid on, 325+ produces a cauldron of bubbling lava that inevitably turns my food tough in no time flat. It was very refreshing to see this recipe call for a much calmer 225.
I hear you -- I've had the same issue with oven temperatures.
Thank you for this recipe. It was a total life-saver! I tweaked the ingredients but the technique was flawless! Thank you once again.
Always fun to learn someone has liked your recipe!
Made this with a few twists...yummy!
Lightly coated ribs in oil, seasoned with salt and sichuan pepper, and browned ribs in a 500 F oven on a wire rack for 25 minutes, turning. This is an easy way to be rid of some fat.
Swapped mollasses for brown sugar.
Used dry sherry for want of madeira.
Added a few coins of ginger, 3 star anise, and cinnamon sticks to the liquid.
Added 1/4 cup soy sauce to the liquid.
Over brown rice.
Thanks!
Love the detailed follow-up -- thanks!
Absolutely delicious. Wonderful comfort food for this time of year.
Thanks for posting!
I made them tonight. Fantastic! So so pleased.
I've never purchased Madeira and see there are various types. Any suggestions for this recipe?
I'm hoping someone with more knowledge will weigh in here! Sorry.
You'll want a DRY Madeira for this. Sercial or Rainwater. Anything else will be syrupy and dessert-y sweet.
Hi Amanda,
Made this for our wine group last night and have been receiving rave reviews ever since. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Great to hear -- will be sure to tell Dan!
Hi Amanda!! I am ordering short ribs from a local grass-fed beef purveyor through my CSA. I want to be able to feed 3 people. Will 2 pounds be too little? Should I go with 3?
3 pounds is safer, plus you'll have leftovers!
How could I forget about leftovers?! If there are any, looks like I'll be hoarding them :P Thanks, Amanda.
Made these tonight for dinner. Everyone said it was one of the best dinners ever. The three year olds said "yummy meat!" I used the boneless ribs from Costco and they were wonderful. I'll definately make this again.
So glad to hear it -- and your 3 year olds are clearly off to the races if they're eating short ribs already. Bravo!
Ha! That is exactly what I do when I have a dinner party, catering job, Christmas Eve dinner for 20, etc. Must be in the genes! I've gotten pretty good at choosing the recipes, though, so that I don't have too many last minute scares. Anyway, I'm going to make these for tonight. It's cold, rainy and later turning to ice/snow...perfect short ribs weather, don't you agree?
SOUNDS GREAT AND I WILL MAKE AS SOON AS YOU TELL ME HOW YOU REHEATED THE RIBS. THANKS, CAROL
I have a question about the recipe "Dan Barber's Braised Short Ribs" from amanda.
Nate and Mary Kate are the authors of the cookbook Feeding the Dragon: A Culinary Travelogue through China with Recipes.
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As with many short rib recipes, you first brown the well-seasoned short ribs.
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This one's getting a good start.
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I like to practice my tennis swing while browning meat.
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That's the look of brownness that you want.
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After all the meat is browned, you add the chopped vegetables to the pot. Note all of the sticky bits -- this is good, as you'll see on the next slide.
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The browned bits come up as the vegetables soften.
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The real mise en place -- the browned meat, the herbs and aromatics and the cooking liquids.
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After adding the short ribs back to the pan, you layer in the seasonings. First up, bay leaves -- fresh ones if you can find them; dry are fine!
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You add light brown sugar (that's what the light brown clumps are), some Worcestershire sauce, and some tamarind sauce).
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The cooking liquid is a brew of Madeira, red wine, and chicken broth.
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You want to cover the meat completely -- a little more than you see here -- then bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pot, and stick it in the oven for a long, slow braise. Once the meat is tender, you remove it from the pot and reduce the liquid until syrupy.
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Braised short rib: looking cool pose.
Dan Barber is possibly my favorite all time chef and any recipe of his is guaranteed to rock. This was a perfect Super Bowl meal. I did it over two days and took my time reducing and defatting. Sublime. Thanks Amanda for the story and the recipe. Loved both.