How To Make Beef Short Ribs
Whether you need something to warm you through and through or you want to make a dinner that impresses, you can’t go wrong with beef short ribs. Both comforting and luxurious, they might look like something only top chefs can pull off, however when you learn how to make beef short ribs, you’ll see it’s much simpler than it appears.
That’s the beauty of this cosy yet sophisticated dish. Of course, it all begins with prime ingredients and this step by step guide on how to make beef short ribs.
About Beef Short Ribs
Before you learn about how to make beef short ribs, it helps to know a bit about them. This cut of meat comes from the beef chuck portion of the cow and consists of the first 5 rib bones from that chuck section.
While chuck makes for excellent steaks, the rib portion of it doesn’t. There are heavily used muscles between the bones here which aren’t tender but have so much more flavour. They have the best of both the chuck and rib cuts with a rich marbling from the ribs along with the savoury beefy taste of chuck roast. They’re indulgent and utterly comforting to enjoy for a special dinner for 2 or even a holiday occasion.
When you buy beef short ribs, look for labels that read ‘beef short ribs’ or ‘arm short ribs.’ You can also ask your local butcher for a cut of it too. You’ll want the meat to have a well-marbled appearance with meaty ribs that are rigidly attached onto the bone and not a whole lot of surface fat.
How To Make Beef Short Ribs
Indeed, the meat is flavourful with this cut, but if you want to know how to make beef short ribs, the best way is by braising. The meat isn’t tender and the slow-cooking age-old process of braising where you simmer it slowly in a covered pot will be what turns the tough texture of your short ribs into melt-in-your-mouth magic.
We recommend to try to make beef short ribs by any other methods. Roasting or grilling would just result in tough, chewy ribs that would leave you feeling frustrated. Ultimately, braising your beef short ribs is the way to go to have a heavenly meal that will make everyone at the table soon.
More About Braising Beef Short Ribs
The technique of braising simply requires simmering meats in a little liquid with a cover on top. It enhances the flavours of the liquid while tenderizing this tough cut of meat. While it’s very easy to do, it takes time which is why making beef short ribs is something you’ll want to do on a weekend when you have more time and not right after you’ve come home from a crazy workday.
Braising requires 3 easy steps to achieve that beautiful fall-off-the-bone texture you want in your beef short ribs:
- Browning
- Deglazing
- Braising
Browning is the first step which allows you to get the meat to a beautiful colour while rendering out some of that fat in the meat. When braising, you’re cooking at a low temperature which won’t give a natural browning colour to your meat. Searing the meat atop the stove is required first. One important thing to note though is that you should thoroughly dry the meat before this step. Wet short ribs will stick to your pan, resulting in uneven browning.
After that, you’ll deglaze the pan. You’ll be left with lovely brown bits of meat stuck at the bottom of your pan. You don’t want to miss those wonderful flavours that will contribute to your beautiful sauce. To do this, you’ll move your meat to a plate first and add liquid to your hot pan. As you do, you’ll scrape the bits of meat loose with a wooden spoon to blend it into your liquid.
You can deglaze with stock, broth, or water, but one of the best ways is with red wine. It furthers tenderizes the meat and adds more depth to the flavour profile for a truly luxurious finish.
Finally, you’ll braise your beef short ribs by returning them back to the pan with the other ingredients, adding a little more liquid to submerge it a bit more. You can continue to do it all on the stove but using the oven is best because the heat surrounds your whole cooking vessel for a more even finish.
Best Way to Serve Beef Short Ribs
Now that you know how to make beef short ribs, you should think about what to serve it with. Rice is always a nice option because it soaks up all the wonderful sauce, but mashed potatoes are perhaps even more comforting. The sauce is even more enjoyable than gravy and mashed potatoes add a layer of richness that simply can’t be beat.
How to Make Beef Short Ribs
This red wine-based braising technique will have your taste buds swooning and makes enough to serve 4.
Beef Short Ribs
Ingredients
- Olive oil for frying
- 2 tbsp Garlic Minced
- 1 tbsp Tomato Purée
- 750 ml Red Wine (Merlot)
- Sea salt and Ground black pepper for seasoning
- 1 Litre Beef Stock
- 150 g Pancetta
- 250 g Small Mushrooms cut into quarters
- 6 Pieces Beef Short Ribs
- Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan the hob, then add olive oil. Season the short ribs well, then cook them for 10–15 minutes or until they are brown well on all sides.
- Add minced garlic and tomato purée and continue to cook for a few minutes.
- Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the bits at the bottom. Bring to a boil and cook for 10–15 minutes and then add the stock so it almost covers the ribs in their entirety.
- Lower the heat and leave the short ribs to slow cook for 3 hours before transferring to a roasting tray.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C and then place the roasting tray in the preheated oven for 45 mins or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
- When the short ribs are ready, remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish.
- Serve the short ribs topped with the hot pancetta and mushrooms and garnish with chopped parsley.Enjoy!
Notes
How to Make Beef Short Ribs– Please let us know if you have tried this recipe and share any comments/images via our social media channels on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram at @simpleyummiesfood.
Please also check out our yummy Oxtail Ragu recipe!
