When it's cold outside, there's nothing better than staying inside a warm house and cooking some great comfort food. Nothing says elegance and comfort like braised beef short ribs. And nothing says cold weather like Florida, right? Ok, so it has dipped down to the low 30's for most of this week and most of us Southerners are pulling out the heavy coats for the first time in years. If you are from up north, try not to laugh ;-)
In my Tampa wedding catering business, Braised Beef Short Ribs have become quite popular. Once thought to be a lesser cut of meat, the chuck short rib becomes unbelievably tender and flavorful after about 4 hours of cooking. It's one of my favorite cuts of meat to braise and one of our most popular dishes. If you are seeking a Tampa caterer that knows good food, then hop on over to our website at Good Food Catering Company.
And if you are in the mood to cook, then fire up the stove and get braising! Here's my personal recipe:
BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIBS
Courtesy of Kevin Lacassin
Good Food Catering Company (www.GoodFoodTampa.com)
Makes 4 servings
Serving Size : 4
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 lbs beef short ribs -- cut English style (cut parallel to the bone)
Coarse salt and black pepper -- to taste
3 cups red wine -- preferably cabernet sauvignon or zinfandel
6 oz canned chopped tomatoes
2 cups beef broth
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 sprigs fresh thyme -- picked off stem
2 bay leaves
3 oz canola oil
1 large onion -- diced (2 cups)
2 medium carrots -- diced (1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery -- diced (1/2 cup)
2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
METHOD
- Season short ribs with salt and pepper; be rather generous. In a mixing bowl, whisk together red wine, tomatoes, beef broth, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and a pinch of salt.
- Pour canola oil into a heavy 12" cast iron skillet or Dutch oven (at least 5 quarts) and place over high heat. When oil is hot, working in small batches, brown the meat. Turn each piece to brown on all sides before removing from the pot.
- Tip: A sturdy pot that conducts heat well has a lot to do with the success of this dish. Get yourself a cast-iron pot!
- When all beef is browned and removed from pot, add onion, carrots, and celery, allowing to cook until browned, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Return beef to the pot along with wine mixture. Allow wine to come to a boil before reducing heat, skimming fat from surface.
- After simmering for several minutes, add mushrooms. Cover and simmer over very low heat until meat is fork tender and nearly falling off the bone, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Once the beef has cooked, remove from pot and keep warm. Turn up heat and reduce the pot liquids until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Download this recipe in PDF format at -
http://goodfoodtampa.com/recipes/BraisedBeefShortRibs-GoodFoodCatering.pdf
Photo courtesy of bonappetit.com
