Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs with Red Wine and Mashed Potatoes

Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs with Red Wine and Mashed Potatoes

This is the weekend project: short ribs braised low and slow until they pull apart with a fork, in a deep, glossy sauce. Most of the time is oven time, so you can set it going and leave it alone. Serve it over soft mashed potatoes, because the sauce is worth every spoonful.

You need

• 4 pounds [1.8 kg] bone-in beef short ribs, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup [240 ml] dry red wine
• 2 cups [480 ml] low-sodium beef broth
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons butter, for finishing the sauce
• For the mashed potatoes: 2 pounds [900 g] Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered; 1/2 cup [120 ml] whole milk, warmed; 4 tablespoons butter; 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method

1. Heat the oven to 325 F [163 C] with a rack in the lower third.
2. Pat the short ribs dry and season all over with 2 teaspoons salt and the pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs in batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep brown. Do not crowd the pot. Transfer to a plate.
3. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, carrot and celery, and cook 8 minutes, stirring, until soft and lightly golden.
4. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, stirring, until the paste darkens to brick red.
5. Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer 3 minutes, until reduced by about half.
6. Add the broth, thyme and bay leaves. Return the ribs and any juices to the pot; the liquid should come about two-thirds of the way up the meat.
7. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until a fork slides into the meat with no resistance and the meat pulls from the bone.
8. While the ribs braise, boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife slips in easily. Drain, return to the pot for 1 minute to dry, then mash with the warm milk, butter and salt.
9. Move the ribs to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Skim the fat from the surface of the sauce. Simmer the sauce uncovered on the stove 10 to 15 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaves, season with salt, and stir in the 2 tablespoons butter.
10. Serve the ribs over the mashed potatoes with plenty of sauce spooned over the top.