Name: Braised Short Ribs with Root Vegetables
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion, roughly diced; 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks; 3 parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks; 4 cloves garlic, smashed; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 cup dry red wine (something you'd drink — Cabernet, Côtes du Rhône, Malbec); 2 cups beef stock; 2 sprigs fresh rosemary; 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 2 bay leaves; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (to finish); Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Braised Short Ribs with Root Vegetables

Short ribs are patience rewarded. Tough, marbled cuts of beef, cooked slowly in liquid until they're so tender they fall apart at the touch of a fork. The root vegetables absorb the braising liquid and become silky and rich. This is the kind of dinner that makes the house smell incredible for hours

Ingredients

4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, roughly diced
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
3 parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine (something you'd drink — Cabernet, Côtes du Rhône, Malbec)
2 cups beef stock
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (to finish)
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Method

Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F).
Season the short ribs very generously with salt and pepper — more than you think they need.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs on all sides until deeply browned, about 3 minutes per side. Work in batches so you don't crowd the pot. Remove to a plate.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until softened.
Add the garlic and tomato paste. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until the paste darkens.
Pour in the wine. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release all the browned bits. Let the wine reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
Add the stock, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Return the short ribs to the pot — they should be mostly submerged (not fully — that's fine).
Bring to a simmer. Cover with the lid and transfer to the oven.
After 2 hours, add the carrots and parsnips around the ribs. Cover and return to the oven for 1 more hour.
The ribs are done when the meat is falling-off-the-bone tender and the vegetables are soft.
Carefully remove the ribs and vegetables to a serving platter. Skim the fat from the braising liquid (a fat separator helps, or use a spoon). Remove the herb sprigs and bay leaves.
Bring the liquid to a boil on the stovetop. Reduce by about one-third until it coats a spoon. Stir in the red wine vinegar.
Spoon the sauce over the ribs and vegetables. Garnish with parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes, polenta, or crusty bread.
*Storage:** Refrigerate for up to 4 days — braised meats taste even better the next day. Freezes well for 3 months. The chilled fat is easy to lift off the top in a solid layer before reheating.
*Seasonal note:** This is a weekend dish. Not because it's difficult, but because it takes time and the house deserves to smell like this on a lazy Saturday. Start it in the early afternoon, and dinner will be ready when the sun goes down.