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Port Wine Braised Short ribs with meat fork

Port Wine Braised Short Ribs

The red Port wine adds a rich flavor to these fork-tender braised short ribs. The braising liquid is strained of the braising vegetables resulting in a luxuriously rich, flavorful sauce.
4.67 from 6 votes
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 to 10 Servings
Calories: 777kcal
Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

  • 4-5 pounds beef short ribs 8-10 meaty ribs
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 celery stalks chopped
  • 1 (8- inch) carrot peeled and chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic grated or crushed
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons 35g flour
  • 1 bottle 750 ml Port wine
  • 3 cups beef broth canned or homemade
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme tied together with string
  • 2 dried bay leaves

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 250°F and remove the upper oven rack.
  • Pat the beef ribs with paper towels to remove moisture, season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed, pan over high heat and add 1/2 of the seasoned short ribs.  Cook, turning to sear all sides of the ribs until they are a rich brown color.  
  • Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining 4 short ribs.  Add additional oil if necessary.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, celery and carrot.  Sauté until softened then stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add the butter and when it has melted stir into the vegetable mixture.  Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, stir to combine and cook for 1 minute then stir in the wine, beef broth and tomato paste.  Add the bundle of thyme and the bay leaves.
  • Add the browned short ribs to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil.  The liquid should cover about 2/3 of the top of the ribs.  Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and transfer to the oven.   Cook for 2-1/2 to 3 hours until the short ribs are tender but not falling off the bones. 
  • Transfer the Dutch oven to a workspace and remove the ribs to a platter.  Spoon out and discard the string of thyme and the bay leaves.  Pour the liquid into a mesh strainer set over a bowl.  Press the vegetables firmly to remove as much of their liquid as possible, then discard the strained vegetables.  
  • Pour the sauce into a fat separator or spoon off the excess fat.  Pour the sauce back into the Dutch oven and bring to a gentle boil and reduce the liquid to thicken into a sauce.  Add the short ribs and allow to reheat.
  • Serve the ribs on a mound of mashed potatoes with a portion of sauce.  Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley.

Notes

  • Port wine is a fortified wine and has a slight sweetness to the taste which balances nicely with the rich beef ribs.
  • Straining the vegetables from the liquid makes a smooth rich, luxurious sauce.  
  • The braised short ribs will produce a lot of excess fat.  A fat separator pitcher is a handy tool for any kitchen and well worth the money.
  • Excess fat can be spooned off the top and discarded.
  • These short ribs can be a make-ahead dish as they improve in flavor after refrigerating overnight.  Cook as directed, cool to room temperature and place in refrigerator.  The fat will rise to the surface and solidify.  Remove the fat and reheat the short ribs on the stovetop.  

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 777kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 59g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 32g | Trans Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 233mg | Sodium: 486mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g