Tangy Braised Short Ribs
Published March 31, 2020
Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott for The New York Times. Prop Stylist: Kalen Kaminski.
- Total Time
- 4 hours, plus seasoning
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
5 pounds bone-in short ribs, at least 1 ½-inch thick, cut into single bone portions (or 3 ½ to 4 pounds boneless, at least 1 ½-inch thick)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
2 large yellow onions, quartered
2 heads garlic, halved crosswise
3 tablespoons honey
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup soy sauce or tamari
4 cups chicken, beef or vegetable broth
4 thyme sprigs
2 cups parsley, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
½ bunch chives, finely chopped
Flaky sea salt
3 lemons, halved, for juicing
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 to 10 servings)
17 grams carbs; 172 milligrams cholesterol; 994 calories; 40 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 36 grams saturated fat; 87 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 1007 milligrams sodium; 36 grams protein; 7 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Season short ribs with salt and pepper at least 1 hour (at room temperature) and as much as 48 hours (covered and refrigerated) in advance.
- Step 2
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Working in batches, sear short ribs until deeply golden brown on both large flat sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer short ribs to a large plate or cutting board and drain all but about 2 tablespoons fat from the pot. Discard remaining fat. Repeat with remaining short ribs. Drain all fat from the pot and carefully wipe out. (No need to wash, just get rid of any scorched bits.)
- Step 3
In the same pot over medium-high, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions and garlic get a bit of color, 4 to 5 minutes. Add honey and cook, stirring until it starts to bubble furiously, turning a darker amber brown and sticking to the bottom of the pot as it cooks.
- Step 4
Add vinegar and soy sauce, and, using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pot. Bring to a strong simmer and cook to reduce by about half, 5 to 8 minutes. Add broth and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and add short ribs back in, bone-side up, making sure they are as submerged in that braising liquid as possible. Cover the pot and place in the oven. Do not look at it or remove the lid for 3 hours. (Nothing bad will happen, promise.)
- Step 5
After 3 hours, check the short ribs, they should be extremely tender and nearly falling apart, almost having the jiggly texture of a baked custard or Jell-O. (If not, continue roasting another 20 to 30 minutes.) Remove from oven.
- Step 6
At this stage, you can remove the lid and using a spoon, carefully skim as much of the top layer of fat as possible. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees, and return the pot to the oven, uncovered, to let the short ribs brown a bit on top and thicken the braising liquid a bit, another 35 to 45 minutes. (Alternatively, you can remove the short ribs from the oven, let them cool at room temperature and place in them in the fridge, overnight. When ready to serve, remove them from the fridge and using a spoon, scrape off the solidified fat on the top layer. Return the short ribs, covered, to a 325-degree oven until totally warmed through, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the lid and increase temperature to 425 degrees, and continue to cook, uncovered, to let the short ribs brown a bit on top and reduce the braising liquid, another 35 to 45 minutes.)
- Step 7
Meanwhile, combine parsley and chives in a small bowl and season with flaky salt.
- Step 8
Remove the short ribs from the oven and serve straight from the pot or transfer them to a shallow bowl or plate with high sides, spooning the braising liquid over. Squeeze lemons over, letting the juice season the braising liquid. Sprinkle with parsley mixture before serving.
While my preference is almost always bone-in for any cut of meat, this recipe will work with boneless ribs, too. (And a brisket, if you must: Add an hour to the cooking time for a 4-pound brisket.)
If you are lemon-poor, oranges are can step in for that last hit of acidity and brightness. If those aren’t an option, a splash of vinegar will do the trick.
Private Notes
Comments
What happens to the papery covering of the half heads of garlic in the long braise? Are the heads still intact and removed at the end? Thanks
I made it in the slow cooker yesterday, it worked out perfectly. Followed the recipe exactly - browned the meat on the stove top, placed in the cooker, then poured the braising liquid over top, turned it on low for 8 hours. AMAZING.
For the cooks asking about the garlic papers, I watched the NYT Cooking video of Alison making this entire meal (it’s on YouTube now), and she didn’t remove them at all! She did peel the papers off of the onions but just sliced the garlic heads in half and then placed both ingredients in the Dutch oven to brown. The only thing I saw her removing from the pot at the end of cooking/reheating was fat from the short ribs. Hope this helps!
The flavors are divine, but in the end it was just too fatty for me. Maybe I should have known better. We refrigerated overnight and removed at least one half inch of fat. I think our dinner party guests enjoyed it, but I couldn't face the leftovers. My husband wouldn't eat them, so I reluctantly tossed them. I may try again with a different cut of meat.
Great recipe! I made it in Instant Pot - 1 hour at high pressure instead of putting in the oven covered for 3 hours. Skipped the last uncovered part in the oven altogether - it didn't need it. Increased the amount of broth mix to make sure the ribs are covered.
I'm making this tonight and I misunderstood the preparation of the ribs. They were cut into squares instead of longer ribs. Still unbelievably great but I did braise for a little less time. So flavorful. I adore serving a meal which can be prepared ahead of time. Great for a crowd.