Balsamic Beef Short Ribs

---

Winter seems to have a firm grip here on the wet West Coast, and wet weather makes me crave warm comfort food! This is so good it could become your Sunday special in the winter. A braising dish cannot be hurried, so make sure you allow enough time for the ribs to simmer gently and I recommend doubling this one and freezing what you don’t need for a quick and easy go-to mid-week meal. Serve with simple mashed potatoes, polenta, or quinoa salad – anything that can soak up all the yummy goodness of the braising sauce! Have your butcher cut the ribs to the right length if they’re too long.

Makes 6 servings

3 lb beef short ribs, in 1 3/4-inch lengths

4 tbsp olive oil

1 cup coarsely chopped onions

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup coarsely chopped carrots

2 cups dry red wine

1 cup balsamic vinegar

4 cups beef stock

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Trim off and discard excess fat from the short ribs. Sprinkle both sides with salt and white pepper.

Divide half of the oil between 2 large skillets and heat over medium-high heat. Divide the ribs between the 2 pans (or sear them in batches in one pan) and sear until brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a platter and set aside. Pour off all but 1 tbsp fat from one of the pans and decrease heat to medium; cook the onions, garlic and carrots until caramelized and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan. Add the wine and balsamic vinegar to the pan and deglaze, stirring to release the caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan.

Pour the wine mixture and the stock into a large roasting pan; add the ribs, caramelized onions, carrots, thyme and bay leaf. Cover and roast in the oven until meat is very tender, 3 to 4 hours. Remove ribs, reserving liquid, and keep warm in low oven. In a large shallow saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce the reserved liquid until it coats the back of a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes.