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Recipes Nugget Markets Signature Recipes

Beef Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine

Prep time
45 minutes PT45M
Cook time
3–4 hours PT4H
Yield
4–6 servings
Difficulty
2 out of 5 on the difficulty scale
Beef Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine Nugget Markets signature recipes

Enjoy tender braised short ribs served over creamy polenta for a delicious combination of flavors and textures. 

Ingredients

Short Ribs:

  • 4 pounds bone-in short ribs, 2–3 inches thick
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 3 ribs celery, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 bottle (750 mL) dry red wine
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 strip orange peel

Polenta:

  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • ¾ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
  • ¼ cup polenta
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chiffonade

Gremolata:

  • 1 small bunch Italian parsley, washed and leaves chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Zest of 2 lemons

Preparation

Season short ribs liberally with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large enameled Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the meat on all sides until browned and crusty, about 4 minutes per side. Set aside.

Pour off drippings, reserve 3 tablespoons and add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook over medium heat, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add tomato paste, cook for 5 minutes, then add wine and deglaze.

Add thyme and chicken stock, bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat down to low. Add short ribs, including any accumulated juices, back to the Dutch oven. Cover with the lid ajar and cook on low, or in a 300°F oven on the center rack.

After 2 hours, add orange peel and allow to cook for another ½–1 hour, until meat is tender. Transfer meat to a sheet pan and discard the bones.

Strain sauce into a heatproof bowl, and skim off as much fat as possible. Pour sauce into another pot and reduce down to 2 cups over high heat.

For the polenta, bring milk, water, salt and white pepper to a rolling boil. Add the polenta and whisk vigorously on high heat until it begins to thicken. The longer you are able to cook the polenta on high, the creamier it will be when finished. 

When the polenta just starts to stick to the bottom of the pot, reduce the heat to very low and cover. Stir every 5–10 minutes, scraping the bottom to prevent sticking, for approximately 35–45 minutes, or until polenta is tender and no longer grainy. Whisk in the Parmesan cheese, butter and parsley and reserve warm.

For the gremolata, combine parsley, garlic and lemon zest in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Set aside. 

To finish the meat, preheat broiler. Broil meat on a sheet pan until glazed and sizzling, about 10 minutes, turning once or twice.

Serve short ribs and polenta in a shallow bowl or pasta dish, finished with a drizzle of sauce and a sprinkle of gremolata. 

Techniques used in this recipe:

braise
braise: a cooking method in which the main item, usually meat, is seared in fat, then simmered in stock or another liquid in a covered vessel.
deglaze
deglaze: to use a liquid, such as wine, water, or stock, to dissolve food particles and/or caramelized drippings left in a pan after roasting or sauteing.

Pair with

  • Shiraz

    This leading red grape of Australia, much like the French Syrah, makes seductive, mouthfilling wines filled with fruit flavors. Shiraz is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon.

  • Zinfandel

    Zinfandel is a mouthfilling, dry red wine packed with jammy blackberry, boysenberry and plummy fruit flavors. It can be quite thick, chewy and extremely dark in color.

  • Tempranillo

    Spain's most famous grape! Produces a refined wine that bursts with cherries when young. It is typically aged for two years or more, at which point Tempranillo takes on an earthy, sweet vanillan flavor.