Eating In: Braised Short Ribs
OK, we promise. This will be our last braise of the winter season. With the relatively warm weather we've had, one might think that our Dutch ovens have gone into hibernation until next year. But as with death, taxes, and Marion Barry's cocaine use, another cold snap is inevitable. What's more, DCist is willing to bet that a few of our readers received some porcelain-enameled steel in their stockings over the holidays. So, when we encountered the Guinness-braised short ribs at Jackie's Restaurant, we knew we'd found our inspiration for the perfect recipe with which to break in those new Dutch ovens.
Paired with thick-cut steak fries, this classic is given a simple and hearty interpretation at the Silver Spring venue. But don’t let that stop you from giving your braise a more elegant touch. Finishing your sauce with a gremolata (a blend of anchovies, lemon zest, garlic and parsley) adds brightness and earthiness to an already robust sauce. Sweetened with apples and cream, a celery root puree rounds out the flavors perfectly and becomes less of a side and more of a condiment. With this dish in your repertoire, you’ll be ready when the winter chill returns.
Shopping List
8 beef short ribs on the bone
parsley
butter
flour
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
leeks (enough for 2/3 cup, diced)
carrots (enough for 1/2 cup, diced)
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 Guinness Draught bottle
chicken stock
1 celery root
1 Gala apple
1/2 pint heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 lemon
1 anchovy
chives (optional for garnish)
What to Do
Preheat your oven to 275 degrees.
Start by dredging the ribs lightly in flour and browning them on all sides in a well heated Dutch oven. Be sure to work in two batches to guard against crowding, which would reduce the heat in your pan and thus turn a nice brown crust completely soggy. You’ll notice a bit of the flour collecting in the oil as you go. Watch it carefully. If it turns as brown as a dirty penny, you’re well on your way to making roux -- a fat and flour mixture that will give your final sauce body. If it darkens too much, you’ll end up with a bitter flavor -- a potential problem that you can cure early on by lowering the heat and moving your ribs to new locations on the pan.
If you’re a good multi-tasker, you should dice your vegetables while the ribs brown. You’ll need 1/2 cup of diced carrots, 2/3 cup of diced leeks and half of the onion (diced, of course). Check out our picture for an appropriate size. Also give 3 cloves of garlic a good whack with your knife and peel. When the ribs are done, remove them from the pan, and dump off all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat. Add the vegetables and garlic to the pan, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add a bay leaf, two sprigs of thyme, and 1/4 cup of chopped parsley. Stir, and cook for another minute before pouring in a bottle of Guinness Draught.
Stir more and scrape up any bits that are stuck to the bottom. Bring the mixture up to a simmer. With tongs, return the ribs back to the pan and move them from side to side to nestle them in the vegetables and against the bottom of the pan. Add enough chicken stock to cover the ribs. Place in the oven covered for 3-4 hours or until the ribs are very tender.
After your ribs hit the oven, you should start your celery root puree. It only takes an hour, but keeps well if it’s covered. And why not give yourself some time to enjoy those five other Guinness Draughts you purchased?
Peel the celery root and cut into 1-inch chunks. Do the same with the apple while removing the core. Dice the other half of the onion. Place the diced celery root, apple, and onion in a pan over low heat with 4 tablespoons of butter. Cook for 45-60 minutes or until very tender. Puree mixture in a food processor for 2 minutes until smooth, and return the mixture to the pan. Whisk in a half pint of heavy cream, and 1/4 cup of grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and taste for seasoning. If necessary, add salt and/or white pepper.
Make a gremolata by mincing together 1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley leaves, the zest from half a lemon, half a garlic clove, and an anchovy.
When the ribs are tender, move them to a plate and cover them to keep them warm. Then, strain the sauce, discarding the vegetables. Skim the fat from the top of the sauce. (A tall thin container makes this easier; a gravy separator makes it a cinch.) Reduce the sauce over low heat for 5-10 minutes and stir in the gremolata. Cook another minute before finishing by adding a small pat of butter off the heat.
Plate the short ribs next to a healthy dollop of celery root puree. Spoon an ample quantity of the sauce over the ribs garnish with freshly chopped chives or parsley, if you like. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.