These Port Braised Short Ribs are perfect for a special dinner with someone you care about, such as for Valentine’s Day or a birthday. Every time I make these for my husband and son, they act like I handed them plates of gold. The ohh’s and ahh’s don’t stop until dinner is over. Seriously, your family will love you for making such a delicious feast for them…but they never have to know how easy this is to make, it’s our little secret.
Port Braised Short Ribs
- 4 lbs. Boneless Beef Short Ribs*
- 1/3 c. Flour
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1/2 Diced Pancetta
- 1 Large Shallot, minced
- 2-3 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1/2 c. Carrot, julienned
- 2 Tbsp. Celery, minced
- 2 c. Beef Broth
- 2 c. Port Wine
- 2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
- 2-3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 1 Bay Leaf, whole
- 3 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
- Salt and Pepper
Note: Most people make short ribs with bone-in ribs, but I find there is more meat (and less fat) using boneless country ribs. Use whatever you prefer. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash and pat dry the ribs, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a large baggie and add 4-5 ribs to the flour. Close the bag and shake well. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large (oven safe) dutch oven for about 3 minutes. Shake off the excess flour from the ribs as you remove from the baggie and add to the stock pot, cooking 3-4 minutes on each side until brown. While these ribs cook, add the remaining ribs to the flour and finish frying the remaining ribs. Be careful not to burn the ribs, but it is okay for them to get good and brown. When the ribs are done
Shake off the excess flour from the ribs as you remove from the baggie and add to the stock pot, cooking 3-4 minutes on each side until brown. While these ribs cook, add the remaining ribs to the flour and finish frying the remaining ribs. Be careful not to burn the ribs, but it is okay for them to get good and brown. When the ribs are done cooking, remove from the pan and set aside. The ribs will not be completely cooked at this point in time, just browned on the outside with a nice crust. The ribs should have created some drippings in the pan; remove all but about 2 Tbsp of the drippings. Add the pancetta and fry 2-3 minutes, then add the shallot, garlic, carrot, and celery and saute until browned.
The vegetables and pancetta should get a little bit crispy, but not burnt. Add the beef broth a little at a time, scraping up the crusted flour, vegetables, pancetta, and drippings off the bottom of the pan into the broth. Add the port wine, fresh herbs, and tomato paste and stir well. Slowly add the ribs, making sure the sauce covers most of the ribs. Place the dutch oven in the heated oven with the lid on and roast the ribs for about 3 hours. (Your house will smell heavenly while they roast.) Serve the Port Braised Short Ribs over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
