Wine and Herb-Braised Short Ribs for an Elegant Holiday Dinner

Brasato al Barolo, or beef braised in Barolo wine, is a classic dish from Piedmont in northern Italy. Usually, beef is a slow-cooked roast, then sliced ​​and served like a pot roast. The cooking liquid, rich in essences of wine, beef and herbs, becomes a delicious sauce.

In this recipe from our cookbook “Milk Street 365: The Versatile Cookbook for Every Day of the Year”, we opt for bone-in beef short ribs for a more elegant version of the dish, which can be the center of a dish. holiday dinner.

The braise is named for Barolo, a deep and complex Piedmontese wine made from Nebbiolo grapes which impart generous tannins and acidity to the braising liquid. But it’s not cheap, so you might consider Barbaresco or Nebbiolo d’Alba, although any decent dry red wine will work.

The short ribs are tough at first but are well marbled; slow, gentle braising makes them succulent and tender. Look for meaty ribs cut English style (not flank) if ordering from a butcher, ideally ones that measure 4 to 5 inches in length, so that each rib is an individual serving.

Beef requires a few hours of braising, so instead of simmering on the stovetop, which requires a watchful eye and burner adjustments, we rely on the constant, even heat of the oven. Ribs don’t fit comfortably in a Dutch oven, so you’ll need a roasting pan measuring about 13 x 16 inches, as well as extra-large, heavy-duty aluminum foil to cover it.

Remember to lower the oven temperature after removing the aromatics from the oven. Aromatics brown at 475°F, but 325°F is the temperature for braising ribs. Also, when reducing the wine, do not let it simmer vigorously. Letting it reduce slowly, to just below simmering point, preserves the nuances and results in a smoother, brighter flavor.

Polenta is a traditional accompaniment to beef in Barolo, but mashed potatoes would be just as delicious.

Start to finish: 5 hours (50 minutes active)

Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms

¾ cup boiling water

4 ounces pancetta, chopped

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and chopped

2 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

2 medium celery stalks, chopped

4 medium garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

750 ml bottle of Barolo wine (see summary note)

2 cups low sodium beef broth

3 bay leaves

3 sprigs of thyme

1 large sprig of rosemary

6 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, trimmed, each 4 to 5 inches long (see reference note)

¼ cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions:

Heat oven to 475°F with rack in lower middle position. In a small bowl, combine porcini mushrooms and boiling water; Cancel. Meanwhile, in a large roasting pan, combine pancetta, oil, cremini mushrooms, onions, carrots, celery, garlic and tomato paste. Using your hands, rub the dough with the other ingredients. Roast, without stirring, until nicely browned, about 40 minutes.

While the aromatics roast, in a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the wine to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer (it should steam, with only a few bubbles occasionally breaking the surface), until reduced. to about 1½ cups, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the stock, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary. Using a fork, transfer the porcini mushrooms from their soaking liquid to the wine mixture, then pour the mushroom soaking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into the wine mixture.

When the aromatics are golden brown, remove the roasting pan from the oven; reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Bring the wine mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Place the ribs meat side down in the aromatics in the roasting pan, then add the wine mixture. Cover tightly with extra-large, heavy-duty foil; If the pan has fixed raised handles, make sure you have a good seal around the base of the handles. Transfer to the oven and cook for 3h30.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully remove the foil, allowing the steam to escape; reserve foil. Using tongs, turn each rib meaty side up. Return the pan, uncovered, to the oven and cook until a toothpick inserted into the ribs meets no resistance, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Using tongs, transfer the ribs to a platter and cover with reserved foil. Leave to rest for 20 minutes.

While the ribs rest, place a fine-mesh strainer over a large saucepan. Scrape the contents of the roasting pan into the sieve; press on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard the solids. Tilt the pan to put the liquid on one side, then use a wide spoon to skim off and discard as much fat as possible; you should have about 3 cups of defatted liquid. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium and cook until reduced to about 2½ cups, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix flour and butter until combined.

While the liquid simmers over medium-low heat, stir in the butter-flour mixture a spoonful at a time. Return to a boil and cook, whisking often, until the sauce no longer tastes starchy and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste and season with salt and pepper.

Uncover the ribs and pour in about half of the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley. Transfer remaining sauce to a serving bowl and serve on the side.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Follow the recipe for braising the ribs. When the ribs are very tender, after removing the roasting pan from the oven, turn each piece meat side down, then let cool completely. Cover the pan with the foil and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Finally, use a spoon to remove and discard the solidified fat on the surface of the braising liquid and bring to room temperature. Place the foil-lined pan in a 350°F oven until the ribs are heated through, 20 to 30 minutes. Continue the recipe by draining the cooking liquid (you will not need to degrease the liquid after draining) and prepare the sauce.

EDITOR’S NOTE: For more recipes, visit Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street at 177milkstreet.com/ap