braised short ribs

so husband's back in town and tonight we're having braised short ribs. i say "we" liberally, because it's only the boys. i don't eat ribs, short or any other variety. this meal seems fancy and not in league with these easy-no-stress meals for the kids, but just wait and see. wait and see my friends.

i got this recipe from the pioneer woman, who's cooking style i appreciate because she makes no apologies for the use of butter, fat, and carbs. i'm also a visual learner and she takes tons of pictures to accompany her recipe.

after i put the boys down, i do my usual "i'm free for 2 hours!" stuff. then an hour before they wake up, i start prepping and cooking. i prepare everything before the le crueset has to go into the oven.

when the boys wake up, i pop the dutch oven into the oven for the almost 3 hours the recipe calls for and by the time it's time for the boys to eat dinner, the short ribs are done.

i shred the meat, mix it in a bowl of rice (which i always have on hand) with some of the au jus, dice up some steamed veggies (usually carrots) and done.

and then i keep the dutch oven warm until it's time for the adults to eat. for mark, i don't shred and mix with rice. i just plate it on a bed of some veggies (usuallymashed potatoes, but tonight haricot verts) and pour the au just over it all. as for me, i'll have a salad with some greens.

see? a nice "fancy" meal made without the fuss of having to simultaneously cook and tend to the kids.

ingredients:

8 whole beef short ribs

1/4 cup flour

6 pieces of pancetta diced (or bacon)

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 shallots, minced

2 cups red or white wine (i use red)

2 cups chicken or beef broth (i use chicken because i have some homemade in the freezer)

2 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary (if i don't have, i use the dried variety)

salt & peper

olive oil

preparation:

salt and pepper ribs, dredge in flour, set aside

in dutch oven, cook pancetta until crispy and all fat is rendered. remove pancetta.

add olive oil to pan with pancetta fat and raise heat to high. brown ribs on all sides. set aside. turn heat to medium.

add onions, carrots and shallots to pan and cook for 2 minutes. pour in wine and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan. bring to boil and cook for 2 minutes.

add broth, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and lots of pepper. add ribs to liquid (theyshould be almost completely submerged) and add thyme and rosemary on top of it all.

[this is where i take a break and attend to the sleepy head boys]

put the lid on the dutch oven and place into the oven. cook at 350 for 2 hours and then reduce head to 325 and cook for an additional 30-45 minutes. ribs should be falling off the bone. remove pan from oven and allow to sit for 20 minutes before serving. skim fat off the top of the liquid.

all done! a delicious and warming meal for my favorite boys.

ps: leftovers are great!