Friday, January 15, 2010

Sherry Braised Beef Short Ribs – Stick a Fork in Them, They Might Be Done

Sticky, succulent beef short ribs are such a favorite of mine, and I when I realized I'd only done a couple other previous videos with them, one recipe way back when I still used a tiny web cam taped to the spice rack, I decided to film this version, which is going in the cookbook.

The video doesn't need a lot of set-up. Beef short ribs are pretty much foolproof, and as long as two things happen, you are in for some very fine eats. First, the beef must be really well browned – I'm talking deep, dark, crusty, and caramelized.

To this end I use a separate, very heavy duty, super thick, copper-bottomed pan on high heat. You can, and I have many times, simply brown in the Dutch oven itself, but they're generally thinner than a skillet, and not as easy to keep on high heat for prolong periods without scorching.

The other key step is easier. To paraphrase an expression you'll probably hear watching football this weekend, "Stick a fork in them, they're done." Just braise them until they're fork-tender. After browning properly, the only way to mess these up is to undercook them, so don't.

If you watch carefully, you'll actually see in the shot where I test them with the fork, they're a little "bouncy," and not quite there, so I put them back in for another 20 minutes. Once done, your patience will be well rewarded. Enjoy!

Tech note: the quality of these movies is poor until they are completely finished processings, so if they look low res, check back later to enjoy the sheer visual ecstasy that is HD video!





Ingredients:
4 slices bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces

salt and fresh ground black pepper as needed
3 1/2 pounds beef short ribs
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp flour
1 cup dry sherry wine
1 quart beef broth or veal stock
6 springs of thyme, picked
1 bay leaf

47 comments:

Luatica said...

For the awful weather we have been having in France, this kind of dish seems to be the right thing. Plus I like the technique, not too complicated and it delivers. Now I'll go drool around my house.

blogagog said...

This looks like the perfect winter food.

JimmerSD said...

Yummm! Can't wait to try!

blogagog said...

Chef, what is your opinion on using those beef granules (kind of like bullion) as a replacement for beef broth? Would you sign off on food made with it?

My wife thinks the stuff is disgusting, but I think it tastes great and takes up much less space.

Chef John said...

i mush prefer the Kitchen Basic brand broths, or Trader Joes, but i've used dry before. If it's not too high salt they work, otherwise no.

Chris K. said...

Dammit Chef! I need a calendar to plan my dinner menus, because you keep posting recipes I am compelled to try! Curse you!

I have a batch of demi-glace in the freezer that's begging to be included in this dish. Can you hear its plaintive cry? No? Trust me. It's wailing.

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

I just made short ribs last week - they were soooooooo delicious! I'll have to give your sherry version a try next time.

:)
ButterYum
PS - you're very funny.

Anonymous said...

I made this recipe before the hi-res version came out, and it was delicious even then.

I am inspired to cook some of these delicious short ribs for my parents very soon, as they have yet to experience the succulence.

Unknown said...

All I gotta say is...

http://popup.lala.com/popup/360569449464814290

Anonymous said...

Chef Jon,

Thank you for another great dish. Can I use turkey bacon instead of pork bacon? What could I use instead of sherry wine that doesn't have alcohol in it? Thanks!

Scott said...

Chef John. What sauce did you put on the ribs. In the final picture it looks like there is something on them that you added? This true? If so, please do tell...

Scott

Chef John said...

just the sauce from the pot

Unknown said...

Chef John,
As a recently diagnosed diabetic, I have to part with mushed potatoes (higect glycemic index) and it hurts me as I realy, realy love it. I have tried mashed caluflower but they always come out bland compared to the real stuff. Do you have any suggestions how to improwe them (unfortunatley I can't mix them with potatos as in one of your recommendations)

Big Canadian fan,
Izo

Chef John said...

mash with white beans maybe?

Sigve said...

Are those short ribs what you'd call an "English cut", i.e. completely boneless pieces cut from the rib? Just trying to figure out what to ask for when shopping meat for this dish, as it wouldn't be called "short ribs" here. Thanks!

Jrat06 said...

Looking forward to making these tonight :D

Chef John said...

no, these are just regular short ribs, not the boneless ones (btw, the dead giveaway is the bones sticking out of the beef in the photo ;-)

Cookin' Canuck said...

Fabulous written directions and video! These look positively succulent and delicious.

startcooking said...

This recipe looks FABULOUS!
Your video and directions are perfect.
Can't wait to give this recipe a try.
Cheers,
Kathy Maister

Rose and Ace said...

Hmmm... it's in the oven right now... we can't wait!!!

Dan Reilly said...

Chef John, always wanted to cook short ribs and am tonight. Was tempted to cheap out on Sherry, because I have never cooked/drank the stuff, but decided to do it right so am going to buy a bottle right now.

How long can you keep a open bottle kicking around and are there any alternatives for this dish?

Thanks

Chef John said...

some use marsala. It should keep a very long time, years.

javier said...

Chef John, great recipe, thank you. And I'm glad I drink everything except cooking sherry! I guess I should be just fine.

sherry wine said...

Really great, we can use for both drinking and also for cooking. Thanks

Sarah said...

I've been wanting to make this recipe for months and finally got around to it last night. I also added a carton of sliced baby Portabellos to the mix for some extra veggies. SO GOOD!!!

Erin Anne Beirne said...

Going to get them going during the Canuxks-Black Hawks game, just underway. Looks delicious, and like it'll be the perfect dish to have simmering in the background while we cheer for our boys!

:-)

ea/

Anonymous said...

Yummy! Made the sherry wine braised short ribs today, loved it. Thanks for all the videos :)

I took a pic of the dish:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmgoodies/5992141677/in/photostream

Anonymous said...

Chef John,

I've cooked this recipe before (Yummo!) and was wondering if it would work to use pork spare ribs rather than beef short ribs. My sister thought she had short ribs in her freezer so I bought the stiff for the recipe, but now it turns out they are spare ribs.

Chef John said...

Give it a try. How bad can it be? :-)

Unknown said...

Hi Chef John,

Thanks so much for this recipe. Quick question: I don't have access to veal stock today but do have access to demi glace (made from a local butcher). Can I use this by diluting it with water? or will this make the finished product less 'good'?

Also, no sherry; dry red wine.

Thanks again

Unknown said...

Hi Chef John,
I'm planning on making this dish today or tomorrow but I don't have access veal stock - I do, however, have access to demi glace (made from a local butcher). Can I use this diluted with water, or will this make the dish less 'good'?
Also, no sherry - will use dry red wine.

Thanks again.
John

Chef John said...

Yes, you can use water, and then add enough demi to taste for a rich stock.

Also, the Sherry is there for some sweetness, so a dry red is not a great substitute. I'd use a white wine instead.

Anonymous said...

Chef John,
I want to make this for Valentine's Day but do not have a dutch oven and will be out of my house for the 4-5 hours before dinner.

1) can I use a pot with a lid in the oven instead, and

2) can I cook it in the oven for 4-5 hours instead- if so, what temperature should it be at?

Thanks so much for any help you can give in advance!!!

OraWellness said...

You're a funny guy chef. thank you for your wonderful recipes. Ox tail stew and this short rib one are my favorite so far!

Jersey Girl said...

I have made this on so many occasions and every single time, it's perfect! Love these short ribs! They smell up th whole house! My family loves them and they are fool-proof! Thanks Chef John!

Unknown said...

This was and amazing recipe like most of Chef John's are. I used a cup of Marsala wine that had been hanging around the kitchen for years. I was glad to finally get rid of it and this was the perfect place for it. I'll be making these ribs again soon.

4welschenbachs said...

This is wonderful! I thought it was easy to prepare and tasted like it took all day! Thanks so much!

Unknown said...

What if I don't have a Dutch oven (that is now on my list) how long/temp should I do these in the crockpot?

Thanks!

- Katie

Chef John said...

Can't give a time, but simply cook on low until fork tender!

hkjm said...

Hi Chef John....I made these last night & they were AHH-MAZING!! I've never made beef short ribs before and they were VERY fatty...are beef shor ribs known to be fatty or should I be pickier when selecting at the market? Should I try to cut off fat before cooking?? Thanks! Love your videos!!

Chef John said...

They are a fatty cut, but not too fatty. Not sure what yours looked like. You don't trim off usually though.

Unknown said...

My husband and I made these with your Twice Baked Potatoes last night. Wish I could send you a picture! It was delicious and beautiful! Thank you, Chef John! We love your videos!

Meems said...

I'm so happy I found this website!

Just curious about the SHERRY---there are so many out there! (dry, etc.). Is there a "go to" brand/type that you use?

Anyone?

Kilyena said...

Absolutely fabulous! We had some short ribs and needed a recipe for them and this really fit the bill! Chef John never ceases to amaze me with his delicious recipes. I did 50% the gravy/sauce (had 4 1/2 lbs. short ribs) because I wanted to make sure we had enough for mashed potatoes and leftovers and I'm so glad I did. The gravy stands alone in it's own right, having left over gravy only makes for delicious next day over rice/pasta/mashed potatoes. Of course we will be making this again! Bravo Chef John, bravo! - You know you're killing me right??

Unknown said...

Delicious as usual Chef John. I used dry white wine instead of dry sherry wine and it was amazing.

Unknown said...

Would it be a crime to use boneless short ribs here?

Unknown said...

In the off chance that you're reading this Chef John... I just made this with just 2 short ribs, and it was amazing. Really great! But now I have a ton of the sauce left. My original idea was to use the leftover sauce as a beef broth base to use for your French onion soup recipe (because I once made the best French onion soup ever from the braising liquid from a chuck roast), but this sauce is much more gravy-like and thick than I thought it would be (the flour). Also, there's other flavors from the bacon as well.

In your opinion, is there anything I can do (just strain and dilute with water?) to turn this into something I could use as a soup base, or am I going to have to make a bunch of chicken fried steak and schnitzel to use this great stuff up?