Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine Gravy

Serve 6

Ingredients:

6 lb. beef short ribs
8 thyme sprigs -fresh
8 oregano sprigs –fresh
3 bay leaves
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper to taste –freshly ground
1 Spanish onion –chopped
8 garlic cloves -smashed & peeled
2 large carrots cut into chunks
2 celery stalks cut into chunks
2-½ qt. beef stock – low sodium
1 bottle good red wine
1 x 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
½ c extra light olive oil
4 tbsp. all purpose flour
4 tbsp. butter

Directions:

Heat up the oil in a large Dutch oven. Sprinkle the beef ribs generously with salt and pepper then sear in the hot oil until browned. Work in batches so you won’t crowd the pot and transfer to a plate.

Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot, stir to coat in all the drippings and brown bits and sauté together for 10 minutes. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pot, making sure to scrape all the brown bits from the bottom. Add the diced tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme and oregano sprigs and bring to a simmer.

Add the beef ribs back to the pot, pour in the beef stock and simmer together uncovered on low flame for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and transfer into the oven.
Cook for about 3 hours or until the meat falls off the bone.

Remove the ribs from the pot and keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid and discard all the solids. Reserve 1 qt. of the liquid and set aside.

In a saucepan heat up the butter over medium flame then whisk in the flour. Cook for a few minutes until it starts to get some color then whisk in 1 qt. of the reserved liquid that the ribs have cooked in. Simmer on low flame until thickened and adjust seasonings.

Serve the ribs hot with the sauce on top and a side of mashed potatoes.