Balsamic and Beer-Braised Short Ribs

This recipe from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook is amazing- the sauce is rich and delicious and the meat just falls off the bones. I made them on a Sunday afternoon and refrigerated them that night so that I all I had to do was just heat them up for dinner on Monday after my daughter's softball game- so fun to have a yummy meal ready to go on a weeknight! This would be a great dish to serve for company as well.

Baslamic and Beer-Braised Short Ribs

5 punds bone-in short ribs

kosher salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large red onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 bottles dark beer (I used Guinness)

2-3 cups beef stock

Season the ribs generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, brown short ribs on all sides, in batches. Transfer browned ribs to a plate and repeat with remaining ribs.

Preheat oven to 325°. Turn heat down to medium and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil and fat.  Add onion, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened and a little bit brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic cloves, saute 3 more minutes. Add tomato paste and cook a few more minutes, then add vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and beer, scraping bits off the bottom of pot. Return browned ribs to the pot, with the meatiest sides facedown. Add enough beef stock just to cover the ribs. Bring liquid to simmer, cover pot tightly with foil and then a lid. 

Bake for up to 3 hours or until meat can be easily pierced with a knife or pieces can be torn back with a fork. I baked mine for 3 hours and I think it was a little too long... I should have checked it at 2 to 2 1/2 hours, because I think how long you cook the ribs depends on how thick they are- mine were not that thick.

Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes, uncovered. Skim as much fat off top as you can. Serve them hot or you can refrigerate  them in the pot after they had cooled. The next day remove the ribs from sauce and spread them out on a large baking sheet and bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Serve with heated sauce.

I served them with creamy polenta and steamed green beans, but mashed potatoes would be yummy as well. Enjoy!