Ready for slow cooking in the oven
I have a confession. I’m really a vegetable lover. When it comes to meat, it better be savory and it better be tender! This recipe meets both requisites with ease. We are fortunate to have great resources for grass-fed beef in our area, such as Woodbridge Dairy in Byron Center, Michigan. With beef short ribs there are two different cuts available: English-Cut and Flaken-Style. When I develop recipes, the biggest challenge for me is to measure amounts to duplicate the result. I have decided that the Paleo approach is a template that each of us decides to what degree we follow. For example, wine is a beautiful meat tenderizer, the alcohol evaporates during the cooking process; so you will find dry red wine in this recipe. It is up to you whether or not you adjust for it. I also don’t use the flour often recommended during the browning process. Instead I used tapioca, which is gluten-free to help thicken the sauce. I also serve it over mashed cauliflower instead of the typical mashed potatoes, to help keep it in the Paleo realm. The result was well received. Please feel free to share your thoughts and/or adjustments for this approach.
Browned short ribs ready for the oven
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs:
4 Tbsp olive oil
4-5 lbs grass-fed bone-in English-Cut beef short ribs (about 10-12 pieces)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 celery stalks, diced
12 medium sized carrots, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 cup finely diced shallots
1 head garlic, cloves separated and thinly sliced
4 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp Aleppo chili flakes (I use Penseys)
1 cup homemade beef stock
2 cups dry red wine (whatever the cook’s drinking)
1 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup Tapioca
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 recipe cauliflower mashed potatoes (recipe follows)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 F. Dry short ribs and season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat a Dutch oven to medium-high. Add olive oil and brown all sides of beef ribs in a single layer (about 12-15 minutes total). Set a side. Repeat with the remaining ribs.
Lower heat to medium. Add celery, shallots and carrots to oil and saute for 3-5 minutes, or until shallots are soft. Add garlic and tomato paste. Stir to blend, about 2 minutes. Add Aleppo chili, thyme, bay leaves, stock, wine, and Tapioca. Bring to a simmer. Place beef ribs on top of sauce. Turn to coat. Place in oven, covered for 3-4 hours; pulling out each hour to turn ribs in their sauce. Cook until fork tender.
Put a dollop of cauliflower mashed potatoes in a shallow bowl. Top with one or two ribs, sauce and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Serves 4-6
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes:
1 head fresh cauliflower, cut into flowerettes; placed in pot with water to cover and 1 tsp salt. Bring water to boil and cook for 15 minutes
1/4 cup ghee
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Drain cauliflower and add it to the bowl in a food processor with ghee, salt and pepper. Process until smooth.
Savory and tender
“Food in the end, in our own tradition is something holy. It’s about sharing,
it’s about honesty, it’s about identity.” —Louise Fresco
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