Braised Beef Short Ribs Polenta (Printable)
Slow-cooked beef short ribs with velvety polenta, infused with herbs and red wine.
# What You’ll Need:
→ For the Braised Beef Short Ribs
01 - 4 bone-in beef short ribs (about 2.5-3 lbs total)
02 - 1½ tsp kosher salt
03 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
06 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 2 cups dry red wine
11 - 2 cups beef stock
12 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme
13 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
14 - 2 bay leaves
→ For the Creamy Polenta
15 - 4 cups water
16 - 1 cup coarse cornmeal (polenta)
17 - 1 tsp salt
18 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
19 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
20 - ½ cup whole milk (or heavy cream)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
02 - Pat short ribs dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
03 - In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear short ribs on all sides until deeply browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from pot and set aside.
04 - Add onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
05 - Pour in red wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes to reduce slightly.
06 - Add beef stock, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs, and bay leaves. Return short ribs to the pot, ensuring liquid nearly covers the meat.
07 - Bring to a simmer, cover tightly, and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2 to 2½ hours until ribs are very tender and falling off the bone.
08 - When ribs are almost done, bring 4 cups water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Slowly whisk in polenta, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
09 - Reduce heat to low and cook polenta, stirring often, for 25-30 minutes until thick and creamy.
10 - Stir in butter, Parmesan cheese, and milk. Adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed.
11 - Remove short ribs from oven. Discard herb sprigs and bay leaves. Skim excess fat from the sauce surface if desired. Serve short ribs over creamy polenta, spooning sauce generously over the top.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The red wine transforms into an impossibly rich sauce that somehow tastes even better the next day
- Falling-off-the-bone tender meat that practically melts into the creamy polenta underneath
02 -
- Patting the meat completely dry before searing is the difference between a proper crust and steamed gray meat
- The sauce will look thin right when you take it out of the oven but it thickens beautifully after you skim the fat
03 -
- A splash of balsamic vinegar in the sauce during the last 10 minutes adds bright acidity that wakes up the whole dish
- Letting the polenta rest for 5 minutes off the heat helps it set up into that perfectly creamy consistency