In my holiday stocking, don’t ask me how, Ed fit in a jar of Williams-Sonoma Short Rib Braising Sauce.
I waited nearly 8 months before I pulled it out of the pantry and decided to give it a try.
I had a day of jury duty and figured this would fit the bill for my slow cooker while I was away.
Ingredients:
4 lb. beef short ribs, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin (Too much for how much sauce I had, halved the recipe and added a dozen cubed Yukon Gold potatoes instead during the last 90 minutes of cooking)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 jar (24.5 oz.) short rib braising base ($18.95!)
Small Yukon Gold potatoes
Directions:
Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Dredge the ribs in the flour and shake off the excess.
In the stovetop-safe insert of a slow cooker or in a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Working in batches, brown the short ribs on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.
If using a slow-cooker insert, return all the ribs to the insert, add the braising base and transfer the insert to the slow-cooker base. If using a fry pan, transfer the ribs to a slow cooker and add the braising base. Cover and cook on low according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the meat is tender, 6 to 7 hours.
Transfer the ribs to a plate. Skim the fat off the sauce. Set the slow-cooker insert on the stovetop.
If you used a regular slow cooker, transfer the sauce to a saucepan.
Simmer over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes. Serve the short ribs with the sauce. Serves 4 to 6.
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/braised-short-ribs2.html
I served this with a resh Express Strawberry Fields salad kit – another smart way to get peeps to eat spinach – that was a nice cool and refreshing side to the ribs. The teen liked it, the husband liked it, and I won’t bitch about the price when it comes in my next stocking!
By the way the ribs came out incredibly tender and flavorful. I think the ingredient list explains why:
Water, red Burgundy wine, balsamic vinegar, port wine, sugar, carrots, celery, canola oil, tomato paste, onion, demi-glace (veal stock [veal bones, water], roux [wheat flour, veal fat], modified food starch, mirepoix stock [carrot, celery, onion], red wine, beef stock, tomato paste, salt, celery stock, carrot stock), caramelized onion base (caramelized onions, salt, brown sugar, onion powder, yeast extract, potato flour, natural flavors), garlic, xanthan gum, spices.
