Sensational Short Ribs

Want a simple, succulent beef short ribs recipe, but not sure how to go about it? No worries, here are easy step by step instructions.

Ingredients:

5 lbs. meaty short ribs

Flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

Canola or vegetable oil, for searing ribs

Onions, carrots, celery

12 – 14 oz. can tomato paste

Bottle Cabernet Sauvignon, or your favorite dry red wine

Good quality beef base, made into stock

Rinsing the ribs

First give those lovely ribs a good rinsing.
Pat dry with a kitchen towel and dredge
each rib in the seasoned flour.

      Dredging in seasoned flour

In a large saute pan, begin searing the ribs. Do this in several small batches so the pan isn't crowded. Put each batch into a large pan until all the ribs are nicely browned on all sides.

Pan-searing the ribs

The mirepoix

Now for the mirepoix: peel several onions and carrots, and along with the celery stalks, cut up into large diced pieces. In the same pan your ribs were in, begin sautéing the onions. 

Pourin' in the wine...

As soon as they are translucent,

add the carrots and the celery. 

Season with salt and pepper and 

sauté for a few minutes. 

At this point, add your can of tomato paste. Stir that in and let it get incorporated into the mirepoix. 

Then deglaze your pan with 12 oz. 

or more of your dry red wine. 

Cook off the alcohol for a 

few minutes.

Close-up of ribs in beef broth and mirepoix

Pour the contents of the mirepoix pan over your ribs. Then add just enough beef stock to barely cover the ribs. This may be a few cups

 to a quart, depending on your pan

 and the amount of ribs you have. 

Foiled again...

Now, cover your pan with tin foil 

and carefully place in a heated 325˚ oven. You’ll want to cook 

the ribs low and slow. This takes between 2 – 3 hours. You’ll know the ribs are done if you can twist the bone around inside a rib. This means that the meat is nice and tender. If you try this technique 

be very, very careful not to burn yourself in the process!

At this point, take your ribs and set them aside on a clean plate. In a colander over a saucepan, drain off the braising liquid. You can either toss the veggies or keep them as part of the plating, as you wish. As for the liquid, add a little cornstarch slurry (a few tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with cold water) and bring it to a boil while whisking to make a fantastically flavored gravy.

Then simply serve your short ribs alongside whatever sides you like. This succulent entree pairs quite well with either polenta or mashed potatoes and your favorite green veggie. 

Some nice crunchy rolls help to sop up the lovely gravy.

This may seem like a lot of steps, but it is well worth the time and effort to make. Especially if you can find the ribs on sale! Bon appetite!

Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallow and Praline Streusel Topping

For the praline topping:

1 cup flour

2/3 c brown sugar

1/4 c chopped pecans, toasted

1/4 c melted butter

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Bag mini-marshmallows

4 medium (2 1/2 lbs.) peeled & halved fresh yams    
or 1 large can sweet potatoes

1/2 c sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 large egg white

1 5 oz. can evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first 5 ingredients together to form a streusel. Set aside.

If using fresh yams boil until just tender, drain & mash. If not, mash a drained can of sweet potatoes. Stir 1 cup streusel, sugar, vanilla, egg white and milk to the mashed sweet potatoes. 

Spread sweet potatoes in a single layer into a greased 2 quart casserole. Alternate rows on top of casserole with remaining streusel and mini marshmallows. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until marshmallows are nicely toasted.

Custard-Filled Cornbread

This side dish is my most requested "must have" dish every year. I'm including two pics from last year's Thanksgiving: one of the finished cornbread and another close up shot of my Thanksgiving plate with a little slice 'o heaven.

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup yellow cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

3 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups milk, warmed or at room temperature

1½ tablespoons white vinegar

1 cup heavy cream, warmed or at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350° degrees.

Butter an 8-inch square or a round casserole baking dish, and place it in the hot oven while preparing the batter.

Stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and baking soda.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and the melted butter until well-blended. Add the sugar, salt, milk and vinegar and beat well. Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture just until the batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into the heated dish. Pour the heavy cream into the center of the batter. Do not stir. Check the cornbread after 45 minutes. It is done when the top becomes lightly browned.

Thanksgiving plate closeup. Cornbread is on the top left.
See the custard glistening in the center of the cornbread?
Ooo la la!

Serve warm.

Yield: 1 cornbread casserole