Herbes de Provence Braised Short Rib

I am not surprised that the editors at Bon Appetit magazine declared an entire year the year of the braised short rib. For us, every year is the year of the braised short rib. I felt like doing some kind of short rib with red wine. M is eating her second bowl right now. I think next time, I'll add more tomatoes and some mini or large dice potatoes. I will also make 4 lbs instead of 1.


Herbes de Provence Braised Short Rib
Adapted from Short Ribs Provençale by Rick Rodgers, The Carefree Cook
- 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound individual short ribs (not cross-cut flanken)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/4 large onion, finely chopped (recipe also called for carrots and celery but I didn't use any)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 tsp herbes de Provence
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup hearty red wine, such as Zinfandel or Shiraz
- 1 cup beef stock, preferably homemade, or reduced-sodium chicken broth (I am a fan of the condensed broth from Trader Joe's that come in little ketchup packets)
- 1/2 diced tomatoes (I'll use a whole tomato next time)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300°F.
2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or flameproof casserole over medium-high heat (I used my 3 qt Le Creuset). Season the short ribs with the salt and pepper. In batches, without crowding, add the short ribs to the pot and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the ribs to a platter.
3. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pot. Add the onion to the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring often, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, herbes de Provence, and flour and stir until the garlic gives off its aroma, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the broth, tomatoes, and bay leaf. Return the short ribs, and any juices, to the pot. Add cold water as needed to barely reach the top of the ribs and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Cover tightly, transfer to the oven, and bake, stirring occasionally to change the position of the ribs, until the meat is falling-off-the-bone tender, about 2 1/2 hours. (for the future, during the last 15 minutes, add the baby carrots and potatoes).
5. Transfer the short ribs to a deep serving platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Skim off the fat from the surface of the cooking liquid, and discard the bay leaf. Bring remaining liquid to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is reduced to a sauce consistency, about 10 minutes (the exact time depends on the size of the pot). Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
6. Spoon the sauce with the carrots and potatoes over the ribs, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve hot.