Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

The truth is, I have always wanted to run a small boutique inn, but instead of doing it as a business, I really do it for friends and family in the mountains and at the beach.  I get the opportunity to cook for everyone, plan meals from breakfast to dinner, keep the place stocked with the latest and greatest condiments and of course supply jigsaw puzzles to commune around, comfortable beds, thick towels and good music.  It is a joy

We have been up skiing for the last two weekends and I have been cooking up a storm.  These red wine braised short ribs is a winner.  The recipe is solid and could be used with different cuts of beef.  We had these ribs with mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach with an old red wine from France.  Not a bad way to spend an evening after a full day of skiing.

• 5 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 medium onions, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, peeled, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 750 ml bottle dry red wine (preferably Cabernet Sauvignon)
• 8 sprigs thyme
• 4 sprigs oregano
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 fresh or dried bay leaves
• 4 cups low-salt beef stock

Preheat the oven to 350.  In a large Dutch oven cover the bottom with vegetable oil.  Season the short ribs and brown on both sides in the pot, set aside.

Leave only a few tablespoons of the grease in the pot, pour out the rest, and then add the carrots, onions, and celery.  Saute until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the flour and the tomato paste and mix until thoroughly mixed in, about 2 minutes.  Put the ribs and liquid that has accumulated on the plate into the pot.  Now add the entire bottle of wine.  Bring to a boil and then down to medium and let simmer and let sit 25 minutes.  The wine will boil down in half.

Put the herbs in spice bags.  I like just letting the spices seep in through the bag instead of picking them out in the end.  Add in the 4 cups of beef broth and bring to a boil, put on the lid and put in the oven, let it bake for 2 and a half hours.

Pull out the spice bags, serve on a platter or individual plates and spoon the sauce over the top.  Delish!