BEEF ESSENTIALS: BRAISED SHORT RIBS W/ MUSHROOMS

Beef Essentials: Braised Short Ribs w/ Mushrooms image

I thought I would attempt something different with these short ribs, and instead of doing the usual red wine braise, I thought of something different... A creamy mushroom sauce. When this is finished cooking, the rib meat will be fork tender, and the sauce divine. To be honest with you, the next time I do these, I think I will double the sauce. So yummy. So, you ready... Let's get into the kitchen.

Provided by Andy Anderson ! @ThePretentiousChef

Categories Beef

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

PLAN/PURCHASE
2 pound(s) beef short ribs, bone in
1 tablespoon(s) sweet butter, unsalted
1 tablespoon(s) grapeseed oil
4 ounce(s) cream cheese, room temperature
2 cup(s) chicken stock, not broth
8 ounce(s) baby bella mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed, and thickly sliced (reserve stems)
1 teaspoon(s) garlic powder
1 teaspoon(s) white pepper, freshly ground
ADDITIONAL ITEMS
- garlic mashed potatoes, for serving
- dried oregano, for garnish

Steps:

PREP/PREPARE
Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
Add the chicken stock to a pan, over medium heat.
Chopped the reserved mushroom stems, and add them to the stock.
Simmer, until the stock is reduced by half, about 20 - 25 minutes.
Strain out the mushroom stems, and reserve the stock.
Place a rack in the bottom position, and preheat the oven to 300f (150c).
Chef's Tip: I tried this dish at a couple of different temperatures, and 300f (150c) was the magic number. Too low and the ribs fail to get tender; conversely, too high and you will burn the sauce. Trust me, you do not want to burn this sauce.
Add the grapeseed oil, and sweet butter to a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
When the foaming subsides, add the short ribs.
Brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.
Remove the short ribs from the pot, and reserve.
Chef's Tip: Depending on the fat content of the short ribs, you may have more oil in the pot than needed. My suggestion would be to remove all the oil, and add back 3 tablespoons to the pot.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the sliced mushrooms.
Sauté until the mushrooms are softened, and release their moisture, about 8 - 10 minutes.
Chef's Note: While the mushrooms are cooking, use a wooden spoon to scrape up those yummy fonds that have accumulated on the bottom of the pan.
Add the reserved chicken stock to the pot, and use a wooden spoon to dissolve any additional fonds that might remain on the bottom of the pot.
Add the cream cheese, garlic, and pepper, to the pot.
Stir to combine.
Return the short ribs to the pot.
Cover and place into the preheated oven for 2.5 hours.
Remove the ribs from the pot, and allow it to stand for 5 minutes, then use a ladle or spoon, to remove all the fat that has risen to the top.
PLATE/PRESENT
Remove the meat from the bones (or leave the bones in for a rustic appearance), place on top of a big pile of mash taters, ladle some of the sauce on top, and garnish with a sprinkle of dried oregano. Enjoy.
Keep the faith, and keep cooking.