ROOT BEER BRAISED SHORT RIBS

Root Beer Braised Short Ribs image

With gentle heat and a lot of time, short ribs become incredibly luxurious, with a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. This recipe's secret ingredient is a high-quality root beer-one brewed with real ingredients, not artificial flavors-that adds complex, herbal notes to the braising sauce.

Provided by Justin Devillier

Categories main-dish

Time 5h3m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Previous Next

Ingredients

2 medium yellow onions
2 ribs celery
2 medium carrots, peeled
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 orange
5 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, about 5?6 ribs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more as needed
1 cup tomato paste
4 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed
2 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 bottle good-quality root beer, 12 oz (355ml), preferably Abita brand
Fresh parsley, to garnish

Steps:

Dice the onions, celery, and carrots; the pieces should be about the same size. Smash the garlic cloves. Peel 4 long strips of orange rind. Set everything aside.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place short ribs on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and season all over with salt and pepper. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, heat oil over high heat. Place short ribs in an even layer, without overcrowding (you might need to work in batches). Brown on each side, about 8 minutes total. Transfer browned ribs to a baking sheet.
Reduce heat under the pot to medium. Add the diced onions, celery, carrots (a combination known as a mirepoix) and garlic to the drippings. Use a wooden spoon to stir, loosening the brown bits (fond) on the bottom of the pan. Then, sweat the vegetables until onions are translucent and have no color, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook to slightly caramelize, 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, pick thyme leaves from stems and thinly slice orange strips horizontally. Add 2 cups chicken stock, followed by thyme leaves, orange peel, Worcestershire, bay leaves, and root beer. Tuck short ribs into root beer mixture, then add 2 more cups chicken stock, just to cover; it's fine if some ribs are showing, since they'll shrink as they cook. Bring to a simmer; then cover and place in the oven for 4-4½ hours.
Check ribs after 4 hours; the meat should be very tender and pulling away from the bone. (If it needs more time, return to oven and check again after 30 minutes.) Use a strainer or slotted spoon to transfer the ribs to a wire rack fitted over a rimmed baking sheet. Strain braising liquid through a large strainer or chinois into a clean skillet. Bring strained liquid to a gentle simmer; spoon away and discard the fat from the edges of the pan. When most of the fat has been removed, bring to a boil to reduce slightly, 3-4 minutes.
Assembly: Gently place the short ribs back into the sauce and baste, to warm. Plate the ribs, ladle sauce over the top, and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.