Boneless Short Ribs Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.

Dredge and sear

Lightly dredge the seasoned short ribs in the flour, shaking off excess. Heat a large Dutch oven or ovenproof heavy pot over medium-high heat and add 2 tbs vegetable oil. When oil is shimmering, brown the short ribs in batches (2–3 minutes per side) until a deep mahogany crust forms. Transfer browned ribs to a plate and set aside.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped onion, carrots and celery to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add the smashed garlic and tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until tomato paste darkens and becomes fragrant.

Deglaze & assemble for braise

Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Simmer until wine is reduced by roughly half, 3–4 minutes. Return the short ribs to the pot. Add the beef stock, bay leaf and thyme. The liquid should come about two-thirds up the sides of the ribs; add a touch more stock or water if needed.

Braise low and slow

Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover the pot and move to the preheated oven. Braise until the short ribs are fork-tender, 2.5 to 3 hours. Check once at 1.5 hours to ensure there is still sufficient liquid; add a little hot stock or water if necessary.

Rest and reserve juices

When tender, remove the pot from the oven. Transfer the short ribs to a tray and tent loosely with foil to rest. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing on solids to extract juices. Reserve 1 cup of the strained braising liquid for the demi-glace and keep any additional liquid for serving if desired.

While short ribs are braising (about 30–40 minutes before they finish), place the peeled and cut potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until fork-tender, 15–18 minutes. Drain well and return to the pot.

Mash the potatoes with 2 tbs butter, warmed milk, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy. Keep warm and cover until plating.

Trim woody ends and toss asparagus tips with 1 tsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper. In a skillet over medium-high heat or in a 425°F oven, cook for 3–5 minutes until bright green and just tender. If using a skillet, sauté for 2–3 minutes, shaking the pan so tips char slightly but remain crisp-tender. Keep warm.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tbs of the butter. Add the minced shallot and sliced mushrooms and sauté until softened and golden, about 4–5 minutes. Add the diced roasted red pepper and cook 1 minute more.

Pour in the reserved 1 cup strained braising liquid and 1/2 cup demi-glace (or concentrated beef stock). Bring to a simmer and reduce gently until slightly thickened and coating the back of a spoon, 6–10 minutes.

Whisk in the remaining 1 tbs butter and 1 tsp red wine vinegar to finish, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped parsley. If the sauce is too thin, continue to reduce; if too thick, add a splash of beef stock.

Slice or portion the rested short ribs as desired. Place a generous scoop of mashed potatoes in the center of each plate, arrange asparagus tips alongside, and place the short ribs on top or beside the potatoes.

Spoon the roasted vegetable demi-glace over the short ribs and a little onto the potatoes. Dot with extra butter on the sauce if desired and sprinkle chopped chives or parsley over the dish for garnish.

Serve immediately. Estimated leftovers: keep remaining braising liquid refrigerated for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.