Wild Prime Beef Short Ribs Recipe

Season and Sear

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat short ribs dry with paper towels. Season all over with 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Lightly dust each rib with 2 tbs flour, shaking off excess. In a large Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot, heat 2 tbs neutral oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add short ribs in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and sear 3–4 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer seared ribs to a plate.

Sauté Aromatics

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

Deglaze and Build Braising Liquid

Pour in 1 cup dry red wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Allow wine to reduce by about half (2–3 minutes). Add 3 cups low-sodium beef stock and 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce. Return short ribs to the pot so they sit partially submerged in liquid. Add 3 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 bay leaf.

Braise

Bring liquid to a gentle simmer on the stovetop. Cover pot with lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, about 2.5 to 3 hours. Check once at 1.5–2 hours to ensure liquid is simmering gently; add a splash of stock if liquid gets too low.

Rest and Strain Jus

Carefully remove pot from the oven. Transfer short ribs to a sheet tray and tent loosely with foil to rest. Strain braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing on solids to extract flavor; discard solids. Skim excess fat from the surface with a spoon or use a fat separator. Reserve at least 1/2 cup of strained jus for the drizzle. If jus is thin, reduce over medium-high heat until slightly syrupy, about 6–10 minutes. Keep warm.

While the ribs are braising (or during the last 30–40 minutes), place peeled and cut Yukon gold potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, 15–18 minutes. Drain well and return to the hot pot for 1 minute to evaporate residual moisture.

Mash potatoes using a potato masher or ricer until smooth. Add 3 tbs unsalted butter and 1 cup warmed whole milk (and 2 tbs cream if using). Stir until silky and fully combined. Season to taste with 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper and additional salt if needed. Keep warm until plating.

Finish Jus: With reserved 1/2 cup braising jus in a small saucepan, add 1 tbs unsalted butter and heat over low–medium heat, whisking until butter is incorporated and sauce is glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt if necessary. If sauce needs more body, simmer 1–2 minutes to reduce further.

Plate: Spoon a generous portion of mashed potatoes onto each plate. Place a rested short rib on top (or beside) the potatoes. Spoon the warm glossy jus over the short rib and a little onto the potatoes. Sprinkle 1 tbs chopped fresh parsley over the dish and finish with a light dusting of coarse sea salt (about 1/4 tsp) if desired.

Serve immediately while hot.