Jul 09 2026
RestaurantsThe MonicaShort Rib Dip Recipe

Short Rib Dip Recipe

Inspired by The Monica
Time4h
Serves4

beef short rib, melted three cheese, onion & mushroom duxelles, & rosemary ancho au' jus

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Short Ribs (braise)

Method

Short Ribs (braise)

  1. 1

    Prep and season

    Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels. Season all sides generously with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly dredge each piece in the all-purpose flour, shaking off excess.

  2. 2

    Brown the ribs

    Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and when shimmering, brown the short ribs in batches, 3–4 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer browned ribs to a plate and set aside.

  3. 3

    Sweat the vegetables

    Reduce heat to medium. Add the roughly chopped yellow onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and cook in the fat left behind, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add the smashed garlic and cook 30 seconds more.

  4. 4

    Build the braising liquid

    Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes until it darkens slightly. Pour in the dry red wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the wine by about half (2–3 minutes), then add the beef stock, bay leaves, and the fresh thyme sprigs. Return the short ribs and any collected juices to the pot so the ribs are partially submerged.

  5. 5

    Braise

    Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover and transfer to a 325°F (160°C) oven. Braise until the meat is very tender and falling from the bone, about 2.5–3 hours. Check at 2 hours and baste once if desired.

  6. 6

    Finish and reserve liquid

    Remove the pot from the oven. Transfer the short ribs to a tray to cool slightly. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the braising liquid into a heatproof bowl or measuring cup; reserve 2 cups of the strained liquid for the au jus (chill or skim fat if necessary) and keep the rest for another use. When cool enough to handle, remove bones and shred the short rib meat into bite-size pieces, discarding excess fat and connective tissue. Taste the shredded meat and season lightly with salt and pepper if needed.

Onion & Mushroom Duxelles

  1. 7

    Prepare aromatics

    Finely dice the medium yellow onion and the shallot. Clean and finely chop the cremini mushrooms (a food processor pulse works well — aim for a coarse mince).

  2. 8

    Cook the duxelles

    In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the 3 tbsp unsalted butter. Add the diced onion and shallot and cook until translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms release their moisture and then evaporate it, and the mixture becomes paste-like and lightly browned, about 10–12 minutes. Stir in the chopped thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Rosemary-Ancho Au Jus

  1. 9

    Build the au jus

    Pour the reserved 2 cups of strained braising liquid into a small saucepan. Add the ancho chile powder and the two rosemary sprigs. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and reduce by about 20–25% (3–6 minutes) to concentrate flavor. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs, then whisk in the 2 tbsp unsalted butter and the red wine vinegar to finish. Taste and adjust seasoning with up to 1/2 tsp kosher salt if needed. Keep warm until service.

Cheese, Bread & Assembly

  1. 10

    Prepare bread

    Preheat oven broiler (or a broiler pan) to high. Split the hoagie rolls and spread each cut side lightly with the 2 tbsp softened butter. Place cut-side up on a sheet pan and toast under the broiler until golden — watch carefully, about 1–2 minutes. Remove from oven.

  2. 11

    Assemble sandwiches

    Pile a generous portion of shredded short rib onto the bottom half of each roll. Spoon 2–3 tbsp of the onion & mushroom duxelles over the meat. Layer two provolone slices over each sandwich, then sprinkle evenly with the shredded mozzarella and gruyère.

  3. 12

    Melt cheese

    Return the assembled sandwiches to the oven under the broiler and melt/brown the cheeses until bubbling and lightly golden, about 1–3 minutes — watch closely to avoid burning. Remove from oven when cheese has melted and edges are browned to your liking.

  4. 13

    Finish and serve

    Close sandwiches, garnish with chopped fresh parsley if using, and serve immediately with small bowls of the warm rosemary-ancho au jus for dipping. Encourage diners to dip the sandwich into the au jus for maximum flavor.

More from The Monica