my pride and joy

Let’s talk about cuts of beef. When making this dish in the past, I used the “English cut” of short ribs: cut into individual 2 inch lengths, each rib has one flat bone. But, this time I did a little research and discovered that “flanken cut” ribs–cut across the bone, with three bones in each piece–are more prized by chefs, because they’re meatier and less fatty. And so, flanken it is.

This short rib recipe, like any other slow braise, really benefits from being made a day or two in advance. It allows the flavors extra time to meld and makes it easier to remove the fat from the dish. Marinate the meat on day one, cook the beef on day two, and defat and reduce the sauce on day three. Begin by seasoning the short ribs with chopped fresh thyme leaves and freshly cracked black pepper. Be sure to rub the seasoning well into each rib; cover and refrigerate overnight.

About an hour before you begin cooking on day two, take the ribs out of the refrigerator and let them come up to room temperature. Season well with kosher salt. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Chop the onion, carrots and celery.

In a large dutch oven over medium high heat, warm olive oil until shimmering. Sear the short ribs in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan, until they are nicely browned on all sides. As each batch is done, remove the ribs with tongs to a plate to rest. 

Reduce the heat under the dutch oven to medium and add the chopped onion, carrots and celery, along with the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Sauté until vegetables are translucent and turning golden, scraping up the bits from the bottom of the pan, about 8 minutes. 

Pour the red wine, port and balsamic vinegar into the pot, turn the heat to high, and boil to reduce the liquid by half.

Homemade beef stock really brings this dish to the next level (recipe here). If you don’t have homemade, you can substitute store-bought, but be sure that it’s low sodium in order to control the salt content. Add the stock to the pot and bring back to a boil.

Place the short ribs back in the pan–in one layer, if possible.  The liquid should cover, or almost cover the beef. Add the parsley sprigs to the pot. Cover tightly and place in the oven to braise for about 3 hours.

While the beef braises, prepare the Horseradish Creme. You could use prepared horseradish in this sauce (the white kind; Gold’s is a good brand), but I really love the subtle kick of freshly grated root. Peel the skin from the horseradish root. Using a microplane, or the small side of a box grater, grate the horseradish into a small bowl. Mix with creme fraiche and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

When the ribs have fully braised and are tender to the touch of a knife, allow them to cool before refrigerating the pot overnight. 

Day three: remove the pot of short ribs from the refrigerator. Using a large spoon, skim the solidified fat from the top of the pot.  

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slowly bring the short ribs back to a simmer. Remove the beef and place on a baking sheet. Roast the ribs for 10 to 15 minutes, until dark brown.

Pour the sauce from the pot into a strainer placed over a saucepan, pressing down on the solids to squeeze out all the juices. Place the saucepan over medium low heat and reduce sauce until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. 

Make the Swiss Chard & Pearl Onions: toss the pearl onions with a tablespoon of olive oil, chopped thyme leaves, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lay them out on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 5 minutes, until they’re slightly golden and tender. Set aside to cool; peel the skins off and reserve. 

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peeled onions to pan and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes. Add half the chopped swiss chard and cook until wilted; add the other half of the greens, along with a few tablespoons of water. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, cover pan and cook for a few minutes, until tender.

Plate the swiss chard and pearl onions and place the short ribs on top, spooning plenty of the rich sauce over all. A perfect accompaniment to this dish is my Yukon Gold & Celeriac Mash (recipe here), garnished with freshly chopped chives. Serve the horseradish creme in a bowl on the side. Light the candles, pour the wine, and celebrate with a truly luxurious, delectable dinner.

Adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques
Serves 4 to 6:

6 beef short ribs, preferably flanken cut, 4 to 5 pounds total
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus 4 sprigs
freshly cracked black pepper and kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 1/2 cups red wine
1 1/2 cups port
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
6 cups beef stock, homemade or low sodium
4 sprigs Italian flat leaf parsley

Swiss Chard & Pearl Onions:

2 dozen pearl onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 bunches swiss chard, washed, ribs removed, chopped

Horseradish Creme:

1 tablespoon freshly grated horseradish root, or prepared
1 cup creme fraiche
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


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