Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

Brown your short ribs

Preheat your oven to 350F. Pat short ribs dry and season with salt. Heat 2 tbsp oil over medium high heat in a large oven proof pot. Pat short ribs dry again, and in 2 batches, sear on each side to a deep golden brown. Be patient here and don't skip this step, this is where loads of flavor is going to happen. Remove from pot and set aside.

Start your base

To the same pot on the same heat, add largely chopped carrot, celery and onion. Sprinkle with salt, stir to coat, cover and cook for 3 minutes until the onions start to brown a bit. Add 2 tbsp tomato paste, peeled whole garlic cloves, your thyme, rosemary and bay leaves, and 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper and cook for about 2 minutes until the tomato paste gets to a deep red. Now add your red wine, stir and reduce for 2 minutes or until your sauce seems to have thickened slightly. Add your short ribs in and top with enough broth to submerge the ribs just over halfway (mine was 3 cups but you need may need slightly more or less - if you don't have enough broth to top it off - a bit of water is ok!). Place in the oven with the lid on for 2 - 3 hours.

Finish up

Check the meat at 2 hours with a fork. If it pulls apart easily, you're ready. If not, cook for another 30 and repeat until ready. Carefully remove short ribs from the pot and scoop out all your chunky bits. Return pot with broth to stove over medium high heat and bring to a simmer. To a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp corn starch and 1 tbsp water, and add to sauce. Cook until reduced to a gravy like thickness. Skim off excess fat using a spoon. Serve short ribs over mashed potatoes and drench it in your sauce.

Feel free to serve with the veg, or try blending the garlic to add to butter for garlic toast.