Guinness Braised Beef Short Ribs
Ingredients:
4 beef short ribs
4 c beef stock
2 Guinness beers 11.2 oz
6 oz tomato paste (my homemade recipe)
3 tbsp Kosher Salt plus an additional 1/4 c for dry brine purposes
2 tsp Freshly cracked black pepper
10 pearl onions
5 cloves garlic
Fresh sage
Tools needed:
Large saute pan
Measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Plate
Large mixing bowl
Large spoon
How to make it:
Season each sort rib with kosher salt on every side (takes about 2 t tbsp each rib). Place ribs on a plate and place in the refrigerator over night.
Pull ribs from refrigerator the next day and let come up to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Heat large saute pan over medium high heat, add 2 tbsp oil to the pan. Pat the ribs dry as the salt pulled a good amount of moisture out of them. Patting them dry ensures a good crust on the outside of the ribs.
Carefully place the ribs into the pan. Sear all sides for about 1 minute per side, or until nicely brown and caramelized.
Once the ribs have been seared on all sides, set them aside on a plate and pour out a majority of the oil out of the pan. Add the tomato paste, cook the paste for 30 seconds stirring often. Deglaze the pan with the beer and whisk the tomato paste into the beer. The paste will likely clump up. Turn the heat to medium and heat the beer up to a simmer. This will take 30-45 seconds or so. As the beer comes to a simmer, the tomato paste will start to incorporate. Stir with a whisk frequently to help mix in the tomato paste.
Once liquid is simmering and the tomato paste is fully incorporated, add the pearl onions, garlic, sage, pinch salt and pepper. Carefully place the ribs into the pan, adding any juices that are on the holding plate as well. Pour in 4 cups or so of beef stock. You want enough stock so that 3/4 of the ribs are covered with liquid.
Turn up the heat to high and bring the braising liquid to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover the pan and place in the preheated oven. Cook the ribs for 3-3-1/3 hours. Half way through the cooking time, turn the ribs over and check that there is still enough braising liquid and it has not evaporated completely. Once the ribs are done, pull them from the oven.
This part is optional, but I find that these ribs taste better and are more tender the next day. I place the ribs and braising liquid in a mixing bowl large enough to hold everything. Allow to cool for 30 minutes on the countertop and place uncovered in the refrigerator until the next day. There will be a fat cap that I scrape mostly off the surface of the braising liquid. Pour everything in the bowl into a large saute pan, heat on medium to bring to a simmer. Reduce heat slightly and continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the ribs are heated through. Pull ribs from the pan and set aside on a plate. Turn up the heat and simmer the braising liquid to reduce by half. This will thicken up the liquid and make a delicious sauce. Once reduced and thick, whisk in 3 tbsp cold butter. Whisk butter in and fully melt in. This will give the sauce a great flavor and consistency.
