Braised Short Ribs

Know this

Short rib is armor: thick collagen, heavy fat, muscle that worked. None of that is a problem, it is the whole point. Given long wet heat the collagen turns to gelatin, and gelatin is what makes a braise coat your lips instead of just tasting like wet beef. Buy English cut, thick, bone-in, with the meat standing tall above the bone rather than a thin flap. Chef secret: braise it a full day before you serve it. Chill the whole pot overnight, lift the solid cap of fat straight off the top in one piece, and reheat gently in its own sauce. The meat reabsorbs what it gave up, and you skim the fat with your hands instead of a spoon.

Cook

Sear hard and dry on every face, then 300°F, covered, in enough liquid to come halfway up, for three hours. Never submerged. A braise is not a boil.

Season

Fall and winter, when the oven earns its keep.

Best pairings

red wine · garlic · thyme · bay · carrot · onion

Also worth trying: tomato paste, soy, star anise, orange peel, mushroom, polenta, celery, gremolata, horseradish, mashed potato.

Recommended wine