Chefs know this secret: Short ribs are long on flavor. Their rich, meaty taste makes them a perfect choice for cooks who want full-bodied food with very little fuss. This dish was inspired by a recipe in Daniel Boulud's Café Boulud Cookbook. The chef begins by reducing a great deal of red wine. We adopted his technique, which produces such a rich and delicious sauce, it tastes as if many days—and ingredients—were required to produce it.
Like many people, we love to serve short ribs with a comforting side dish of mashed or roasted potatoes.
Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 3 hr
Recipe information
Total Time
3 hr
Yield
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Boil wine in a 2-quart heavy saucepan until reduced to about 1 cup.
Step 2
While wine is reducing, pat ribs dry and cut crosswise into 1-rib pieces (each about 2 1/2 inches long). Season well with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Heat a dry 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot, then brown ribs well in 3 batches on all sides, about 8 minutes for each batch. Transfer browned ribs with tongs to a bowl.
Step 4
Reduce heat to moderate and brown shallots well in fat remaining in pot, stirring. Transfer with a slotted spoon to another bowl.
Step 5
Stir wine and mustard into juices in pot. Add ribs and simmer, covered, 1 3/4 hours.
Step 6
Gently stir in shallots and tomatoes and continue to simmer, covered, without stirring, until meat is very tender, about 40 minutes.
Step 7
Carefully transfer ribs, shallots, and tomatoes to a platter and skim off any fat from cooking liquid. Season sauce with salt, pepper, and mustard to taste and pour over ribs.
