Braised short ribs is one of my favorite dinners to make once the weather starts to cool. I have all sorts of recipes for short ribs that I pull out on rainy days and snowy days and just because it’s cold and I want some comfort food days! This recipe for French short ribs is one I’ve been making for many years and will be for many years to come. Some good French wine, bone in beef short ribs, plenty of carrots, fresh herbs, and kalamata olives, all braised until the beef is meltingly tender and the sauce is thick. Yum!
I’m all about comfort food in the fall and winter! I just posted a great Slow Cooker Cacciatore recipe, and of course I have my Italian Comfort Food collection, but I need some more French comfort food in my life! Or at least on my blog. 🙂
Yes, I have a whole Gratin Collection; however, I haven’t focused on French main courses. And, well, I couldn’t think of a better way to start than to post my French braised short ribs served over my favorite Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes. I’m just happy that my recent bout of being laid low by a nasty cold let up enough for me to finally make the recipe and take some photos.
I can’t say my daughter never gave me anything.
But, I am all recovered now and more than happy to be able to share this family favorite with y’all!
A few things about these French short ribs:
- I do think that fresh herbs are important for the flavor. However, if they aren’t available, do try to at least add some fresh parsley to the mix. Dried rosemary and dried thyme will still give you some nice flavor, but dried parsley is fairly useless.
- The recipe works best with beef short ribs on the bone. I have made it with boneless ‘short ribs’, but it’s not the same. As far as I can tell boneless short ribs are a different cut of meat, and well, that’s not short ribs anymore is it?
- Short ribs are very fatty! You will want to either make the recipe the night before which will allow the fat to solidify so you can remove it, or at least let everything settle for several minutes after you take it out of the oven so you can skim the fat off the top.
- Pick a medium/full bodied red wine which is fairly smooth and fruity since those flavors will become intensified as you braise, such as a Bordeaux or Zinfandel or Shiraz. I usually pick a good, basic, drinkable wine, but doesn’t make me sad to put it in the stew. This is not the time to pull out an special bottles! Drink them with the stew. 🙂
- And, lastly, be patient. A little extra time isn’t going to hurt the short ribs, but taking them out too early will leave you with tough meat that hasn’t had time to complete its transformation into amazingly tasty comfort food.
– Happy Eating, Annemarie
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4-5 lbs meaty beef short ribs
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 5 large carrots chopped
- 6 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/2 cup brandy
- 2 cups red wine medium-full bodied
- 2-3 cups chicken stock low or no sodium
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 leaves bay
- 1/2 cup halved kalamata olives
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
- Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof pot or large straight-sided skillet oven medium high heat. Sprinkle the short ribs with salt and add them to the pot. Brown well on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the short ribs to a bowl.
- Reduce the heat to medium low and add the onion and carrots to the pot. Saute until they are soft and the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Then increase the heat and deglaze the pan with the brandy. Boil for 30 seconds; add the wine and 2 cup of chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Add the diced tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Return the short ribs to the pot. Add more chicken stock if needed - the liquid level should be just about to the top of the ribs.
- Cover pot and transfer it to the oven. Braise for 2 1/2 hours; turn the ribs over and stir occasionally while they are braising. Add the olives to the pot, cover, and braise for an additional 30 minutes. Take the pot out of the oven. Transfer the short ribs to a bowl and then skim the surface of the sauce with a large spoon to remove as much fat as possible. If the sauce needs to be thickened, bring it to a boil over high heat and boil for 5-10 minutes. Once the sauce is thick enough, add the ribs back to the pot to warm them through. Remove the bay leaves, stir the parsley, and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve with Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes.
The short ribs can be made the night before and refrigerated. This is an excellent way to get all the fat out of the pot. To serve, warm the short ribs slowly on top of the stove until they are hot all the way though and the sauce is simmering.
Bone in short ribs are very different from cuts of beef marketed as boneless short ribs. For the best flavor and results, use bone in short ribs.
Good wines for this recipe include Red Zinfandel, Shiraz, and Bordeaux.
When you are stirring the ribs in the oven, add more chicken stock if the liquid level is much below the top of the ribs.
A cup of frozen, baby peas is a nice addition at the end just before you are going to serve the ribs. The heat of the sauce will warm them through without overcooking them. (If you are making the ribs the day before, don't add the peas until you have reheated the ribs.)
Cathy | whatshouldimakefor.com says
this is comfort food at it’s best. i just love a tender, melt in your mouth short rib. and of course over those creamy mashed potatoes. this is sunday on a plate.
justalittlebitofbacon says
Thanks, Cathy! It’s definitely a recipe I pull out on lazy and chilly Sundays.