Short Rib Stew

With a snowstorm approaching, this Short Rib Stew is great to make on a Friday so that you have it available all weekend.  Definitely make this a day in advance, refrigerate, the next day skim off the fat, and reheat. 

I made this recently for a dinner party and learned a valuable lesson.  I set the table with a fork to the left and a knife to the right.  The meat after cooking for 2 hours comes out like butter (or as we pronounce it in NJ “butta”) therefore you only need a knife if you are serving butter with your bread (which you definitely must do for sopping up the gravy).  My guests immediately reached for the dessert spoon, which I had across the top for chocolate pudding later.  I loved it.  I saw it as a compliment that there was no way they were going to let all that great brown gravy slip through a fork!  So serve this dish with a big soup spoon!!

SHORT RIB STEW      Serves 12

4 lbs. boneless beef short ribs, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces

¼ cup flour

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups red wine

3 cups broth (veal preferable if you can find it otherwise beef or chicken)

6-8 carrots, sliced (or cut in ½ then sliced if very large)

3-4 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces

3-4 parsnips, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces

½-1 onions, cut into 1 inch pieces (I don’t like a lot of onions)

½-1 pound Cremini mushrooms, quartered (I love mushrooms)

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (hassle I know but so great)

8 sage leaves, chopped

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

In zip lock bag, toss the short ribs with the flour.

Heat oil in a big pot and sauté your ribs a few at a time over medium heat until browned all over, about 6 minutes per batch.

Return all the meat and all the juices back into the pot.

Add the wine and increase heat for about 5 minutes.

Add the stock, lower the heat and cover until meat in tender, about 2 hours.

Stir in the carrots, potatoes, parsnips, onion, mushrooms, thyme and sage.

Cover and simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with crusty bread or rolls.