Beer Braised Short Ribs
on Cheddar Mashed Yukons
Browned in the oven, then braised in a Mirepoix, seasonings and stout beer; this dish just begs for the heartiness of Cheddar infused mashed Gold Yukon Potatoes.
I've skipped browning short ribs in a couple of recipes and while that still produces a delicious product, browning the meat before its final cooking phase gives a depth of flavor you cannot get any other way. That’s due to something called the Maillard reaction, which is a chemical reaction to sautéing the meat in hot oil that causes the reducing sugars and amino acids in the meat to produce melanoidins. It’s not just about the appearance of browning the ribs, it’s about the umami flavor that cannot be had without going to the trouble. The problem for me, however, is that I hate doing it. It's a messy process, especially when you're making 10-12 ribs at a time and I detest cleaning a greasy stove top.
So, I got this idea from Ina Garten, one of the has-been chefs from the Food Network: roast the ribs briefly in a very hot oven on a sheet pan to brown them! It's infinitely easier and decidedly less messy.
This recipe goes for the classic Dutch oven low and slow method for creating a delicious short rib recipe that was meant for a marriage with mashed potatoes.
Beer Braised Short Ribs on Cheddar Mashed Yukons
Ingredients
- 8-12 beef short ribs
- 4-6 tbsp butter, melted
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion (like Vidalia or Texas 1015), diced
- 3-4 celery ribs, diced
- 12-15 baby carrots, cut into coins
- 2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
- 1 5.5-oz can tomato paste (like, Hunt's)
- 3-4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3-4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (like, Kikkoman Less Sodium)
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 12-oz bottle beer (stout is preferred, but any beer will do)
- 1/8 tsp smoked salt (like, San Francisco Salt Company Cherry Wood)
- 1/8 Worcestershire black pepper (like, McCormick)
- 8-10 medium sized Yukon Gold potatoes, washed
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
- 1 stick butter, at room temperature
- 1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 tbsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Take the ribs out of the fridge 2 hours before ready to begin preparation.
- Pre-heat the oven to 425°F degrees with a rack in the top 1/4 of the oven.
- Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and lay out the short ribs. Using a basting brush, slather on the melted butter turning the ribs to coat them, then liberally sprinkle with the Worcestershire black pepper and smoked salt. Finish with the ribs facing bone-side down.
- Put the sheet pan in the oven and roast for 25 minutes.
- While the ribs are browning in the oven, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven on the stove top over medium high heat.
- Sauté the onions, celery and carrots until they begin to caramelize, 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper after they have browned. Add the minced garlic at the end and stir to combine, then remove the Dutch oven from the heat.
- After removing the ribs from the oven, back the temperature down to 250°F. degrees. You may need to rearrange the rack positions to accommodate the size of your Dutch oven, which will be going back into the oven directly.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, paprika, garlic powder and the pinch of cayenne stirring well to combine. Using a basting brush or just your hands if the ribs have cooled off enough, slather this sauce liberally on the ribs, coating all sides.
- Transfer the ribs to the Dutch oven in a single layer over top of the vegetables, either bone-side down or standing on one end, depending on how many ribs you have and the volume of your Dutch oven.
- Pour one bottle of beer into the bottom of the pot, being careful not to wash away any of the basting sauce on the ribs. The beer should only cover the bottom 1/2" of the ribs.
- Put the lid on the Dutch oven and place it in the oven for 8 hours.
- Remove the ribs from the oven and transfer them to a platter. Using a fat separator or with just a spoon, remove as much fat from the remaining juices in the bottom of the pan as you can.
- To serve, put a cup or so of the Yukon Cheddar mashed potatoes into a large pasta bowl. Put one or two ribs on top of the potatoes and then spoon a bit of the gravy over top.
- Cut the potatoes into roundly one-inch cubes. No need to peel them. Put the potatoes in a large pot with cold water to cover by an inch or so.
- Add the salt and pepper to the water, then bring it to a boil.
- Simmer the potatoes for 45 minutes to an hour until they are fork tender.
- Drain them through a colander, then return them to the warm pot they were cooked in.
- Add the butter and using a handheld potato masher, work the butter into the potatoes.
- Add the milk, cream and shredded cheese as you're mashing, but eventually switcto a kitchen spoon to incorporate all the ingredients. Keep warm until ready to plate the dish.
Notes
- Over-working the Yukons can cause them to become gummy, so use your handheld potato masher in an up-an-down motion, rather than a stirring motion. A few lumps are fine.
- Finish the potatoes be incorporating the milk, cream and shredded cheese with a kitchen spoon, not the handheld masher.