Winter has shown her beautiful face this week and it’s now time for stews, braises and everything comforting.

Beef Short Ribs are a great cut of meat for slow cooking. The trick is in browning the meat, ensuring you have caramelisation on the ribs and a beautiful brown on the bottom of the pan. Brown means flavour, yummy layered flavour.

For this recipe, you will need;

Ingredients 

• Oil for frying
• 6 thick-cut meaty short ribs
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 cup chocolate stout
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 onions, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 water
• 1 400g can of tomato purée
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 bunch of thyme
• 1 celery stalk, chopped

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 140 degrees Celsius – you can also make this recipe in the slow cooker.

Heat a heavy based saucepan and add the meat into the pan.

Leave the meat to brown on all sides,  giving it a lovely brown crust.

Once brown and Caramelised, take the meat out and rest on a plate.

Add in the onions, turn the heat down to a simmer and slowly cook until translucent (about 8-10 minutes). Add in the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and water. Let it boil and bubble until the onions look syrupy.

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Add back in the meat, place in the vegetables, stock, herbs, tomatoes and stout. Mix together to combine – season with salt and pepper.

Place the lid on the casserole dish and place into the oven.

Cook slowly for 3-4 hours.

After 1.5 hours turn the meat and cook until the meat is falling off the bones.

Once the meat is cooked take the ribs out and place into a serving tray. Strain any fat off the top of the sauce and strain the sauce through a sieve into a saucepan.

Reheat the sauce in a saucepan for 10 minutes.

Serve the ribs with mashed potato and greens, buttered noodles or sweet potato.

Enjoy 🍴