Chef John Besh - Zinfandel Braised Beef Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta and a Ragout of Fall Vegetables
From deliathecrone 17 years agoIngredients
- Short Ribs: shopping list
- 4 pounds beef short ribs, bone in, cut into single rib chops shopping list
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste shopping list
- 3 cups zinfandel (red wine) shopping list
- .5 cup sugar shopping list
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic shopping list
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, picked shopping list
- 3 ounces canola oil shopping list
- 2 cups small-diced onion shopping list
- .5 cup small-diced celery shopping list
- .5 cup small-diced carrots shopping list
- 6 ounces canned chopped tomatoes shopping list
- 2 cups beef broth shopping list
- 2 ounces mushrooms, preferably porcini shopping list
- 2 each bay leaves shopping list
- Root vegetable Ragout: shopping list
- 2 each sweet carrots, washed and peeled shopping list
- 4 each turnips, washed and peeled shopping list
- 2 each parsnips, washed and peeled shopping list
- 12 each pearl onions, peeled shopping list
- 12 each red pearl onions, peeled shopping list
- .5 teaspoon sherry vinegar shopping list
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter shopping list
- 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon shopping list
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste shopping list
- Creamy Polenta: shopping list
- 2 cups water shopping list
- salt, to taste shopping list
- .5 cup organic yellow polenta (can substitute plain cornmeal) shopping list
- 2 tablespoons butter shopping list
- .5 cup mascarpone cheese (can substitute cream cheese) shopping list
How to make it
- Short Ribs:
- Generously season the short ribs with salt and pepper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the zinfandel, sugar, garlic, fresh thyme and a pinch of salt.
- Marinate the short ribs in the wine mixture for 12 hours in the refrigerator.
- Pour 3 ounces canola oil into a Dutch oven over high heat.
- Remove the short ribs from the wine and allow the beef to rest for several minutes and come to room temperature. Reserve marinade.
- Once the meat has rested, place in the hot pan.
- Stir and turn the meat often, carefully allowing each piece to brown on each side before removing from the pan.
- When browned (will take several minutes per side), remove the beef from the pan and add the onions, carrots, and celery.
- Stir constantly and allow the onions to cook until mahogany in color, about 10 minutes; if onions are browning too quickly, reduce to medium heat.
- Add the short ribs back to the pot along with the reserved wine marinade.
- Allow the wine to come to a boil before reducing the heat to a simmer, skimming foam and fat from the surface of the liquid.
- After simmering for several minutes, add remaining ingredients and allow to simmer uncovered until the meat is fork tender and nearly falling off the bone, roughly 5 hours.
- Once the beef has cooked, transfer short ribs to a dish and cover.
- Reduce the pan liquids until they coat the back of the spoon, simmering about 30 minutes.
- Strain the braising liquid and return the short ribs to the liquid.
- Season the short ribs and braising liquid with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve for later use.
- This may all be done up to 3-4 days in advance.
- Reheat in oven or microwave until meat is at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Ragout:
- Cut the carrots, turnips, and parsnips into pieces of about the same size and shape, preferably a medium-sized dice.
- Blanch the cut carrots, turnips, parsnips, and onions together, in a pot of boiling salted water, until tender, about 5 minutes or less.
- Carefully remove vegetables from the blanching water with a slotted spoon and place into an ice water bath.
- Allow vegetables to cool; reserve in refrigerator until you are ready to serve them.
- To serve, put the vegetables in a small skillet along with sherry vinegar, butter, and chopped tarragon.
- Place the skillet over a medium-low flame and warm just moments before serving.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Polenta:
- Lightly season 2 cups water with salt and bring to a boil.
- Quickly whisk in the polenta until it has been fully incorporated.
- Reduce the heat to a low simmer.
- Add the butter and allow the polenta to cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Stir in the mascarpone and season to taste with salt.
- This may be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator.
- Reheat in the microwave just before serving.
- Assembly:
- Reheat the three components of the dish separately.
- On each of 6 large plates, place a couple of spoonfuls of polenta in the center of the plate.
- Carefully remove the bones from the hot ribs and place the beef short ribs over the bed of polenta.
- In a pan over medium heat, bring the reserved braising liquid to a simmer. Once the sauce is hot, check for seasoning and, if needed, add a touch of salt and pepper.
- Spoon the sauce around the beef short ribs and polenta.
- Carefully place the root vegetable ragout on the beef.
- Serve and enjoy!

People Who Like This Dish 2
- jenniferbyrdez Kenner, LA
- juliecake Bluffdale, UT
- deliathecrone Johnston, SC
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The Rating
Reviewed by 2 people-
Heavenly! A bit lengthy but sounds well worth it! I'll make this for someone special as I live alone and wouldn't prepare this treat just for myself....thank you once more.
juliecake in Bluffdale loved it
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