Braised Short Ribs with Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta

Were you getting tired of all of the sweet posts lately? Hmmm...I wasn't! But, I thought to change it up a bit, I'd share with you a recipe that I made for dinner last week. This was the first time that I'd tried beef short ribs and they were delicious! They were infused with flavor, fall-off-the-bone tender, and really satisfying to my "meat and potato" loving husband.

You might want to make this on a weekend because it really does take some time to get the meat melt-in-your-mouth tender, but the wait is so worth it. So, before grilling season really kicks off, make one last slow-cooked comfort meal. You'll be glad you did.



Braised Short Ribs
yeild: 4-6 servings

8 whole Beef Short Ribs (**see note below)
Kosher Salt and Pepper To Taste
1/4 cups All-purpose Flour
6 pieces Pancetta, Diced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 whole Carrots, Diced
2 cups Red Or White Wine
2 cups Beef Or Chicken Broth (enough To Almost Cover Ribs)
2 sprigs Thyme
2 sprigs Rosemary

Salt and pepper ribs, then dredge in flour. Set aside.

In a large dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until completely crispy and all fat is rendered. Remove pancetta and set aside. Do not discard grease.

Add olive oil to pan with the pancetta grease, and raise heat to high. Brown ribs on all sides, until well browned and cripsy. Remove ribs and set aside. Turn heat to medium.

Add onions and carrots to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape bottom of pan to release all the flavorful bits. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.

Add broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add ribs to the liquid; they should be almost completely submerged. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs (whole) to the liquid.

Put on the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325 and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Ribs should be fork-tender and falling off the bone. Remove pan from oven and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes, lid on, before serving. At the last minute, skim fat off the top of the liquid. (You can also refrigerate the mixture, then remove solid fat from the top.)

Serve 2 ribs on bed of creamy polenta, spooning a little juice over the top.

**Note: It is really important to get good quality short ribs. Make sure they are meaty and don't look too fatty. If your short ribs are too fatty, they will not be nearly as delicious as you and your dinner guests will be wasting time picking around fat pockets (yuck!) rather than savoring the beefy goodness!

Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta
yeild: 4-6 servings

1 cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Butter
4 ounces, weight Goat Cheese

Bring 4 1/2 cups water to a boil.

Add cornmeal to the water in a thin stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.

Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes, adding salt and extra tablespoons of water as needed.

When polenta is done, stir in butter and goat cheese. Check seasonings, and add salt to taste.

Serve with your favorite meat main course.

Source: adapted from The Pioneer Woman