marinated braised short ribs with mashed potatoes

Mashed potatoes make a perfect bed for tender short ribs. Marinating the ribs overnight deeply infuses them with the flavors of the wine and spice.

SERVES: 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 2 large sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 strips orange zest (about 1 inch wide and 3 to 4 inches long)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp. allspice berries, coarsely crushed in a mortar or with the side of a chef’s knife
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 750 ml bottle hearty, dry red wine, such as Zinfandel
• 4 to 5 lb. meaty bone-in beef short ribs
• 11/2 tsp. kosher salt; more as needed
• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium to large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium stalk celery, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbs. tomato paste
• 2 cups homemade or lower-salt beef or chicken broth
• 2 Tbs. red-wine vinegar; more if needed
• Traditional Mashed Potatoes (recipe below)

TRADITIONAL MASHED POTATOES:

SERVES: 4

• 21/2 lb. medium-starch potatoes (such as Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2/3 cup light cream
• 6 Tbs. unsalted butter
• Freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

MARINATE THE RIBS:

1. Make a sachet by wrapping the garlic, thyme, orange zest, bay leaves, allspice, peppercorns, and cloves in a 6-inch square of cheesecloth, pouch style. Tie the sachet closed with kitchen twine.
2. Pour the wine into a medium saucepan, add the sachet, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Set the marinade aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, trim away any excess fat from the top of each rib down to the first layer of meat, but don’t remove the silver skin or tough-looking tissue that holds the ribs together or onto the bone. Put the ribs in a container wide enough to fit them in a snug single layer (a 9×13-inch dish works well), season with 11/2 tsp. salt, and pour over the cooled marinade and sachet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, turning the ribs once or twice.

COOK THE RIBS:

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F. Remove the ribs from the marinade, reserving the marinade and the sachet. Pat the ribs dry thoroughly with paper towels.
2. Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven (or other heavy pot with a lid) over medium heat until hot. Add only as many ribs as will fit without touching and brown them, turning with tongs, until nicely browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and continue until all the ribs are browned.
3. Pour off and discard most of the fat from the pot. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and return the pot to medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add half of the reserved wine marinade, increase the heat to high, stir to scrape up any browned bits, and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until the liquid is reduced by half, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the remaining marinade and reduce again by about half, another 3 to 5 minutes. Add the broth and vinegar and boil for 3 minutes.
4. Return the ribs to the pot, preferably in a single layer, along with any accumulated juices and the sachet. Crumple a large sheet of parchment and smooth it out again. Arrange it over the pot, pressing it down so it nearly touches the ribs, allowing any overhang to extend up and over the edges of the pot. Set the lid in place, and transfer to the oven. Braise, turning the ribs with tongs every 45 minutes, until the meat is fork-tender and pulling away from the bone, about 21/2 hours. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully transfer the ribs to a serving dish. Don’t worry if some bones slip out. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

MAKE THE SAUCE:

1. Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve into a 4-cup measuring cup, pressing gently on the solids and sachet to extract the liquid. When the fat has risen to the top, tilt the measuring cup so that you can spoon off and discard as much of the fat as you can. You should have about 1 cup of sauce that’s the consistency of a vinaigrette. If the sauce seems thin and the flavor weak, heat it in a small saucepan over high heat until reduced to an intensity and consistency you like. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
2. If the sauce needs more punch, add a splash of vinegar. Spoon the sauce over the ribs and serve with the mashed potatoes.

TRADITIONAL MASHED POTATOES:

1. Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and add the salt. Bring the water to a boil and cook until the potatoes are very soft and starting to fall apart, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes well, return them to the pot, and mash with a potato masher, a fork, or a sturdy whisk (or use a food mill), adding the cream and butter a little at a time as you mash.
2. Make the potatoes as lumpy or as smooth as you like, but don’t keep mashing once they’re smooth or they may become gluey. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

NOTE:

• Consider this recipe your template and add more butter and cream to tailor the potatoes to your taste.