Archive for April, 2011

This recipe is courtesy of my favorite cookbook that came out last year The Essential New York Times Cookbook This recipe is the ONLY way I make short ribs/pot roast now. I prefer the use of a crock pot over the oven.  I can start this at 9am and it’s perfect by dinner time and I don’t have to touch it all day I do add a few tablespoons of brown sugar, but that is the only change I make. The sauce/gravy this dish makes is amazing SUPER delicious.

4 lbs beef short ribs OR a 4 lb chuck roast works great too

1/2 cup cracked fennel seeds

salt & fresh ground black pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 med or 1 large red onion sliced into very thin rounds

1/4 cup minced garlic

1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup dry red wine

1 cup beef broth

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

1/2 cup coarsely chopped oregano

1. Heat oven to 350. Rub ribs/pot roast with fennel seeds and salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large dutch oven on high heat without smoking.  Add ribs/roast and brown well on all sides. Remove and set aside.

2. For me at this point I simply combine all other ingredients into my crock pot and place roast on top and cook on high for 2 hours, then low for 6-7 hours. If you would prefer to use the oven method follow further instructions.

3. After removing roast from dutch oven, keep oil inside, add thinly sliced red onion. Saute for 7 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes stirring frequently for 2 minutes.  Add wine, broth, orange juice, and balsamic vinegar and bring just to a boil. Scrape any brown bits from bottom of pan. Add ribs/roast into dutch oven along with ketchup, mustard, oregano, and salt and pepper. Return to a boil. Skim any fat from surface of pot.

4. Cover the pot and place in oven and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Remove ribs from pot, skim any fat and place pot back on stove top on high heat to thicken the sauce. Return ribs to sauce and serve.

the smell this exudes is amazing