Cabernet Short Ribs with "Parmesan" Polenta

This hearty, stick-to-your-ribs dinner will impress your guests just as much as dining at a fine restaurant! Onions, carrots, garlic, celery and shallot are sautéed then topped with cabernet and beef broth to complete this braised dinner. Finish in the oven for meat that is fall-apart fork tender.

Recipe adapted from myrecipes.com

My nephew, Michael, called me last week to let me know that he was just hired as an executive chef at a new restaurant that was opening soon in my hometown. He and I love to talk about food and recipes. He was super excited to tell me that he would be part of the menu creation process. As we talked more, I told him that he should add short ribs to his seasonal fall menu.

Since we have all been doing more social distancing these days, my family and I have implemented Saturday family date night dinners. These date nights usually consist of a fun cocktail for the adults, an appetizer, followed by a nice dinner and dessert. The only rule is, everyone has to come “dressed” for dinner. So that means, you can’t wear yesterday’s sweatpants, no pajamas and you have to be showered. So I guess that is two rules. We vote as a family as to whether or not jeans are accepted. This new routine forces me to apply makeup and confirms whether my mascara is dried up yet. After talking to Michael earlier in the week, I decided I was going to add short ribs to this week’s menu. It’s not fall in St. Louis by any means, but I couldn’t wait several months to make this recipe again.

Braising, a French cooking technique, is a combination cooking method that uses both wet and dry heats. The food is first sautéed or seared at a high temperature, then finished in a covered pot at a lower temperature in liquid (which adds flavor) in the oven. Braised recipes are great because after the initial sautéing of your base ingredients, it’s pretty much hands-off after it goes into the oven. These short ribs are so rich and pair amazing with the creamy polenta both qualities that I love (and crave) when I go out to eat for a special meal. For this recipe, I used boneless short ribs because that is all my butcher case had at my local grocery store. I have made this with bone-in short ribs as well. I think I prefer the bone-in, but the recipe works beautifully with either.

To make this a complete Family Date Night Dinner of your own, please see my posts for Peach Bellini Slush, Bacon-Wrapped Dates, and Oven Smore's.

Let’s get cooking!

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Ingredients

Short ribs:

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 3/4 cup chopped shallots

• 1/2 cup chopped carrot

• 1/2 cup chopped celery

• 6 garlic cloves, sliced

• 2 rosemary sprigs

• 2 1/2 cups cabernet sauvignon or other dry red wine

• 1 1/4 cups beef bone broth

• 1 teaspoon all-purpose, gluten-free flour

• 2 teaspoons water

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Polenta:

• 2 cups of water

• 1 can of full-fat coconut milk, 13.5 ounces

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 cup corn grits (also known as polenta)

• 2 cup dairy-free shredded parmesan cheese

• 2 tablespoons of dairy-free butter

• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder

• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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How to make:

Please be sure to visit: myrecipes.com for the source recipe and original cooking instructions.

1. Season the short ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven pot (it needs to be a pot that can go into the oven) to medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil (around the pan a couple of times) and add half of the short ribs. Sauté for 5-6 minutes or until they are browned on all sides. Transfer them to a plate and repeat for the other half. Add the onions, shallots, carrot, celery, and garlic to the pan. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil if needed. Sauté about 3 minutes, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the wine to the pan (you can pour a glass for yourself at this point as well), and bring to a boil. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan for any of the brown bits that are stuck to the bottom. Remember those are flavor boosters! Cook for about 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced to 2 cups.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the broth to the pan, and bring to a boil. Return the ribs to the pan and top with sprigs of fresh rosemary. Cover and bake for 1.5 to 2 hours, turning the ribs about halfway through.

3. Remove the ribs from the pan and place on a platter. Strain the cooking liquid over a bowl with a fine mesh colander and discard. Skim off any fat and discard. Combine the flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour) and add 2 teaspoons of water to a small bowl. Stir to combine. Add to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook until it reduces again by 1 cup (about 10 mins or so) Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Add the ribs back to the pan with the sauce.

For the garlic polenta:

1. Bring 2 cups of water, 1 can full-fat coconut milk, and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add corn grits (I used Bob’s Red Mills Gluten Free Corn Grits) and reduce heat. Cook for 30 minutes.

2. Stir in 2 tablespoons of dairy-free butter (I used Miyoko’s Cultured Vegan Butter) and 2 cups of dairy-free shredded parmesan cheese (I used Follow Your Heart Parmesan). Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder and season with more salt and pepper to taste.

3. Serve short ribs on a bed of garlic “parmesan” polenta.

4. Enjoy!

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