Whiskey Braised Short Ribs

meatgluten-freeholidays
Written By Jennifer Langholz

Here’s a photo of the dish right before it was put into the oven for 2.5 hours.

 
 

WHISKEY BRAISED SHORT RIBS

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 2.5 hours

Total time: 3 hours

Servings: 4 (Rule of thumb: 1 lb bone-in per person, or .75 lb boneless per person

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • 4 lbs bone-in beef short ribs (or get boneless and ask butcher for 1 scrappy bone-in short rib for flavor)

  • 1/4 cup flour

  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced

  • 3 celery stalks, diced

  • 2 large shallots, peeled and cut into wedges

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste

  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar

  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

  • 1/2 cup Irish whiskey

  • 3 cups beef stock

  • 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary

  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Dredge the short ribs in flour. 

  • Heat the oil and butter over med/high in a dutch oven (see tips below for other dishes you can use). Add the floured short ribs and brown on all sides, about 10 mins. Remove to a plate.

  • Add the carrots, celery and shallot wedges to the pot. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Saute until the vegetables are softened and beginning to caramelize, about 10 mins. 

  • Add the garlic and saute 2 mins longer. Stir in the tomato paste, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce and cook for 2 mins.

  • Deglaze with 1/2 cup Irish whiskey. Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Stir in 3 cups beef stock and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.

  • Reduce to a simmer and nestle the short ribs and ay accumulated juices into the pot with the thyme sprigs. Cover and braise in the oven for 2 – 2 1/2 hours or until fork tender, turning occasionally.

  • Remove the dutch oven from the oven and carefully remove the short ribs to a plate and cover tightly. 

  • Strain the vegetables from the braising liquid. Strain off as much fat from the top as you can with spoon or ladle. Pour the strained liquid into a saucepan and back onto the stovetop, simmering on low for a few minutes to reduce to desired consistency — you can add some flour to thicken, or add more whiskey and stock if you need more sauce.

  • Season the sauce with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until you reach your desired consistency for the sauce. Serve the short ribs with the sauce spooned over the top.

Recipe Notes

  • Don’t have a dutch oven? Neither do I! I sear the ribs on a cast iron pan on the stove top, then to cook I transfer it to a flat metal dish or porcelain casserole dish. Instead of the glass cover I secured the lid with a double layer of foil. You can also use an oven-safe pot. Whatever you use, just make sure it secures as much air as possible - the key is you don’t want steam releasing while cooking. You want all liquid to preserve the dish and keep it moist.

  • Boneless or bone-in? If you’re going for boneless short ribs you can amp up the flavor by throwing a bone (literally) into the braise, or by getting just 1 additional bone-in short rib. The flavor (and fat) from the bone really adds a special taste. Ask you butcher if he/she has a scrappy short rib laying around….seriously, it’s worth the ask. 

  • Strain the fat: Short ribs will render a lot of fat as they cook and you don’t want a fatty sauce. What I do is use a serving spoon to skim as much fat off the top as I can.

    • Have a fat separator? For a more precise job you can strain the vegetables out first and then pour the sauce into a fat separator.

  • Reduce the sauce further: I have skipped this step before, but it does level up the sauce. Once the liquid is strained and skimmed, you may want to reduce/thicken the sauce to your desired consistency. I pour the sauce back onto the stovetop and add a little flour to thicken it to be gravy-like. If you need more sauce, first add whiskey and stock.

  • How to serve: Serve with the sauce spooned over the top, bones removed if you opted for bone-in, and over mashed potatoes if you’re a baller.

  • What to serve with: I alway serve with classic risotto, but would also go well with simple rice or potatoes. The dish is very rich, so avoid serving with a side that is also rich.

Here are some raw photos throughout the cooking process from the last couple times I made this dish:

 
Jennifer Langholz
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