Braised Short Ribs

These Braised Short Ribs are a hearty and flavorful meal. They are perfectly seared then slowly cooked in a sauce of Nebbiolo wine, beef broth, tomato paste, onion, carrots, celery and more. Inspired by a dinner I had onboard my Western Caribbean cruise with Princess Cruises, this recipe is a must for any Sunday dinner.

There’s just something about comfort food, isn’t there?

I am proud to be partnering with Princess Cruises to bring you this post. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.
*This post contains an affiliate link(s).

Comfort food just makes us all warm and fuzzy inside. 
It can be sentimental, bringing back memories of growing up or of meals spent with family and friends.

For me, this Braised Short Ribs recipe is it. 
With every bite, I feel joy from the tips of my toes to the roof of my mouth.
I’m reminded of my childhood spent at my grandparent’s.
It’s also reminiscent of the incredible meal I had my recent trip to the Western Caribbean with Princess Cruises at the beginning of last month.

What a great combination, hunh – comfort food and a cruise to exotic destinations with Princess Cruises?!

SAVE THIS BRAISED SHORT RIBS RECIPE TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!

The meal that I had at Sabatini’s while on board the Caribbean Princess was beyond amazing. So amazing in fact, that I was content to not even eat dessert that night! 

Sabatini’s is one of the specialty restaurants on board the ship. While not included in the standard dining package, it requires an additional charge per person, but is well worth it! It is also recommended that you make reservations in advance preferably before you depart or as soon as you board.

Looking at the menu, I noticed the Buckwheat Pappardelle. I’m a sucker for those wide noodles, so whenever I see it on any menu it’s a given that I’ll order it. 
The only thing that concerned me was when I saw “beef cheeks”. While I’m not one to have a very adventurous palate, I decided to go out of my box and live a little. 

This dish DID NOT disappoint. I also have to admit that I was super bummed it wasn’t in a larger portion and almost ordered two servings the second night we dined there. But I refrained knowing that I would definitely be eating dessert.
Hence the reason I decided to make these braised short ribs here at home.

Ok, so mine doesn’t really look similar, but it does taste pretty darn delicious.
I didn’t make the pappardelle noodles, so they aren’t buckwheat or homemade. Confession, they’re store bought.
I didn’t make the celeriac that you see on the bottom of the dish. We’ll work on a recipe for that. It’s a neat vegetable that I didn’t even know existed until this meal.
I also didn’t use beef cheeks. While they were SUPER delicious, I figured I’d use a meat a little less pricey and something you’d actually be able to pick right up at your meat counter. 

What I did use was Nebbiolo. It’s a red wine that is on the more expensive side for cooking, but I wanted to include it.
If you choose not to use it (don’t worry, my feelings won’t be hurt), a cabernet sauvignon should work just fine – or at least that’s what my research has told me.

As I sit here writing this post, Kurt is enjoying the leftovers with some shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla chips. haha
So, I guess you could say it’s a versatile dish as well.
That wouldn’t have been my first way of eating these Braised Short Ribs the day after, but whatever floats your boat.

LOL 
See what I did there?
I made a reference to a boat in a post talking about my cruise! haha
Geeky, I know. So, anyway…

What is braising?

According to my New Doubleday Cookbook, braising is a cooking technique that is “to brown in fat, then to cook covered on top of the stove or in the oven with some liquid”.

First, you’ll want to season your meat on all sides with some salt and pepper, and any other spices and seasonings that might be called for at this point in the recipe as with my Crockpot Pork Ragu.

Searing the meat in some oil over medium-high heat to brown it will absolutely enhance the flavor and give the dish a bit of texture as well from the crust.
Once this step is complete, the meat is generally removed so that the vegetables and liquid(s) cook and deglaze the pot, imparting even more flavor into the dish. The meat is then returned to the pan. 
Finally, the pot is covered and left to cook at a low temperature for at least a couple of hours.

Why braise meat?

Braising your meat in this Braised Short Ribs recipe or any other recipe that calls for it will give it great flavor.
It turns a less expensive, tougher cut of meat into fall-off-the-bone delicious.
And for the most part, it is a hands-off method of cooking after the initial searing.

I love using this method because it just puts SO much extra flavor into the recipe and it’s beyond easy! 
It’s also a way of wowing friends and family with little effort. You’ll also have a restaurant quality meal at half or a quarter of the price.

AND the best part, since the meat is cooked in a liquid you’ll have a delicious sauce for the meat and whatever you’re serving it with be it pasta, potatoes, etc.

What meats are best for braising?

The best meats for braising are the less expensive, tougher cuts of meat. 
That’s why you’ll see many pot roast, rib, and other recipes calling for it. 
You do not want to use leaner cuts of meat since there’s little fat.

Also, when possible, you’ll want to use meats that have the bone in them as I did here with the ribs because it will give your recipe more flavor. 
However, boneless meats can be used, like in my Gram’s Crockpot Spareribs and you’ll get more for your money as well.

• Chuck (front section)
• Brisket (lower front section)
• Rounds (back section)
• Shoulder
• Ribs
• Short ribs
• Shank
• Bone-in chicken thighs

What do I use to braise meat?

Recipes that call for braising are usually best made in a Dutch Oven which is then placed into the oven or on top of the stove, a slow cooker or pressure cooker. 
I find it easiest to use a pair of tongs as opposed to a fork when turning the meat while searing it.
I also like to use a good wooden scraper to remove those delicious browned bits at the bottom of the pot during the deglazing.
Also, for this Braised Short Ribs recipe, I used an immersion blender to make the sauce smooth. While it isn’t necessary, it is a handy tool to have in the kitchen and can be very useful when making soups like my Creamy Tomato Basil Soup.

 

While I couldn’t exactly recreate the recipe that I enjoyed so very much at Sabatini’s, I was able to find this recipe and adapted it slightly.