Porter-Braised Short Ribs with Prunes, Brandy, and Lemon Essence
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
4½ to 5 hours, plus 2 hours cooling and 12 hours chilling
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
6 pounds bone-in short ribs trimmed of excess fat and silver skin (see illustration below), or bone-in flanken-style short ribs3 cups beer (porter beer)3 large onions chopped medium2 medium carrots chopped medium1 large rib celery chopped medium9 medium cloves garlic, chopped (about 3 tablespoons)¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour 4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth1 can (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves 3 bay leaves
Brandy, Prune, and Lemon Essence Garnish
½ cup brandy 8 ounces pitted prunes, each prune halved2 teaspoons brown sugar 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest from 1 lemon6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leavesBefore You Begin
Brandy-soaked prunes take the place of vegetables here, so this version is particularly suited to a mashed root vegetable or potato accompaniment. If braising and serving the ribs on the same day, bypass cooling the ribs in the braising liquid; instead, remove them from the pot straight out of the oven, strain the liquid, then let it settle so that the fat separates to the top. With a wide shallow spoon, skim off as much fat as possible and continue with the recipe. Though this recipe and the one that follows call for widely available English-style short ribs, both recipes will also work with flanken-style short ribs.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange short ribs bone-side down in single layer in large flameproof roasting pan; season with salt and pepper. Roast until meat begins to brown, about 45 minutes; drain off all liquid and fat with bulb baster. Return pan to oven and continue to cook until meat is well browned, 15 to 20 minutes longer. (For flanken-style short ribs, arrange ribs in single layer in large roasting pan; season with salt and pepper. Roast until meat begins to brown, about 45 minutes; drain off all liquid and fat with baster. Return pan to oven and continue to cook until browned, about 8 minutes; using tongs, flip each piece and cook until second side is browned, about 8 minutes longer). Transfer ribs to large plate; set aside. Drain off fat to small bowl and reserve. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Place roasting pan on two stovetop burners set at medium heat; add beer and bring to simmer, scraping up browned bits with wooden spoon. Set roasting pan with beer aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons reserved fat in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 12 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour until combined, about 45 seconds. Stir in beer from roasting pan, chicken stock, tomatoes, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil and add short ribs, completely submerging meat in liquid; return to boil, cover, place in oven, and simmer until ribs are tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Transfer pot to wire rack and cool, partially covered, until warm, about 2 hours.
- Transfer ribs from pot to large plate, removing excess vegetables that may cling to meat; discard loose bones that have fallen away from meat. Strain braising liquid into medium bowl, pressing out liquid from solids; discard solids. Cover ribs and liquid separately with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days.)
- To prepare garnish and finish dish: Bring brandy to boil in small saucepan; off heat, add prunes and let stand until plump and softened, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, spoon off and discard solidified fat from braising liquid. Bring braising liquid to boil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add prunes, brandy, and brown sugar; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Submerge ribs in liquid and return to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until ribs are heated through, about 5 minutes longer; gently stir in lemon zest. Divide ribs and sauce among individual bowls, sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon parsley, and serve.
Time
4½ to 5 hours, plus 2 hours cooling and 12 hours chillingYield
Serves 6Ingredients
6 pounds bone-in short ribs trimmed of excess fat and silver skin (see illustration below), or bone-in flanken-style short ribs
3 cups beer (porter beer)
3 large onions chopped medium
2 medium carrots chopped medium
1 large rib celery chopped medium
9 medium cloves garlic, chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
3 bay leaves
Brandy, Prune, and Lemon Essence Garnish
½ cup brandy
8 ounces pitted prunes, each prune halved
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
6 pounds bone-in short ribs trimmed of excess fat and silver skin (see illustration below), or bone-in flanken-style short ribs
3 cups beer (porter beer)
3 large onions chopped medium
2 medium carrots chopped medium
1 large rib celery chopped medium
9 medium cloves garlic, chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
3 bay leaves
Brandy, Prune, and Lemon Essence Garnish
½ cup brandy
8 ounces pitted prunes, each prune halved
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
6 pounds bone-in short ribs trimmed of excess fat and silver skin (see illustration below), or bone-in flanken-style short ribs
3 cups beer (porter beer)
3 large onions chopped medium
2 medium carrots chopped medium
1 large rib celery chopped medium
9 medium cloves garlic, chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
3 bay leaves
Brandy, Prune, and Lemon Essence Garnish
½ cup brandy
8 ounces pitted prunes, each prune halved
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
In developing a braised short ribs recipe, our challenge was to do justice to the short rib's huge potential for flavor while diminishing its huge stores of fat. For our short ribs recipe, we skipped the time-consuming and messy stovetop browning and browned the short ribs all at once in the oven, which allowed the ribs to spend more time in the heat, maximizing the amount of fat rendered. Plenty of fat still came out in the braise, so we let the braised ribs sit for a day to allow the fat to separate out and solidify. Once solidified, the fat was easy to scoop off the top of the gelatinized liquid.
Before You Begin
Brandy-soaked prunes take the place of vegetables here, so this version is particularly suited to a mashed root vegetable or potato accompaniment. If braising and serving the ribs on the same day, bypass cooling the ribs in the braising liquid; instead, remove them from the pot straight out of the oven, strain the liquid, then let it settle so that the fat separates to the top. With a wide shallow spoon, skim off as much fat as possible and continue with the recipe. Though this recipe and the one that follows call for widely available English-style short ribs, both recipes will also work with flanken-style short ribs.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange short ribs bone-side down in single layer in large flameproof roasting pan; season with salt and pepper. Roast until meat begins to brown, about 45 minutes; drain off all liquid and fat with bulb baster. Return pan to oven and continue to cook until meat is well browned, 15 to 20 minutes longer. (For flanken-style short ribs, arrange ribs in single layer in large roasting pan; season with salt and pepper. Roast until meat begins to brown, about 45 minutes; drain off all liquid and fat with baster. Return pan to oven and continue to cook until browned, about 8 minutes; using tongs, flip each piece and cook until second side is browned, about 8 minutes longer). Transfer ribs to large plate; set aside. Drain off fat to small bowl and reserve. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Place roasting pan on two stovetop burners set at medium heat; add beer and bring to simmer, scraping up browned bits with wooden spoon. Set roasting pan with beer aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons reserved fat in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 12 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour until combined, about 45 seconds. Stir in beer from roasting pan, chicken stock, tomatoes, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil and add short ribs, completely submerging meat in liquid; return to boil, cover, place in oven, and simmer until ribs are tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Transfer pot to wire rack and cool, partially covered, until warm, about 2 hours.
- Transfer ribs from pot to large plate, removing excess vegetables that may cling to meat; discard loose bones that have fallen away from meat. Strain braising liquid into medium bowl, pressing out liquid from solids; discard solids. Cover ribs and liquid separately with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days.)
- To prepare garnish and finish dish: Bring brandy to boil in small saucepan; off heat, add prunes and let stand until plump and softened, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, spoon off and discard solidified fat from braising liquid. Bring braising liquid to boil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add prunes, brandy, and brown sugar; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Submerge ribs in liquid and return to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until ribs are heated through, about 5 minutes longer; gently stir in lemon zest. Divide ribs and sauce among individual bowls, sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon parsley, and serve.
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