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Borscht-Braised Beef Short Ribs Recipe

Recipe by: Chef John

"I've never been a big fan of beets, but in certain things, like borscht, I love them. With that simple soup as an inspiration, I thought the flavors would work nicely with the rich, fatty short ribs, and they sure did."

Directions
Ingredients
Nutrition

Directions

Prep
Cook2 h 20 m
Ready In2 h 20 m

1Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2Generously season short ribs with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat vegetable oil over high heat in a heavy pot. Brown short ribs on all sides until they are dark brown, about 6 minutes; transfer to a bowl. Add onions and continue cooking over high heat until onions go from golden to dark brown, about 8 minutes; this will make a richer, darker sauce. Stir flour into the onion mixture; cook for about 1 minute. Pour in broth; add bay leaf, beets, carrots, and celery. Bring pot to a simmer. Place browned short ribs in pot, evenly distributing them among the vegetables.
3Bake in preheated oven until meat is tender, about 2 hours. Transfer meat and vegetables to a serving platter.
4Bring sauce to a fast simmer over high heat until it is reduced by half and slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if needed.
5Serve in bowls topped with a dollop of sour cream and chopped fresh chives.

Footnotes

Cook's Notes:
I used 2 large beets totaling 1 pound, peeled and cut into eighths.
Optional step: when you taste your finished sauce, if you want to add some acidity to balance the sweetness, adjust with a splash of white vinegar.

Ingredients