Tender Balsamic and Brown Sugar Short Ribs Recipe
Ingredients:
– 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
– 8 bone-in beef short ribs (about 4 1/2 pounds)
– 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
– 1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
– 1 medium-size yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
– 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 3 tablespoons)
– 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
– 1 teaspoon onion powder
– 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
– 2 cups beef broth
– 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
– 2 bay leaves
– 12 small fresh cipollini onions (about 10 ounces), trimmed and peeled
– 1 medium celeriac (celery root), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
– 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
– Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 275°F. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat dry the short ribs and season evenly with black pepper and 2 teaspoons of salt. Brown the short ribs in two batches, flipping occasionally, until well browned on all sides, approximately 10 minutes. Set the browned short ribs aside on a plate.
2. Remove excess drippings from the Dutch oven, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Return the Dutch oven to medium heat and add chopped yellow onion, sliced garlic, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven, until the onion is softened and browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar, onion powder, and garlic powder; cook, stirring often, until the liquid has reduced by half, about 1 minute.
3. Add beef broth, brown sugar, and bay leaves to the onion mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Nestle the browned short ribs, meaty side down, into the Dutch oven in a single layer. Pour any accumulated juices from the plate over the top. Return to a simmer over medium-high heat.
4. Cover the Dutch oven and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 1 hour. Uncover and add cipollini onions, celeriac, and carrots, ensuring they are submerged as much as possible in the cooking liquid. Cover and continue braising until vegetables are tender and meat is easily pierced with a paring knife, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven. Transfer short ribs and vegetables to a serving platter and set aside. Return the Dutch oven to the stovetop and bring the cooking liquid to a simmer, uncovered, over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is slightly reduced and flavors have concentrated, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves. Season sauce with additional black pepper and salt to taste. Skim off any excess fat from the top of the sauce using a ladle or pour sauce through a fat separator into a gravy boat to discard excess fat.
6. Spoon desired amount of sauce over short ribs. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve immediately alongside remaining sauce.
