Red Wine Braised Short Ribs (in-depth guide to braising)

Summary by Krater

A guide to mastering the art of braising short ribs in a stainless steel skillet with red wine sauce, explaining key techniques like trimming silver skin, partial salting, browning, and overnight cooling.

From the video

Answers: How do I braise beef short ribs?

• short ribs braising techniques
• stainless steel skillet vs dutch oven
• meat trimming and silver skin removal
• salting technique for long braises
• browning short ribs for flavor
• vegetable prep and sweating
• deglazing with red wine
• stock selection and gelatin enrichment
• parchment paper lid braising
• overnight cooling and fat removal
• sauce reduction and emergency thickener

Ingredients

• 6 pounds beef short ribs
• salt
• black pepper
• 1 Tbsp neutral oil
• carrots
• yellow onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 bottle red wine
• 2 cups brown chicken or beef stock
• gelatin
• thyme
• bay leaf
• butter
• flour
• 1 tsp pomegranate molasses

What it concludes

• A dutch oven is not a must for a braise, and a stainless steel skillet provides plenty of surface for browning and depth for liquid.
• Not all short ribs are created equal; bone-in short ribs with a flat bone and rectangle of meat on top provide more flavor and gelatin for the sauce.
• Trimming the silver skin and membranes from short ribs helps expose the tasty meat to browning.
• Use about half of the salt you would use on steak because braises cook for a long time, the meat shrinks in half, and the liquid reduces.
• Browning short ribs is for flavor and crispness, not to seal in juices.
• It is better to overcook short ribs than undercook them because undercooked braise is extremely tough and unpleasant, while overcooked meat just needs its sauce fixed with fat and liquid balance.