Stout Braised Short Ribs over Creamy Pale Ale Polenta
Stout Braised Short Ribs over Creamy Pale Ale Polenta
I accidentally found my new favorite get-away town on Monday. A four-hour drive to interview a brewery owner for an article I’m writing turned into an overnight stay in a Northern Oregon. A little town that I’m convinced haphazardly, and purely by accident, wound its way into being excessively charming. As if one day the residents of this little river town, this former not-more-than-a-train-stop location woke up, looked at the row of shops and cafes adjacent to the water, the glorious views of the surrounding mountains, the outstanding breweries, and said, "well, look at that! We’re adorable."
I’d HEARD of Hood River, Oregon. I’d even stopped in once on a road trip because I NEEDED to visit Pfriem. But I’d never been there long enough to look around, long enough to really see it.
Then, I was there. A Monday night, alone except for this beast, and my gypsy soul decided to stay the night. Chatting with locals for a while, drinking the beer, and realizing why I moved to Seattle in the first place. You just stumble into these little towns that make you feel like you’re a lifetime away from the place you started.
Then I realized that it’s been almost 5 years since I moved here, packed my little car and my bulldog and headed north. I realized how lucky I am to live here, to have the people in my life that currently occupy space in my surroundings, and how even when your life feels like it’s accidentally happening to you, even when things feel haphazard, you can one day wake up and realize how great they really are.
Stout Braised Short Ribs over Creamy Pale Ale Polenta
Ingredients
For the Short Ribs
- Kosher salt
- 3 lbs beef short ribs
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large carrots diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 12 ounces stout beer
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
For the polenta
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup pale ale
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup dry polenta
- 3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan reggiano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Make the ribs:
- 1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.2. Generously sprinkle salt on all sides of the ribs.3. Add the cornstarch to a wide bowl, toss the ribs in the cornstarch until well coated.4. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs on all sides, remove from the pan, set aside.5. Add the carrots, celery and onions, cook until browned and starting to caramelized, about 15 minutes.6. Pour in the beer, scraping to deglaze the pan. Stir in the broth.7. Add the ribs into the pot, add the thyme and rosemary, add the lid onto the pot.8. Place the pot in the oven, cooking until the ribs are very tender and easily pull away from the bone, 3 to 4 hours. 9. Remove the ribs. Strain the sauce into a pot, removing the solids and any large pieces of fat, discard the fat.10. Separate the fat from the sauce, either spoon it off (it’s lighter color and will sit on top), or if making in advance, add to the fridge and allow to cool, peel the fat layer off the top and discard.11. Add the broth and ribs to a serving platter (add the carrots and celery to the serving platter, if desired).
Make the polenta:
- 1. In a pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the beer and milk, bring to a simmer.2. Whisk in the polenta. Simmer until polenta is tender and thickened, whisking occasionally, about 25 minutes.3. Stir in the parmesan, salt and pepper
Comments
julie coady January 31, 2019 um 5:20 am
how many pounds of short ribs did you use?
Jackie January 31, 2019 um 9:08 am
3 pounds 🙂
Greg January 31, 2019 um 11:40 am
How many servings?
Shoshana January 31, 2019 um 7:41 pm
In step 8, about how long will the ribs be in the oven? 2-3 hours…?
Jackie February 1, 2019 um 10:03 am
about 3 to 4 hours, depending on how thick your short ribs are.
Sabrina February 6, 2019 um 8:59 pm
great recipe, thank you, love finding new spots, will add Hood River to the list!
Nadee April 29, 2019 um 7:37 pm
WOW! This was my first time making beef that wasn’t ground beef (I know, I’m so behind the times), and this recipe was an instant hit. It tasted like I had been slaving away for hours, instead of just a quick sautee and then letting it braise. I added mushrooms and served with the sauce and veggies. I also braised it the day before, let it sit uncovered until it cooled, then put it in the fridge overnight. The next day, i took it out, took out all the fat that had solidified on top, then put it in the oven again for another 2 hours or so at low temp to warm up. I also used 2 TB of that fat in place of the butter in the polenta 🙂 What an incredible recipe. Thank you for making it so easy!