This one-pot braised short ribs recipe is slow-cooked in a Dutch oven with a tangy sauce and served over warm polenta for a delicious dinner!
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 3 hourshours
Total Time 3 hourshours10 minutesminutes
Servings 4servings
Ingredients
4poundsbeef short ribs
Salt and Pepper
1cupketchup
1cupwater
1tablespoonapple cider vinegar
1tablespoonWorcestershire sauce
1tablespoonprepared horseradish
1tablespoondry mustard
1teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonpepper
1bay leaf
For the polenta:
18ouncesprepared polenta
2tablespoonsolive oil
Instructions
Wipe the short ribs dry and sprinkle both sides liberally with salt and pepper.
Place the short ribs in a large, heavy saucepan.
In a medium bowl, combine the catsup, water, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk to mix well.
Pour the sauce mixture over the short ribs. Add the bay leaf.
Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours, or until meat is tender. Cool, then refrigerate until an hour before serving time.
Skim of all fat that has risen to the top and remove any loose bones from the ribs. Remove the bay leaf. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
You can now either leave everything in the Dutch oven or transfer the meat to a baking dish and pour the sauce over the top. (I transfer to a baking dish so that I can serve from it - the Dutch oven has gotten pretty messy by this point.)
Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, baste the ribs with the pan sauce and return to the oven. Continue cooking for 30 more minutes.
While the short ribs finish cooking, prepare the polenta.
Slice the roll of prepared polenta into approximately ½” slices. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a non-stick frying pan. Saute the polenta slices until lightly browned on both sides and heated through.
Serve the ribs with sauce over the browned polenta slices.
Notes
Storing and freezing: Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerated for up to 3 days. To freeze, place the meat and sauce into a freezer-proof bag and seal removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating: If frozen, allow the ribs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven, in a covered dish or Dutch oven, at 350 degrees, for 20-30 minutes.
You can make this recipe up through step 5 in a slow cooker. Instead of cooking in the oven for two hours, you'd cover and cook in your slow cooker on high for about 5 hours. I'd still advise continuing with the oven baking that starts in step 7.