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Two bowls of Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cauliflower Leek Puree.
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4.86 from 7 votes

Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cauliflower Leek Puree

The enticing aroma in your kitchen as these beef short ribs slowly simmer in a rich, savory red wine-based sauce until they're fall-off-the-bone tender is just the delicious beginning! Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs paired with creamy Cauliflower Leek Puree is a lovely comforting meal using an economical cut that's easy yet impressive enough for guests!
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 45 minutes
Course: Beef
Cuisine: French, Italian
Diet: Diabetic
Servings: 6
Author: Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

Equipment

Ingredients

Short Ribs

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil or as needed
  • 5 pounds beef short ribs approximately 6-8 large, on the bone, trimmed of excess fat
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery finely chopped
  • 12 cloves garlic halved if small, sliced if large
  • 2 cups hearty dry red wine such as Cabernet or Zinfandel
  • 4 cups beef broth or stock, preferably low-sodium
  • 1 can (15-ounce) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 2 large bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Puree

  • 2 medium heads cauliflower stem removed, cut into large pieces
  • 1 large leek (or 2 medium) white and light green part only, halved and sliced (approximately 2 cups)
  • 8 whole cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 can (14.5-ounce) chicken broth
  • 4 ounces cream cheese (half a block), room temperature
  • Salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions

Short Ribs

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Generously season the short ribs with salt and black pepper. Working in batches, place the short ribs in the hot oil and sear well on all sides, approximately 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
  • Add the onion, carrot and celery to the hot oil. Reduce heat to medium-low, add a pinch or two of salt and cook, stirring often until very soft, approximately 10-12 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, stir until fragrant (15 seconds), then add wine. Bring to a boil and cook 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
  • Add beef broth, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning and bay leaves.
  • Place short ribs back into the pot, cover securely with aluminum foil or parchment paper then place the lid on the pot and place in the oven. Cook for 2-2 1/2 hours.
  • Add the rosemary and place back in the oven for 30 minutes or until ribs are extremely tender.
  • Take short ribs out of the Dutch oven and place in a bowl. Remove and discard bay leaves. Cover to keep warm.
  • Place flour in a small bowl. Remove approximately 2/3 cup of the braising liquid. Add it to the flour in the bowl and whisk to form a thick slurry. Whisk the slurry into the braising liquid and stir. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook 4-5 minutes or until thickened and flour is cooked. Place short ribs back into the Dutch oven. Let sit off the heat for 10 minutes or so. The sauce will thicken more upon standing. (Should be more of a sauce rather than a gravy.)
  • Serve over Cauliflower Leek Puree.

Puree

  • Combine cauliflower, leek, garlic and chicken broth in a small pot. Bring to a boil. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer until cauliflower is tender, approximately 15-20 minutes.
  • Remove the cover and simmer until most of the cooking liquid has evaporated, 5-7 minutes being careful not to let ALL the liquid evaporate.
  • Add cream cheese and stir into the cauliflower. Puree with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
  • Serve with Braised Beef Short Ribs.

Notes

TIPS:
  • To degrease:
    • If serving right away and before thickening the sauce, transfer the beef short ribs to a bowl or platter and tent to keep warm. Carefully tip the Dutch oven and skim the fat with a large spoon.  A gravy separator also works well.
    • If you have a little more time, let the ribs cool. Then, place plastic wrap over the surface. The grease will cling to the plastic wrap. Repeat several more times.
    • If you have even more time, prepare the ribs and cool and refrigerate them.  When the dish is good and cold, the fat will congeal on top.
MAKE-AHEAD:
  • Can be made 2 days ahead of time.  Cool and refrigerate.
  • Reheat in a 350-degree oven until heated through.
  • The Cauliflower Leek puree can also be made two days ahead. Because cauliflower has so much water, some of the water may have separated from the puree. If so, drain it off and reheat in the microwave in 1 to 2-minute increments, stirring well between each heating cycle.
SLOW-COOKER INSTRUCTIONS:
  • Slow cookers tend to dilute flavor, so reduce the amount of broth/stock by 1 cup.
  • Cook 4-6 hours on HIGH or 8-10 hours on LOW.
  • Leave the cover off for the last 30 minutes so the liquid has a little time to reduce and the flavor intensifies.
FREEZER-FRIENDLY:
  • Cool thoroughly.  Place in an airtight container and freeze for 1-2 months.
  • Thaw in the refrigerator.  Reheat in a 350-degree oven until heated through.
REHEATING LEFTOVERS:
  • Reheat on or off the bone in a 350-degree oven.
  • The cauliflower puree can be microwaved.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 745kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 184mg | Sodium: 867mg | Potassium: 1320mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4107IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 8mg