Red Wine Braised Short Ribs over Roasted Garlic Parsnip Purée

You don’t need a cape to be a superhero.

But you do need roasted garlic and the ability to braise.

Although it’s not exactly classified information, braising is one of a chef’s best kept secret powers. Through the beauty of braising, you can turn the most boring, most mild protein into a masterpiece.

Take chicken, for example.

Although I have a fool-proof method for baked chicken breasts that turns them into plump, juicy works of art—I’m equally as big of an advocate for braising them. After they receive a quick, crisp sear in my cast iron—I deglaze with wine, stock, and lemon juice, return the partially
cooked breasts to the pan, and braise.

The sear locks in all of the juices and the braising method allow the chicken’s insides to cook slowly and seep in all of those melodious liquids.

Now imagine that you’re starting with an already-rich protein like short ribs. The same braising method results in a mouthful that’s nothing short of ethereal.

Short ribs have gotten a lot of hype as of recent, and their cool factor isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The funny part is that this dish isn’t a passing trend. Every culture has their own spin on the slow-cooked meat.

For the French, Julia Child’s succulent, buttery beef bourguignon is the victorious champ at the top of their tasty totem pole. In Italy, a touch of Tuscan inspiration (ahem, fistfuls of nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano accompanied by licoricey fennel) does the trick.

And for Korea, well, if you haven’t wrapped your hands around a taco loaded with thick, sweet Gal-Bi (Korean BBQ perfumed by brown sugar, salty soy sauce, and nutty sesame oil)—you haven’t lived.

Short ribs are the five (literally) short ribs that come from the beef chuck—ironically, not the beef rib—portion of the animal. They’re decadent, marbled with fat, and ideal for cooking low and slow.

The braising part may sound a tad “chef-y” at first, but it’s as simple as this: a combination of dry and moist cooking. First, you sear, then you finish cooking in liquid. Tada! You’re an official braiser.

The other benefit of braising is that the meat will actually whisper to you when it’s done. No, not from the couch. You have to get up and check on it when the timer goes off.

If the bone slips right out and the meat falls apart, it’s done. If it seems tough and the bone will barely wriggle—we now return to your regularly scheduled program.

This recipe will teach you the gloriously basic, yet sublimely sensational technique for braising short ribs in red wine. The kicker here? The carb. Skip the standard mashed potatoes and egg noodles, and whip up this parsnip puree instead.

From first looks, a parsnip is a carrot’s albino cousin.

On the inside: packed with more nutrients, and slightly less carbs, than a potato, these root veggies make a delicious creamy side that no one will know isn’t their beloved mashed potatoes. I blend them with smooth, tangy goat cheese and sweet, mellow roasted garlic to make this
light, velvety purée.

Do you hear that? That’s the sound of your taste buds going wild.

Chef’s Tips

• Feel free to swap other flavors into the parsnip purée so that it pleases your specific palate. Earthy herbs like thyme and sage make great green additions, and for a funky kick, swap out the goat cheese for tangy Gorgonzola.
• Don’t ever pour out those fat drippings left behind from searing the beef. That’s the pool your aromatics (onions, garlic, carrots, etc.) are dying to take a dip in.
• When you deglaze with the wine, don’t forget to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Those flavor bombs dissolve right into the dish and enrich it with complex, savory notes.

Detailed instructions with step by step photos:

Step 1 – Roast the Garlic

Prepare the parsnip purée either ahead of time, or while the short ribs are braising.

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Slice the tips off 4 of the garlic cloves (in their shells) and then place them onto a piece of tin foil. Drizzle them with the olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. the cloves up like a package and bake until golden and tender, about 20-22 minutes. To pop out the cloves, gently squeeze them out of their shells once the garlic has cooled. Set the roasted garlic and garlic oil aside.

Step 2 –Boil the Parsnips and Make the Purée

Peel and chop the parsnips.

In a large pot, cover the parsnips with cold salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat to medium-high and simmer the parsnips until very tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Reserve ⅓ cup of the starchy cooking water and drain the parsnips.

Using the flat side of your knife, mash the roasted garlic until it becomes a paste.

In a food processor, combine the roasted garlic paste, parsnips, butter, goat cheese, half-and-half, honey, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Add a few tablespoons at a time of the reserved cooking water until the purée is smooth. With the motor still running, stream in the reserved garlic oil until the mixture is velvety and whipped. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 3 –Season and Sear the Short Ribs

Heat the oven to 275° F.

Pat the short ribs dry and then generously season the short ribs on all sides with about 2 teaspoons each salt and pepper.

Add the vegetable oil to a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and swirl to coat the pan.

Working in batches, sear the short ribs on all sides until deeply browned and caramelized, about 6-8 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned short ribs to a plate and reduce the Dutch oven’s heat to medium.

Step 4 –Sauté the Veggies

Mince the remaining 2 cloves of garlic and chop the onions, celery, carrots, thyme, and parsley.

Pour out all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pan and add the onions, celery, carrots, thyme, and minced garlic.

Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Sauté until the vegetables soften, about 6 minutes, then add in the tomato paste and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

 

Step 5 –Deglaze the Pan, Add the Braising Liquids, and Bake

Deglaze the pan with the wine and stock, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom.

Simmer for several minutes, and then return the short ribs to the pot (along with any juices from the plate), nestling them to make sure they’re as submerged as possible.

Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and place the entire pan in the oven.

Cook, completely undisturbed, until the ribs, are incredibly tender and falling off the bone, about 3-4 hours.

Step 6 –Garnish and Serve

Warm the parsnip purée and divide it among 4 bowls.

Using tongs, carefully remove the short ribs from the stew (trying to keep the bone intact, if possible) and place them on top of the purées. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Top the short ribs with the veggies and sauce, garnish with the parsley, and serve.

Break out the Braising Machines.

Just kidding. No elaborate equipment required.

For braised short ribs, a Dutch oven is the most commonly used vehicle-of-choice. And if you don’t own one, any deep, wide, oven-proof pot will do in its place.

If parsnips aren’t your root veg of choice, pop in potatoes for something a little more familiar. To make things even easier on yourself—a crusty loaf of French bread for scooping up every last drop is all you need.

Let your love for leisurely cooking take over, and give these other slow-simmered beef recipes a-go:

• Slow Cooker Traditional Beef Stew
• Hungarian Beef Goulash
• Beef Stroganoff Sandwiches