Wine Braised Short Ribs

I've already decided what I'm making for Valentine's Day and this is it.  It is as good as any fine dining restaurant so I would suggest that you go for it, too.  I got this recipe from our local grocery store, Metropolitan Market.  It's an upscale grocery store that prides itself on respect for quality; pretty much the same philosophy for food as me and everyday is a cause for celebration; also the same as me when it comes to food.   We were a match made in heaven.  Most their stuff is local and the freshest of any store around here and you can taste the difference.   I hardly go anywhere else, to be honest.  I made this recipe for dinner recently and right then and there decided that this was a "special occasion recipe".  However, the only special occasion we are having these days are seeing our grandkids.  They come over for dinner occasionally and Nick has already started talking about Valentine's Day and has asked me if I  would make my heart cakes for dessert.   My heart cakes are just regular cake made in individual heart cakes that I probably haven't made in decades.  Since Nick now has children, he remembers these things...I just found a photo of these cakes from 1999 making them with a friend from Seattle who came to visit on our first Valentine's Day in Idaho.  Wow.  Way before this blog even existed.  You can see me holding the little individual heart pan while the cakes are cooling. 

Here they are on the table at each place setting.  Not a great photo but you get the idea.  Anyway, Nick remembers this.  Some memories don't die.

I know why this memory did not die.  This was a family we were very good friends with and Nick played baseball with their two boys.  Here we are at the dinner table.  My mom was living with us at the time, too.  Some people look awfully tired for some reason. 

They look tired probably because they were playing outside a lot in the snow.  Their daughter was older than Lauren but she and Lauren had a common love of horses.  We didn't have Aurora, yet, who was Lauren's horse but our neighbor let us borrow their pony for the weekend to entertain our guests. And entertain he did.  

And then it was "hit the hot tub!"  

Yes, I totally get why Nick would not forget that weekend but I'm honored that he actually remembered the food part of it, enough to request the dessert 20 years later!  If you make these short ribs for Valentine's Day, I can guarantee that you will have a dinner you won't soon forget, either. Go ahead and splurge this year.  There is so little we get to splurge on lately.  I mean, really.   Short ribs are not a cheap meat but they are soooo good.  I love them.  Chances are, you are not entertaining a bunch of people for Valentine's Day or having a big party so you can splurge on this recipe for a small number of people.  I would plan for two short ribs per person.  When I figure out quantity, I count Bruce and Nick as two people each because they eat so much but a normal person would probably eat two short ribs.  Short ribs generally come in packages of 4 or 5 ribs depending how big they are. For the two of us, I get two packages because they also taste good leftover, especially this recipe because of the tomato sauce.  I think steak is probably the standard for Valentine's Day but this recipe is so much better than a steak, in my opinion.  The sauce is finger-lickin' good and the ribs are melt-in-your mouth tender.  You deserve to treat yourself this year so go for it.  I believe in pampering ourselves in these trying times and of course, a great recipe is my way of promoting that.  And this one is super easy.  You may just have one of the nicest Valentine's Day ever, in this era of covid.  Who would have ever thought?  Serve your special dinner with some Show the Love Salad and you'll have one the nicest Valentine's Day dinner yet. 

Serves 4

1 Tbsp. olive oil

8-10 beef short ribs, English-style bone-in ribs which hold together best.  It also works for boneless beef short ribs

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes

1 cup dry red wine

2 tsp. basil

2 tsp. oregano 

2 tsp. fresh garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

cooked pasta

1.  Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until hot.  Place beef ribs in stockpot; brown evenly.

2.  Remove from stockpot.  Season with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper.

3.  Add onion to pan;  cook and stir 5-8 minutes or until onion is tender. 

4.  Stir in tomatoes, wine, basil, oregano and garlic.   

5.  Return beef to pan; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer very gently 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until beef is fork-tender. 

6.  Remove beef; keep warm.  Skim fat from cooking liquid.  Bring to a boil.  Cook, uncovered, 5-7 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper, as desired.  Return beef to sauce. 

7.  Serve short ribs with sauce with pasta, wide egg noodles or potatoes, as desired.