Braised Short Rib Stew

Cold days and long nights mean one thing; slow cooking stews that get a home smelling of savory goodness! The following recipe is more than just a cook again, more than a crowd pleaser, it is a meal full of complex flavors that will bring any group of friends or family closer. For our first Sunday Dinners post, please indulge yourself and your family with this delightfully easy but rewarding dish.

Pro Tip: If you don't already have a nice big dutch oven, grab one from Lodge! They are more durable, 1/4 the price of a Le Cruesett and made in America to boot! I use mine more than any other tool in the kitchen. Oh and get the biggest one you can, you won't regret it.

Ingredients

5 pounds pork short ribs, cut in half with some fat trimmed, heavily salted and spread with pepper
¼ cu olive oil
½ cu whole wheat flour
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 white onions, chopped
12 cloves garlic
24 oz brown ale or dark beer
16 oz tomato sauce
16 oz dark stock (aka good beef stock)
1 bunch fresh thyme & rosemary, tied up

For this recipe you will not require a dutch oven but if you have one you can use it to both brown the meat and cook the stew. If you don't have a dutch oven yet, you can use any oven safe pot or simply brown the meat on the stove then use a crock pot or slow cooker to finish the stew.

Procedure

Dredge the ribs lightly and fry them in batches on medium-high heat in the olive oil. After all the ribs are heavily browned on all sides, set them aside and deglace the pan with a 4 oz of beer, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape the flavor-packed brown bits off of the bottom of the pan. Add the carrots, onions and garlic to the pan and cook until slightly tender and caramelized. Add the remaining beer, stock and tomato sauce then bring to a simmer. Once simmering remove from heat, add herb bundle and place covered in the oven at 375 F for 3 to 5 hours. During the last 30 to 60 minutes, remove the cover and allow the liquid to reduce some. 

Serve on it's own, with some crusty bread or on top of mashed potatoes if you really want to pack in some calories for a cold winter's night!