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Red Wine Braised Short Ribs (Inspired by Bottega in Napa)
Red wine and espresso braised short ribs over creamy polenta with peperonata, inspired by a dinner at Bottega in Napa Valley.
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Prep
30 min, plus salting
Cook
3½ hrs
Serves
4–6
Level
Involved
Ingredients
3–4 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
Kosher salt
2–3 tablespoons flour, for dusting
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock
½ cup espresso
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 rosemary sprig
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
Parsley, for garnish
Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving
The first time I ever had short ribs was at Bottega in Yountville, a small town in Napa Valley where everything seems to revolve around good food and good wine. We were there last September for my little sister’s 40th birthday, and after a day of wine tastings, the waiter recommended the short ribs.
I had never ordered short ribs before. I didn’t grow up eating them. I ordered them anyway, and I still think about that meal. They were served over creamy polenta with peppers and a rich, slow-cooked sauce, and it was one of those dinners you don’t forget.
I used to watch Michael Chiarello on Food Network all the time when my boys were little and we were living in the mountains. My husband would be at work, and Food Network was my adult interaction for the day. I watched Michael Chiarello, Giada and Ina Garten more than anyone, and in a way they felt like friends keeping me company while I learned how to cook. So making this dinner felt like all of it coming together: Napa, Food Network, learning to cook, and the kind of dinner that takes all afternoon and makes the house smell like something good is coming.
It was a cold spring day in Montana, the kind where it still feels like winter is trying to hang on, and the right kind of day to stay inside and cook something that takes time. So I finally tried to recreate that dinner. Some dinners are just dinner, and some are an experience. This is the second kind.
The Menu
Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine, Tomato & Espresso
Creamy Polenta with Parmigiano Reggiano
Peperonata
Affogato with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
Planning the Day
This is the kind of dinner you plan for, not the kind you rush. Earlier in the day, make the ice cream base, chop the vegetables, measure the wine and stock, and grate the Parmesan so everything is ready. About three hours before dinner, start the short ribs so they have time to slowly braise in the oven.
While they cook, you’ll have time to clean the kitchen, set the table, and get everything ready for the polenta and peperonata. By the time dinner is ready, all that’s left to do is plate and sit down.
Method
Salt the short ribs generously on all sides and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Lightly dust the ribs with flour and shake off the excess.
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs on all sides until deeply browned, about 10–15 minutes total. Remove the ribs and set aside.
In the same pot, add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until softened.
Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes.
Pour in the red wine and let it simmer for a few minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add the beef stock, espresso, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf.
Return the ribs to the pot. The liquid should come about halfway up the ribs.
Cover and place in the oven for 2½–3 hours, until the ribs are fork tender.
Remove the ribs to a plate and discard the herb stems and bay leaf.
Simmer the sauce uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until slightly thickened and glossy.
Return the ribs to the sauce and spoon the sauce over the top. Keep warm until ready to serve.
To Plate
Spoon creamy polenta into the bottom of a shallow bowl.
Place one short rib on top of the polenta and spoon sauce over it.
Add peperonata on the side.
Finish with grated Parmigiano Reggiano, chopped parsley and a light drizzle of olive oil.
Serve immediately while everything is hot.
A note
While the ribs cook, you have time to clean the kitchen, set the table, and get everything ready for the rest of dinner. By the time the sauce is finished and the polenta is hot, all that’s left to do is plate dinner, pour a glass of wine, and sit down.
Good to know
More About This Recipe
Nutrition
Calories
730
Protein
25g
Carbs
12g
Fat
62g
Tips & tricks
Use shallow bowls so the polenta and sauce stay together.
Nutrition is an estimate per serving of short ribs and sauce (based on 6 servings), not including polenta.
Substitutions
Pairs well with
Soaks up every bit of the sauce.
Sweet, glossy peppers on the side.
Storage & leftovers
Questions people ask
Postcards from my kitchen
Made this one?
Tell me how it went, or what you did differently. The best changes to these recipes have come from readers.