How to Braise Like a Boss

Braising, according to chef Vivian Howard, is “somewhat misunderstood.” But the star of PBS series, “A Chef’s Life,” breaks down the cooking technique in a few simple steps.

Howard demonstrates how to get flavorful meat by braising, which includes browning the food on all sides and simmering it in enough liquid to cover the ingredients halfway.

“We’ve grown to love braising more over the past 10 years now that we understand things like lamb shanks, short ribs, turkey legs, and turkey wings are very flavorful and succulent when cooked at a low and slow temperature,” explains Howard, a chef and restaurant owner in North Carolina.

Try Howard’s recipe for braised short ribs below:

image

(Chef Vivian Howard’s delicious braised short ribs. Photo: Rex Miller)

Braised Beef Short Ribs
Makes 4 servings
3 pounds bone-in short ribs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
4 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup canned tomato puree
2 to 3 cups beef stock
2 (3-inch) sprigs fresh thyme
1 (3-inch) rosemary sprig
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water (optional)
Serve with: mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles

Preheat the oven to 275°F.

Pat the ribs dry. Sprinkle all sides of the ribs generously with salt and pepper. Heat a braising pan or wide Dutch oven over medium high heat. Working in batches, add the short ribs in one layer, leaving room between each. Sear the short ribs, turning with tongs, until deeply browned on all sides, about 15 minutes total. Transfer ribs to a bowl.

Add chopped carrots, onion, and garlic to the pot and cook over medium heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Stir in tomato puree and 2 cups of the stock. Drop in the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf.

Return the ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot. The liquid should come two-thirds of the way up the sides of the ribs, so add more wine if needed. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

Cover tightly and transfer to the oven to braise until the meat is very tender and coming away from the bone, 3 to 4 hours. Alternatively, simmer gently over low heat on top of the stove. (For best flavor, cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Discard the layer of fat that solidifies on top of the liquid. Reheat gently before proceeding.)

Remove ribs to a serving bowl with a slotted spoon. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Discard the herb stems and bay leaf. Stir the vinegar into the sauce. For thicker gravy, whisk in the cornstarch slurry mixture and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve by gently tugging the chunks of meat away from the bone and spooning the sauce over the top.

Produced by Markay Media/Deep Run Productions; Featuring Vivian Howard Culinary Producer Sheri Castle; Music by Jesse Huebner)

For more on “A Chef’s Life”, check out these stories:

All You Need To Know About Broiling

Watch How to Perfect Your Poach

Everything You Need to Know to Make Delicious Stews