Short Ribs with Root Vegetables

When Larry had the smoker going, he also smoked some ribs, both short ribs and spare ribs. Normally, I am not a big rib fan, particularly spare ribs. But I do like the short ribs on occasion. Even though they were smoked, they still needed a little extra cooking time to soften them up a bit. I found this delicious winter recipe that hit the spot. It was braised with beer and winter, root vegetables.

Short Ribs Braised with Beer and Root Vegetables

Preheat the oven to 400*F or 200*C.

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

2 lbs boneless short ribs

3-4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks about 1 inch in size

1 turnip, peeled and cut into chunks about 1 inch in size

1-2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks about 1 inch in size

2 -3 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks about 1 inch in size

1 onion, diced medium

1 TBSP garlic

2 cups beer

3 cups beef stock

1 tsp dried or 1 TBSP fresh of each, or any combination thereof – thyme, oregano, rosemary and sage

1 TBSP paprika

salt & pepper to taste

Since my ribs were smoked, I did not need to brown them, but if you are starting with uncooked ribs, brown them completely first in hot oil.

Toss all the vegetables together and spread out in a single layer on the bottom of the prepared pan.

Add the cooked ribs on top of the vegetables.

Combine the beer, beef stock, herbs and seasonings and mix together well. Pour over the ribs and vegetables. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for about 1 1/2 hours.

When the vegetables are cooked and the ribs are tender. Serve them in a bowl, so not to waste any of the delicious broth, over your choice of noodles, mashed potatoes, rice, barley or couscous. I chose to serve it over couscous this time, with a smooth red blend and some beer bread on the side to make a perfect, warm winter’s meal. I really like the couscous or barley options the best, since they really bring out the flavors and characteristics of this warm winter stew. The focus is on the ribs and vegetables.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe, stay well and stay warm. ‘Til next time.