Red Wine–Braised Short Ribs with Ras el Hanout Spring Vegetables

Red Wine–Braised Short Ribs

A slow, gentle braise melts the ribs’ connective tissue while keeping the meat moist. Reducing the wine before adding stock builds depth without leaving a harsh wine flavor.

Ingredients

• 3½ lb English-cut bone-in beef short ribs
• 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 2–3 cups unsalted gluten-free beef stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sprigs thyme

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 300°F. Pat the ribs very dry and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the ghee in a snug Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the ribs in batches, allowing 3–4 minutes on each broad side, until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate.
3. Pour off excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook for 6–8 minutes, scraping and stirring, until softened and lightly browned.
4. Add the wine and scrape up the browned fond. Simmer for 8–12 minutes, until reduced by about half.
5. Return the ribs and their juices to the pot. Add the bay, thyme, and enough stock to reach halfway to two-thirds up the meat. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly, and transfer to the oven.
6. Braise for 2½–3 hours, checking after 2½ hours. The ribs are ready when a skewer slides into the thickest meat with almost no resistance and the bones loosen easily; internal temperature is commonly around 200–205°F, but tenderness is the deciding test.
7. Lift out the ribs and reserve the braising liquid for the sauce. When cool enough to handle, remove the bones and any tough membranes, keeping the meat in generous 1½–2-inch pieces. Keep covered and moist with a little braising liquid.

Notes

• If using previously braised ribs, start with about 1½ lb cooked boneless meat and 2–3 cups reserved braising liquid. Skip the braise and warm the meat gently in the finished sauce.
• For a kosher meat preparation, use avocado oil instead of ghee and appropriately certified wine and stock.

Reduced Red Wine Braising Sauce

The ribs supply enough gelatin to create a glossy sauce without flour. A small splash of vinegar lifts the rich beef and warm spices.

Ingredients

• 2–3 cups reserved short-rib braising liquid
• 1–2 tsp red wine vinegar, to taste
• to taste kosher salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan, pressing lightly on the onion. Discard the herbs and skim off surface fat.
2. Reserve ½ cup of the skimmed liquid for the vegetable bed. Simmer the remainder uncovered until glossy and lightly coating a spoon, about 15–25 minutes.
3. Add 1 teaspoon vinegar, taste, and adjust the vinegar, salt, and pepper. The sauce should taste savory and rounded, with just enough acidity to cut the richness.
4. Add the rib pieces and warm gently for 5–8 minutes, turning carefully to glaze them without breaking them into shreds.

Notes

• If the sauce becomes salty before it thickens, stop reducing. A light, gelatin-rich jus is better than an overly salty glaze.
• Loosen an over-reduced sauce with unsalted stock or water.

Ras el Hanout Spring Onion, Green Garlic, and Ginger Vegetable Bed

Gently cooking the alliums brings out their sweetness, while ginger and bloomed ras el hanout connect the red wine braise to the North African–inspired vegetables. A little braising liquid makes the vegetables cohesive without turning them into a purée.

Ingredients

• 4 spring onions, bulbs and tender greens sliced separately
• 3 stalks green garlic, tough outer leaves removed, tender portions sliced
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
• 3 medium carrots, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 3 stalks celery, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp gluten-free ras el hanout
• ½ cup reserved skimmed braising liquid
• 1–2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• to taste kosher salt

Instructions

1. Warm the olive oil in a wide sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the spring onion bulbs, green garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and softened without much browning.
2. Add the ginger and ras el hanout. Stir for 30–45 seconds, just until fragrant.
3. Add the carrots, celery, and reserved braising liquid. Cover and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender but still hold their shape.
4. Uncover, add the tender spring onion greens, and cook for 3–5 minutes, until the greens soften and the liquid lightly coats the vegetables.
5. Finish with lemon juice and adjust the salt. Keep warm over very low heat.

Notes

• Ras el hanout varies in strength; begin with 1½ teaspoons if your blend is especially hot or clove-heavy.
• If the pan dries before the carrots soften, add water a tablespoon or two at a time.

Spring Greens with Lemon and Parsley

Brief steaming preserves the greens’ color and gives a fresh contrast to the long-cooked ribs. Lemon and parsley brighten the finished bowl.

Ingredients

• 8 oz asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch lengths, optional
• 2 small baby bok choy, washed and cut into bite-size pieces, stems and leaves separated, optional
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
• to taste kosher salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Place the asparagus and bok choy stems in a wide pan with the water, olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Cover and steam over medium heat for 2–3 minutes.
2. Add the bok choy leaves, cover, and cook for another 1–2 minutes, until the leaves wilt and the stems are crisp-tender. Uncover and let excess water evaporate.
3. Remove from the heat and toss with lemon juice and pepper. Scatter the parsley over the assembled dish rather than cooking it into the greens.

Notes

• Use either or both optional vegetables. Keep the topping modest so the spiced vegetable bed and short ribs remain the focus.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The braise can be made ahead, leaving only sauce reduction and quick vegetable cooking before serving.

Instructions

1. Up to 2 days ahead: braise the ribs. Cool the meat in its liquid in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours; lift off the chilled fat before reheating.
2. About 45 minutes before serving: gently reheat chilled ribs in their braising liquid, covered, until they reach 165°F. Remove the meat, strain the liquid, and begin the sauce.
3. About 30 minutes before serving: start the ras el hanout vegetable bed while the sauce reduces.
4. About 10 minutes before serving: return the ribs to the sauce and cook the spring greens.
5. At serving: taste each component for salt and acidity, then assemble in warm shallow bowls.

Plating

A low vegetable bed catches the braising juices, while a loose mound keeps the individual vegetables and rib pieces visible.

Instructions

1. Divide the spiced spring onion, green garlic, carrot, and celery mixture among four warm shallow bowls.
2. Pile the glazed short-rib pieces over the vegetables and spoon a little sauce around and over the meat.
3. Tuck the spring greens across the top and between the meat pieces. Finish generously with parsley, leaving some glossy beef exposed.

Leftover Path

Storing the meat with its sauce protects it from drying out; keeping the greens separate helps preserve their texture.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate the ribs with their sauce and store the vegetables separately in shallow airtight containers within 2 hours. Use within 3–4 days of the original cooking date; reheating previously cooked ribs does not restart that clock.
2. Reheat the meat and sauce gently, covered, with a splash of water or stock until the meat reaches 165°F. Warm the vegetable bed separately and fold in the spring greens only at the end.
3. For another meal, shred the ribs into their sauce and serve over roasted vegetables, finishing with fresh parsley and lemon.
4. Freeze the ribs and sauce for up to 3 months; prepare fresh greens when serving.