Listen to cookbook author Michele Scicolone on Food Friday!
A handful of ingredients in the slow cooker turns a tough cut of beef luscious and falling-off-the-bone tender. Serve the ribs with creamy polenta.
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 to 5 pounds beef short ribs, well trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3-inch sprig fresh rosemary
Directions
Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Pat the meat dry and add as many pieces to the pan as will fit comfortably without crowding. Cook until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer the meat to a large slow cooker and brown the remaining meat. Sprinkle the ribs with salt and pepper.
Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat and reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the wine and vinegar and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan. Pour the liquid over the ribs and add the rosemary.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until the ribs are very tender. Remove the ribs from the slow cooker and discard the rosemary and any loose bones. Cover the ribs and keep warm.
Skim the fat off the liquid. Pour the remaining sauce into a saucepan and cook over medium high heat until reduced and slightly thickened. Spoon the sauce over the ribs and serve hot.
Copyright The Italian Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010