This has to be one of the coldest days we’ve had in Orlando in a long time, so I needed to bring out the big guns for dinner tonight. Steve’s been working on roofs all day, and I know he’d want a comforting dish to warm him up. I went to our local Farmers’ Market and decided on short ribs. They offer boneless short ribs, which I’ve never seen available anywhere else.

The name of my dish, Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs, sounds super fancy, but it’s not.

Our local Farmers’ Market is called Freshfields Farm. I posted a link at the bottom of this post.

I definitely needed good white cheddar for my grits, and Freshfields Farm also offers a variety of cheeses, so this worked out perfectly.

I’m asked what the difference is between grits and polenta. I’ve always known polenta to be used in Italian cuisine, and grits have always been a staple in southern cuisine, and this is true, but the real difference is in the corn.

While polenta is made from ground yellow corn, grits are made from white corn (also known as hominy). The most notable difference between the two is in the texture: polenta is much coarser, whereas grits are finer.

Next, I was onto the produce side of Freshfields Farm to check out the root vegetables available for my dish tonight. I found a beautiful butternut squash and some leafy carrots. Those are going to be perfect for my Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time for the Beef Short Ribs: 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Equipment: 1 (6-quart) Dutch oven with a lid, chef’s knife, 1 (6-quart) saucepot, 1 (10-cup) food processor, 2 rimmed baking sheet pans, 1 (9 x 11) baking dish, and aluminum foil

Ingredients for the Seared Beef Short Ribs:
3 pounds of boneless short ribs
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons of kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of black pepper, freshly-ground

Ingredients for the Braised Beef Short Ribs In A Red Wine Reduction:
3 pounds of seared beef short ribs
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 (12-ounce) jar of roasted Piquillo peppers, puréed
1 onion, diced, 2-inch dice
2 cups of carrots, 2-inch dice
4 cups of butternut squash, peeled and seeded, 2-inch dice
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of black pepper, freshly-ground
2 cups of Cabernet Sauvignon
3 1/2 cups of beef stock, unsalted
1 (14.5-ounce) can of beef consommé
*cornstarch slurry
2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 
Garnish:
2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley

Ingredients for the Cheddar Polenta:
1 cup of instant polenta
3 cups of water
1 cup of heavy cream
2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-ground
4 tablespoons butter, unsalted and room temperature
2 cups of white cheddar, freshly-grated (reserve 1/2 a cup for the topping)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Start by prepping all the vegetables. You want them all to be approximately the same size so they cook evenly. Once the butternut squash, carrots, onions, minced garlic, and the purèed Piquillo peppers are all prepped, set them aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add the short ribs, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons of kosher salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of freshly-ground black pepper. Mix to combine. Arrange the marinated short ribs in one layer, spread out, on two baking sheets. Roast for 20 minutes. Oven temperatures may vary slightly. The roasting time for the short ribs is approximate. Halfway through the roasting process, flip the short ribs to get a good caramelization on both sides.

In a preheated Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, onions, and carrots. Season with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, stirring occasionally, then cook for 2-3 minutes. Next, add the diced butternut squash, minced garlic, and tomato paste.

Continue cooking, adding the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly-ground black pepper, stirring occasionally for another 2-3 minutes.

It’s important to season each layer as you go.

Once the vegetables start to soften, add the purèed Piquillo peppers, and stir to combine. Add the red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary, and Italian flat-leaf parsley, and stir to combine.

For the liquids, first, add the Cabernet Sauvignon to *deglaze the pot. Using a wooden spoon, scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pot. After the wine has been reduced by approximately half. 2-3 minutes, add the beef consommé and beef stock.

Adjust oven temperature to 325°F.
Remove the short ribs from the oven, add the ribs with their juices to the pot, and gently stir to combine. Bring everything back up to a boil, cover, turn off the heat, and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook for 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours or until the meat is fork-tender. While the short ribs are in the oven, I make the Cheddar Polenta.

Adjust oven temperature to 350°F.
Remove the pot from the oven, and carefully transfer the short ribs to a dish. Turn the heat to medium-high, add the *cornstarch slurry to the pot, and stir to combine. Bring the sauce back to a boil, stirring occasionally, and cook until the sauce thickens. Turn the heat down to the lowest temperature (warm), and carefully add the short ribs back into the pot. Cover to keep hot.

Tip: Spray the dull side of the foil with non-stick cooking spray before covering the grits. This will prevent the cheese on top from sticking to the foil.

Instructions for the White Cheddar Polenta:
In a large saucepot, add heavy cream and water. Bring up to a boil. Add kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Using a whisk, slowly whisk in the cornmeal. As soon as the liquid is completely absorbed, 2-3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add the butter. Switch to a wooden spoon, and stir until butter is incorporated. Next, add the grated white cheddar, and stir to combine.

In a buttered baking dish, add the prepared polenta. Spread out evenly into the buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle the reserved white cheddar evenly over the top. Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5-7 minutes or until the polenta is hot and bubbly.

To Serve: Spoon the White Cheddar Polenta into the bottom of a serving bowl. Ladle a good helping of my Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs on top. Garnish with Italian flat-leaf parsley. Serve hot.

There you have it, my Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs.

Notes:
1) *cornstarch slurry: For each cup of liquid you want to thicken, start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a small bowl. Add an equal amount of cold liquid (water) and stir until a smooth paste forms. Whisk the slurry into the hot, simmering liquid you want to thicken.

2) *deglaze: To dilute meat sediments (in a pan) to make gravy or sauce, typically using wine.

3) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through a preferred online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2013/09/12/2013-09-11-10-12-08-jpg/