Braised Short Ribs

Fall-off-the-bone short ribs in a rich, glossy gravy. Mama Nina Mix does the seasoning, so the salt shaker stays in the cabinet. Serve over mashed potatoes with a side of greens.

You'll need: Instant Pot or pressure cooker

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in beef short ribs, about 4–5 lb, patted dry
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 5 tbsp Mama Nina Mix, divided: 2 tbsp for the vegetables, 3 tbsp for the ribs
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, for coating the ribs
• 1/2 cup dry red wine, Côtes du Rhône or Pinot Noir
• 1 cup unsalted or low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 3 tbsp water, for the gravy
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, to finish the gravy

Method

1. Set the pot to sauté with 1 tbsp oil. Cook the onion and carrots with 2 tbsp Mama Nina Mix a few minutes, stirring, then move them to a plate.
2. Season the ribs all over with 3 tbsp Mama Nina Mix, then coat them with the flour. Tip: Dry meat browns, wet meat greys.
3. Add the remaining 2 tbsp oil and brown the ribs on all sides, in batches. Move them to the plate. Tip: Crowding steams them. The browned bits on the bottom are the gravy's flavor.
4. Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom clean. Boil 2 minutes, then stir in the broth and tomato paste. Tip: Scrape every bit up — stuck bits can trigger the 'burn' warning.
5. Return the ribs and vegetables and tuck in the thyme and rosemary. Cook on high pressure 45 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Tip: Natural release, not quick release. Dropping the pressure fast seizes the meat.
6. Lift out the ribs. Skim the fat off the liquid and pull out the herb stems. Tip: Short ribs give off a lot of fat. A fat separator or a wide spoon does it.
7. Switch to sauté, stir in the cornstarch slurry, and cook until the gravy thickens.
8. Turn off the heat and stir the red wine vinegar into the gravy. Tip: A splash of vinegar at the end wakes up a rich gravy the way salt would.
9. Serve over mashed potatoes with the gravy spooned over the top.

Also works in: Crock pot: brown the ribs and build the sauce on the stove (steps 1–4), then cook on low 8 hours or high 4–5 hours. Dutch oven: cover and braise in a 325°F oven 2½–3 hours.

Good to know: Use unsalted broth and no-salt-added tomato paste.

Don't be salty.