Drunken short ribs recipe

Ingredients

• 2 carrots, peeled, with their leafy tops
• 2 celery stalks, with their leaves
• 8 bone-in beef short ribs, 3 to 4 in [7.5 to 10 cm] long
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp [55 g] all-purpose flour
• 6 Tbsp [85 g] unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1½ cups [210 g] chopped sweet onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1½ cups [360 ml] beef stock
• One 750-ml bottle dry red wine (such as Cabernet)
• 2 dried bay leaves

• 22/3 cups [370 g] quick-cooking grits
• 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups [480 ml] half-and-half
• 5 Tbsp [70 g] unsalted butter
• ½ cup [40 g] grated smoked Gouda cheese
• ½ cup [40 g] grated Cheddar cheese
• Freshly ground pepper

• 1 cup [10 g] loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 lemon
• ¼ cup [10 g] finely chopped fresh chives
• ¼ cup [10 g] loosely packed carrot tops
• ¼ cup [10 g] loosely packed celery leaves

1. To make the short ribs, trim the leafy tops of the carrots and the celery leaves, and reserve for the gremolata. Cut the carrots and celery crosswise into 1-in [2.5-cm] pieces and set aside. Season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp of the flour, patting it into the meat and shaking off any excess. Melt 2 Tbsp of the butter with the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or another ovenproof, deep-sided pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, sear the ribs on all sides until a golden brown crust has formed, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Add the remaining 4 Tbsp [55 g] of butter and 1/3 cup [45 g] flour to the pot and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook this roux, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes, or until it’s the color of almond butter (the darker the roux, the more flavor; you just don’t want to burn it).
3. Preheat the oven to 325°F [165°C].
4. Meanwhile, combine the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in a food processor and blend until they become a fine pulp. Add the veggie pulp to the roux, increase the heat to medium, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the beef stock and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Add the wine and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil and turn the heat to medium-low. Return the short ribs to the pot, along with any of their juices. Simmer the short ribs, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
5. Cover the pot, place it in the oven, and cook until the ribs are falling-apart tender, 2 to 2½ hours.
6. About 30 minutes before the ribs are ready, make the grits. Bring 6 cups [1.4 L] of water to a boil in a large, heavy pot. Add the grits and salt and stir to combine. Lower the heat and simmer, whisking frequently, until the grits have thickened noticeably, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half, butter, and cheeses and return to a simmer. Cook the grits on medium-low heat until they are tender, creamy, and thick, 15 to 20 minutes.
7. To make the gremolata, chop the parsley on a cutting board. Using a Microplane or a small-toothed grater, grate the garlic clove over the parsley. Using the same grater, grate the lemon zest over the garlic. Add the chopped chives, the carrot tops, and the celery leaves. Keep chopping the mixture until it’s very fine.
8. When you’re ready to serve, transfer the short ribs to a platter. Skim off any fat from the cooking liquid in the pot, and pour this skimmed sauce over the short ribs. Top them with a sprinkling of the gremolata and serve with the grits. Alternatively, you can serve individual bowls of grits with the short ribs on top, garnished with the gremolata.