This is a great weekend meal; there's nothing difficult about it, nothing takes more than a half-hour of attention, and with the slow cooker going, you can come and go while dinner fixes itself. If you'd rather not use a slow cooker, bring the short ribs and other ingredients to a boil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over high heat. Transfer to a 350°F oven and cook until the meat is falling off the bone, about 3 hours.
Slow-Cooked Short Ribs with Celery Root Puree
Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, cut into 2-inch cubes by your butcher
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 7 cloves garlic, 6 thinly sliced and 1 smashed
- 2 jalapenos seeded and sliced
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- grated zest of 2 lemons
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 3 large red onions halved
- 1 celery root peeled and diced
- 1 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
Method
Step 1
Preheat the broiler.
Step 2
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and arrange the short ribs, meat-side up, evenly on the sheet. Place the baking sheet about 4 inches under the broiler. Cook, turning the ribs occasionally, until each side is deep brown, 15 to 20 minutes total.
Step 3
Combine 2 cups of water, the vinegar, sliced garlic, jalapenos, mustard, lemon zest and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the ribs in an even layer. Cook on high for 4 hours. The meat should be tender when pierced with a fork.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Step 5
With a slotted spoon, transfer the meat from the slow cooker to a plate. Pour the cooking liquid into a gravy strainer to skim off the Fat. Do not discard the Fat (you should have about 1/4 cup).
Step 6
Add the skimmed cooking liquid to a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat until glossy and thickened and reduced to about 1 cup, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Moisten the short ribs with about 1/4 cup of the sauce and set aside the rest to serve at the meal.
Step 7
Meanwhile, on a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the onions with the reserved Fat and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Arrange the onions, cut- side down. Roast, without turning, until the onions are browned on the underside, about 15 minutes. Flip and roast until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes more. Tent with foil and set aside.
Step 8
Serve the short ribs with the celery root puree and roasted onions on the side, along with the gravy.