Ditch The Turkey

Stop pretending the turkey is ‘juicy.’ It’s not. You’re chewing on cardboard with gravy on it and calling it tradition. Why eat the driest meat on planet earth, when you can eat juicy fall off the bone, melt in your mouth Balsamic Braised Short Ribs? Give your family what they really want and try my recipe here. 100x’s easier, and great to slow cook on Thanksgiving, while you focus on other sides and hosting guests.

My Secret Ingredient…

Is in the sauce. And that’s an Authentic Italian Balsamic Vinegar called DeNigris ‘Smooth’ . (click the link to shop) DeNigris is a trusted Italian vinegar specialist with over 135 years of craftsmanship and expertise. It’s this premium ingredient that really elevates this dish especially the ribs because they are slow cooked for 3-4 hours so the meat completely absorbs the richness of the vinegar and DeNigris has a smooth, velvety texture that has a well rounded flavor of ripe fruit and gentle sweetness. Bottom line, you can taste the quality, and its the sauce and ingredients in it that make this dish extra special. You can shop for your at walmart.com or in-stores. And I keep saying this, DO NOT SLEEP ON WALMART. They have stepped there game up in every category from quality brands to locally grown produce, specialty pantry items. And still have the best prices.

DeNigris Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients:

• 3.5 lbs Bone-In Short Ribs

• Flour for dusting

• 2 tbl EVOO

• 6 Medium Shallots (thinly sliced)

• 6 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)

• ⅓ cup Tomato Paste

• ½ Cup De Nigris Balsamic Vinegar (Smooth)

• 1.5 cup Red Wine (CA Zinfandel, Chianti, Cabernet something full-bodied, rich and peppery)

• 2 tbl. Light Brown Sugar or Coconut Sugar

• 3-4 c of Beef Stock

• 8 Thyme Sprigs (de-stemmed)

• Kosher Salt/Pepper

• Garnish: Pomegranate, Fresh herbs: (chives, thyme, parsley)

• Serve: Over a bed of Mashed Potatoes, I serve mine with Horseradish Mash

Directions

Prep The Ribs: Remove short ribs from the refrigerator, 30 minutes before preparing. Move oven rack ⅓ the way down so your dutch oven will fit inside. Pre-Heat oven to 350*F. Pat the short ribs very dry and season with kosher salt and pepper. Lightly dust the ribs in flour.

Sear The Ribs: Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium high. Sear the ribs in batches without overcrowding until deeply browned on all sides. Roughly 10-20 minutes for each batch. Remove ribs and place on a plate. Safely pour out excess fat and leave about 2-4 tablespoons behind to use as a cooking oil for the next step.

Cook the Aromatics: Lower the heat to medium. Add the shallots and season with a pinch of salt. Cook until the shallot softens, Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, and stir until it darkens slightly and caramelizes about 2-5 minutes.

De-Glaze: Pour the red wine into the pan, De Nigris Balsamic Vinegar (Smooth), scraping up the brown bits from the bottom. Simmer till reduced by half 4-5 minutes.

Build The Braise: Stir in light brown sugar, beef stock, red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs tied. Bring to a simmering boil and nestle the ribs back in, bone side up, so they are mostly submerged.

Braise: Cover and Transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is fork tender and pulling away from the bone. 3-4 Hours. Start checking at 1.5 hours so you do not overcook the meat.

Serve: Using a slotted spoon transfer the ribs to a platter. Discard the thyme stems and skim the fat from the sauce. Serve over mashed potatoes and garnish of choice.

Why I chose De Nigris (Smooth) for this recipe:

For these short ribs, I wanted a balsamic that could stand up to a long, slow braise without turning harsh or overly acidic. De Nigris Gold was the natural choice. Its medium density and smooth, velvety texture melt into the braising liquid, helping it reduce into a glossy, rich sauce that clings to the meat. Its notes of ripe fruit and gentle sweetness balance the deep, savory flavor of the beef, while its well-rounded acidity cuts through the richness so every bite tastes bright rather than heavy. A final drizzle just before serving brings that fragrant, fruity character forward one more time, which makes it the finishing touch the dish needs.