Braised Short Ribs, No Cleanup Required
Oven bags and beef short ribs make an ideal combo. Much like a Dutch oven, oven-baking bags help retain most of the moisture produced by the short ribs during cooking, essentially creating a self-basting braising dish. And the best part? No soaking, scraping or scrubbing a pan afterward.
To make the most out of an oven bag's ample volume, pack a few pounds of hearty vegetables in there along with the short ribs. Anything you would cook with a roast works. Mirepoix (carrots, onion and celery) is a given for its aromatic contribution, but consider building on it with a few hearty root vegetables and tubers, such as parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes, jicama and, of course, potatoes.
Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes | Prep Time: 30 minutes: | Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients:
- 1 to 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 turkey-size baking bag
- 5 pounds cross-cut (Flanken style) short ribs
-
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
-
2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- Root vegetables and tubers, such as parsnips and potatoes, 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces (optional)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- 6 thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 3 or 4 cloves garlic, halved (optional)
Directions:
- Heat the oven to 350F. Add the flour to the baking bag; for a rich gravy, add 2 tablespoons, otherwise use 1 tablespoon.
- Season the short ribs to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the oil in a saute pan on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Working in batches, sear the short ribs until golden brown, about 15 minutes total. Add the short ribs to the baking bag along with the carrots, onions and celery.
- Toss the other vegetables of your choice in olive oil and add them to the bag. Turkey-sized oven bags hold up to 24 pounds of food, so you can include about as many vegetables as you like.
- Add the tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, rosemary and garlic to the bag. Tie the bag, and spread the short ribs and vegetables out evenly.
- Set the bag in a large roasting pan, tucking the ends of the bag in too. Cut four evenly spaced 1-inch slits in the top of the oven bag for venting, and place the pan in the oven.
- Cook the short ribs for 3 hours. Take the pan out of the oven and cut open the top of the bag. Transfer the short ribs and vegetables to a serving dish.