Author Notes
One of my favorite ways to serve a crowd cheaply and grandly is making braised short ribs. I’ve tried countless recipes for short ribs over the years, but a stand-out is Paula Wolfert’s Beef Short Ribs Simmered in Red Wine with Fennel, Black Olives, and Anchovies in the Style of the Camargue. I adapted her recipe to highlight one of my favorite flavor combinations: orange, fennel and olives. I first seasoned the short ribs with salt, pepper, crushed fennel seed and coriander, thinking the citrusy notes of the coriander would work nicely here. Then, I incorporated citrus in the braising liquid, opting for a combination of orange juice, chicken stock, and small amounts of red wine vinegar and soy sauce. The addition of soy sauce is definitely unconventional given the other ingredients, but it's a great tip I picked up from Cooks Illustrated to marry and balance flavors-- and it works! I was quite pleased with the result, especially the richness and depth of flavor achieved without the use of any wine in the braising liquid. My favorite part of this recipe, though, is the finishing touch: you smash together anchovies, butter, and a little orange juice – then stir them into the sauce – for a bright kick of flavor and creaminess. Lemony couscous and a fresh fennel salad make lovely accompaniments.
—EmilyC
Ingredients
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2 T olive oil
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4 to 5 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
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¼ teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
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3 oz pancetta or bacon, diced (optional)
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1 medium onion, diced
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1 large carrot, sliced
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2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
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1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
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6 garlic cloves, lightly smashed with the back of your knife
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½ cup tomato sauce
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¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (+ 2 teaspoons reserved for later use) and 1 large strip of orange zest (from 1 large orange)
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2 cups meat stock (chicken, beef, or veal)
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1 bay leaf
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2 anchovy fillets, rinsed, drained, and finely minced
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
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1/2 cup pitted black olives
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
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Blot the short ribs dry with paper towels (you want to start with dry meat so it will properly brown) and season the short ribs with kosher salt and pepper and the crushed fennel and coriander.
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Heat the olive oil in a 5 ½ quart (or larger) dutch oven or casserole over medium-high heat, and then add the short ribs in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the meat. (You may need to brown the meat in a few batches.) Brown the meat on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the browned meat to a plate; set aside. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the dutch oven.
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Add the onion and pancetta or bacon (if using) and sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the bacon is beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and sauté until they begin to brown, another 5 minutes.
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Add the red wine vinegar, and stir to deglaze any brown bits. Let reduce for about 1 minute, then add the soy sauce, garlic, tomato sauce, orange juice and meat stock. Bring to a boil, then add the bay leaf and strip of orange zest. Add the short ribs back to the dutch oven (bone-side up).
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Wet a sheet of parchment paper, crumple it, and cover the pot, pressing down so that the paper nearly touches the meat and the edges hang over the side. Cover the pot, and transfer it to the oven to braise until the meat is very tender, 3 to 3 ½ hours. Check after 30 minutes to make sure the liquid isn’t simmering too vigorously. If it is, lower the oven temperature 10 or 15 degrees and/or set the lid slightly ajar.
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When the meat is done, transfer it to a work surface. Pour the vegetables and braising liquid through a fine strainer into a large bowl, discarding all of the solids. Skim off any visible fat, and return the liquid to the dutch oven (wiped clean). Bring to a boil and reduce to about 2 cups, or until the sauce starts to thicken slightly.
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Remove and discard all bones, gristle, and hard pieces of fat from the short ribs.
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Cream together the minced anchovies with the butter and orange juice, starting with one teaspoon of orange juice and adding more if needed.
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Shortly before serving, stir the olives and anchovy butter into the sauce, and warm over low heat for a few minutes. Adjust to taste with kosher salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over short ribs and serve.
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If preparing this dish in advance, complete steps 1 – 8, placing the meat in a tall container and pouring the reduced braising liquid on top. Refrigerate. The following day, lift off the concealed fat and discard. Let the meat come to room temperature. About ½ hour before serving, place the meat in an ovenproof dish in a 325 degree F oven with 1 cup of the braising liquid. The short ribs will take about 30 minutes to reheat. Then proceed with steps 9 and 10 – reheating the remaining sauce and stirring in the anchovy butter.
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