Cast Iron

Oven-Braised Cast Iron Short Ribs in Spiced Rhubarb Wine Sauce

January  5, 2011
4.5
2 Ratings
  • Serves 1-2
Author Notes

This recipe uses a variation of a rhubarb barbecue sauce I came up with awhile back. I adjusted the quantities of various ingredients and added a lot more red wine and vegetable broth. The cooking method is a loose adaptation of an Alice Waters braised short rib recipe, but I used a cast iron skillet instead of a roasting pan and browned the ribs on the stovetop first instead of in the oven. Be careful with the cloves, as they can be overwhelming if you put too much in. A fourth of a teaspoon worked for me with these quanitites of liquids but if the clove aroma is overwhelming to you, add a little less or increase the liquids. This recipe was also a way to use up rhubarb and rosemary from my CSA box, and is posted on my new year's resolution blog -- a chronicle of our attempts to use every single vegetable and herb in the CSA box every week: http://dutchessofsquirrel.blogspot.com/ —clintonhillbilly

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 pound bone-in short ribs
  • 1/2 red onion, quartered
  • 1 celery stalk with leaves, cut into fourths
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced in half
  • 4 small stalks rhubarb
  • 1/2 cup coffee
  • 1.5 cups red wine
  • 1.5 cups vegetable or beef broth
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine rhubarb, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 cup sugar and bring to a boil on stovetop, then turn down the heat and cook until rhubarb mushes easily with a fork. Mash the rhubarb until it is more like a thick paste.
  2. Brown the ribs in a cast iron skillet on high heat or medium high heat, a few minutes on each side. Add celery stalk, red onion, garlic cloves, and rosemary to skillet and take off of the heat.
  3. Add all remaining ingredients except broth to rhubarb, bring to a boil, then simmer until wine is substantially reduced. Add broth and simmer another ten minutes.
  4. Pour wine sauce over ribs and vegetables and cover with foil. Place in 450 degree oven for 20 minutes, then loosen foil and turn down heat to 325 degrees.
  5. Leave short ribs in the oven for 45 minutes, turn them over, and leave them for another 45 minutes. When they come out, the meat should pull away from the bone easily using a fork.
  6. Remove ribs from sauce and plate, ladling a bit of sauce on top. Garnish with a little more rosemary if desired.
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Recipe by: clintonhillbilly

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5 Reviews

Kayb January 5, 2011
Another one I want to try...at this rate, I'll be braising short ribs until June! Sounds wonderful.
 
hardlikearmour January 5, 2011
yum! nice use of rhubarb.
 
clintonhillbilly January 5, 2011
I think it goes really well with barbecue sauce flavors -- sweet/tangy
 
Sagegreen January 5, 2011
I like your style!
 
clintonhillbilly January 5, 2011
Thanks!