French Onion Beef Short Ribs

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Meaty oven-braised beef short ribs perch next to pile of savory onions and cheese-topped toast in this nod to the French onion sandwich. Although it may be tempting to skip the browning of the ribs, do take the trouble. The searing process adds complex caramelized flavor to the finished dish.

French Onion Beef Short Ribs
Photo: Andy Lyons
Prep Time:
45 mins
Cook Time:
30 mins
Bake Time:
2 hrs
Total Time:
3 hrs 15 mins
Servings:
6

Ingredients

  • 3 pound beef short ribs, cut in 3x2x2-inch pieces (6 pieces)

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • ¼ cup brandy or reduced-sodium beef broth

  • 2 - 3 cup reduced-sodium beef broth

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

  • 1 ½ pound yellow onions

  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • Salt and ground black pepper

  • 4 3/4-to 1-inch-thick diagonal slices baguette-style or other French bread

  • 2 ounce Gruyere cheese, shredded

  • Fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley sprigs

  • Fresh thyme sprigs

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Sprinkle short ribs with garlic and 1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper. In 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven, brown short ribs, half at a time if necessary, in hot oil over medium heat, turning frequently to avoid burning garlic. Remove Dutch oven from heat; remove short ribs. Carefully add brandy to Dutch oven and return to heat. Cook and stir, scraping up any brown bits. Add 2 cups of the beef broth, the bay leaf and 1 tablespoon fresh thyme. Return short ribs to Dutch oven. Bring to boiling. Cover and bake in the preheated oven for 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until tender.

  2. Meanwhile, slice onions crosswise. In a 12-inch skillet, cook sliced onions in hot butter over medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat, cook onions over medium-low heat for 25 to 35 minutes or until light brown and tender, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt.

  3. Remove short ribs from Dutch oven. Strain the cooking liquid and discard solids. Skim fat from cooking liquid. In the same Dutch oven, combine cooking liquid and cooked onion mixture over low heat until heated through. If desired, add additional beef broth until it reaches desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  4. Meanwhile, on a baking sheet place bread slices. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until toasted. Turn bread slices and divide cheese evenly among bread slices. Broil 1 to 2 minutes more or until cheese is melted and bread is toasted on the other side.

  5. To serve, place bread slices in the bottom of four shallow bowls. Divide short ribs among bows. Spoon broth mixture over beef. Add parsley and thyme. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

633 Calories
49g Fat
15g Carbs
27g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 633
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 49g 63%
Cholesterol 101mg 34%
Sodium 333mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Protein 27g

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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