A classical French braise of beef short ribs using Madeira wine in place of the traditional red wine. The meat is marinated in Madeira with aromatics, then braised slowly until tender and finished with a refined Madeira sauce featuring shallots and mushrooms.
High-protein
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Adapted from a video by French Cooking Academy
My Madeira Braised Short Ribs (stop using red wine, try this)
Parmesan rindrolled in parsley, optional for insertion or braising
~50 gest.
pancettacut into matchsticks for larding or rendering fat~150 gest.
flourlight dusting for browning and thickening~2 tbspest.
beef stockreserved for sauce preparation1 cup
fresh Madeira winefinal addition to intensify sauce flavor3 tbsp
button mushroomfinely sliced, for sauce3-4
butterfor sweating shallots and mushrooms20 g
saltto taste
black pepperto taste
celeryfresh garnish, optional~2 stalksest.
parsleyfresh parsley~2 tbspest.
Steps
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1
Prepare the short ribs by examining their marbling and color. If desired, insert larded pancetta rolled in parsley into the meat to add fat and depth of flavor to leaner cuts.
2
Make the marinade by arranging bay leaf, thyme, carrots, peppercorns, and juniper berries in a container. Place the short ribs on top, pour 150–200 ml of Madeira wine over them (less than typical red wine as Madeira is more intense), cover with parchment paper and a lid, and refrigerate overnight.
3
Prepare beef stock beforehand using homemade stock or quality store-bought. Ensure it is not overly reduced or intensely flavored, as it will further concentrate during the long braise with the meat. Refrigerate until needed.
4
Remove the marinated meat from the refrigerator. Strain the marinade liquid through a sieve, keeping the liquid and discarding the solids.
5
Pat the meat dry thoroughly to remove excess moisture, which would otherwise result in a boiled texture. Season all sides with salt and black pepper.
6
Dust the short ribs lightly with flour. The flour helps with browning, thickens the sauce, and further dries the surface. Tap off excess powder so the coating is thin and even.
7
Heat pork fat (rendered from pancetta or plain pork fat) in a large heavy pan over high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the short ribs on all sides until deeply browned and caramelized. The flour coating will prevent sticking. Transfer browned meat to a plate.
8
Pour off the pork fat from the pan and wipe it clean with paper towels to remove any burnt fragments.
9
Add butter to the same pan and warm over medium heat. Add fresh aromatics (shallots, carrots, celery) and cook for a few minutes until softened, then add the drained marinated aromatics and mix together.
10
Pour in the reserved Madeira marinade liquid and increase the heat to high. Reduce by half to concentrate the flavors.
11
Return the seared short ribs to the pan over the aromatics. Add warm beef stock until it reaches about one-quarter to one-half way up the meat. Cover with parchment paper then the lid to minimize evaporation.
12
Transfer to a 170°C oven and braise for 2.5 to 3 hours, checking every hour or so. Add more stock if the liquid reduces too much. The meat is done when it falls easily from the bone and separates readily with a fork, with a deeply caramelized, sticky exterior.
13
Remove the braising pan from the oven and carefully transfer the caramelized short ribs to a clean plate. Cover with parchment and keep warm in the oven while preparing the sauce.
14
Pour the braising liquid into a bowl through a sieve to separate the stock from solids. Let settle briefly, then skim off the fat from the top with a spoon, reserving the concentrated fond.
15
If the fond is sparse, add about half a cup of water to the braising pan, scrape up all caramelized bits, and pour into the reserved fond to increase the base liquid.
16
In a fresh pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the finely sliced shallots and mushrooms, cooking for a few minutes until lightly colored but not fully softened.
17
Pour in the concentrated fond and sauté briefly over high heat. Add the reserved fresh beef stock, which will dilute and balance the intense fond flavors.
18
Raise the heat and reduce the sauce to a semi-syrupy consistency, approximately 3–5 minutes. The sauce will thicken and develop a glossy finish.
19
Add 3 tablespoons of fresh Madeira wine to brighten the flavors and add a final touch of intensity. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
20
Plate the caramelized short ribs and spoon the finished Madeira sauce over the top. Serve immediately.
PrimedTableBETA
