Beer Braised Short Ribs

Cold days and long nights mean one thing here at All Grains; soups, stews, slow cooking and full bellies! The following recipe is more than just a cook again, more than a crowd pleaser, it is a meal full of complex flavors that will bring any group of friends closer - especially if it is accompanied by some great homebrew and a nice digestif of bourbon to seal the deal. Check out this outstandingly delicious recipe for Beer Braised Short Ribs after the jump.

Ingredients
5 pounds pork short ribs
cut in half with some fat trimmed, heavily salted and spread with pepper
¼ cu olive oil
½ cu whole wheat flour
4 carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
3 Spanish onions, chopped chunks
12 garlic cloves
24 oz brown ale or dark beer
16 oz tomato sauce
16 oz dark stock (or good beef stock)
1 bunch fresh thyme & rosemary, tied up

For this recipe you will not require a dutch oven, however, they are more useful than a crock pot, though the pot will do the work just fine in a pinch.

Dredge the ribs lightly and fry them in batches on medium-high heat in the olive oil. After all the ribs are heavily browned on all sides, set them aside and deglace the pan with a 4 oz of beer, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape the flavor off of the bottom. Add the carrots, onions and garlic to the pan and cook until slightly tender and caramelized. Add the beer, stock and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Once boiling remove from heat, add herb bundle and place covered in the oven at 375 F for 3 to 5 hours. During the last 30 to 60 minutes, remove the cover and allow the liquid to reduce some.

Serve on it's own, with some Spent Grain Bread or on top of mashed potatoes if you really want to pack in some calories for a cold winter's night.

Bon appetit and cheers!