This dish is all about high quality ingredients, technique and comfort. Nothing screams warmth and comfort food like a plate of short ribs. My version, Pomegranate Balsamic Braised Short Ribs gets a serious flavor boost with the use of a flavored pomegranate balsamic vinegar. The pomegranate seeds at the end tie the whole dish together. Don’t let the time needed scare you off. Most of the time is passive cooking where the oven does all the work. This is the perfect Sunday night meal and perfect for guests.
A couple of notes on working with short ribs on the bone. There is a lot of fat on short ribs. That is what makes them taste so delicious. But, I definitely recommend removing excess fat when cooking. There are two steps that I use during the cooking and chilling process that make this easier. First, after you sear your beef, dump all but a tablespoon of the fat drippings from the pan. Then proceed with adding the vegetables. Second, if you are serving this immediately after cooking, spoon off the excess fat that will float to the top of the sauce. This can be a little labor intensive so I prefer to refrigerate the pot overnight. The fat will rise to the top and solidify. This makes it much easier to see and remove in large pieces. You’ll be amazed at how much excess fat there is and you’ll be glad you removed it. (see photos). Doing this gives you a rich, thick sauce that is loaded with flavor but not that extra fat.
An alternative to cooking with short ribs on the bone is to use boneless ribs. You do get a lot of flavor from the bones and that is why chefs like it but you can use boneless short ribs which have most of the fat removed. They are a leaner cut and you will definitely be reducing the amount of fat in the dish. Boneless short ribs is a great substitute for the bone in. I use both. See my Braised Beef Short Ribs with Mushrooms and Onions recipe for how I prepared them.
This dish is braised short ribs without wine. The use of balsamic vinegar gives it the acid it needs and the demi-glaze makes the sauce rich and delicious. The balsamic vinegar is the perfect substitution for wine in the recipe. I get asked lots of questions on how to prepare balsamic short ribs, so let’s jump right in.
Yes. You can braise your short ribs on the stove top. Just put the covered dutch oven over medium-low heat for approximately the same amount of time and stir occasionally. Check your liquids to be sure they are covering the meat and then test for doneness at the one and two hour marks.
There are so many great options. I like to serve mine with a variety of side dishes but these are some of my favorites. Decadent Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes are always great and can be served as a bed for the balsamic short ribs. Another option is my Whipped Roasted Garlic Sweet Potatoes. Braised short ribs with risotto is another favorite combination. Buttered egg noodles and a roasted or steamed veggie would also work.
I often make short ribs a day before serving. I find the taste just gets better. I also find that there is a lot of fat in short ribs. By refrigerating overnight, the oil will form a firm layer on top of the dish, making it easy for me to remove that excess fat the next day. Then, to reheat short ribs, I can either warm it on the stove over medium heat until the sauce is hot and bubbling and the meat is warmed through or put it in a 350 degree oven to heat through. I recommend bringing the pot of ribs to room temperature before reheating. This allows less time for heating and ensures the meat will get heated through in a shorter about of time. Watch your liquids and if necessary, you can add a little extra stock. Reheating can take 20-30 minutes.
Do you like this recipe and the flavor combinations? If so, check out some of these recipes for more inspiration. Rosemary Lamb Loin Chops with Pomegranate Glaze Rosemary and Pomegranate Beef Stew Pomegranate-Marinated Rack of Lamb
Pomegranate Balsamic Braised Short Ribs
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2– 2 1/2 Lbs. Bone-in Beef short ribs
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1/2 Red Onion, diced
- 1 Carrot, diced
- 1 Celery stalk, diced
- 3 Tbsp. Tomato paste
- 1/3 Cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 Cup Pomegranate balsamic vinegar
- 32 Oz. Beef broth
- 1 1/2 Oz. Veal demi-glaze, one package of gelatin
- Small Bunch fresh thyme
- 4-5 Fresh Rosemary stems
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1/2 Tsp. Calabrian chili flakes
- 3 Tbsp. Wondra flour
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- Pomegranate seeds to finish the dish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Season the short ribs with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper on all sides liberally. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the short ribs and brown the ribs on all sides. (About 15 – 20 minutes) Transfer to a platter.
- Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic to the pot and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then deglaze the pan with soy sauce and balsamic vinegar scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the tasty bits and pieces. Add the chili flakes.
- Add tomato paste and stir into the mix for one minute. Meanwhile, mix the flour with a 1/4 cup of the beef broth until it is well combined. Put to the side. Add the beef broth to the pot and when warm, add the demi-glaze and stir into the mix for a minute. Then add the flour and broth slurry you made. Whisk well to combine. This will thicken the sauce in the pan.
- Add back the short ribs and any juice that has accumulated on the plate. Add the rosemary, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover and cook in the oven at 350F degrees for 1 hour.
- At the one hour mark, make sure the meat is covered with liquid. If needed, add more beef broth to cover. Turn the beef ribs over to coat.
- Cook for another hour. Remove from oven and test the meat. It should be super tender and almost falling off the bone. Test by inserting the tip of a knife into the meat, it should be easily pierced with the knife.
- Taste the sauce. Does it need more seasoning? If so, add more salt and pepper.
- Serve the short ribs on a plate. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and enjoy.
