Probably the ultimate comfort food in the meat category. A throwback to what seems now to have been a simpler, slower moving time. Before we go any further with these, you’ve got to be willing to commit 2-3 hours of cooking for this dish, but trust me; it’ll be worth every minute!

Refer back if you will to our discussion of the Prime Rib; particularly the aspect of the small end verses the large end. In the old days, the producers used to leave a lot of “non rib” meat on the prime rib and that is why one side was referred to as the large end. This extra meat is now part of what we produce as the boneless short ribs.  As you can see from the picture, the marbling is dramatic; it’s almost tempting enough to prepare as a steak, but keep in mind that we don’t age this cut to any real degree. This is why as far as I’m concerned, if it were to have a macho tattoo, it would read “Born to be Braised”.

At the end of the Prime Rib, as it approaches the shoulder, the ribs continue for another 4 or 5 ribs depending on the processor.  It is from under these ribs that we get the boneless short ribs and this is why this cut can sometimes be long and narrow and other times are shorter and thicker.  Irrespective of the source of these; the end result is absolutely phenomenal.

This is a classic Fall/Winter dish that provides an excuse to be in a warm cozy kitchen on a cold day spending the time slowly preparing this dish, all the while filling the area with the inviting aroma of a truly wonderful entrée. You’ll find a ton of recipes for braised short ribs but basically all you need to do is brown them in a skillet, then slowly cook them at a low to moderate temperature in a covered pot with some liquid (stock, wine, water, etc) of your choice.