Short Rib

When tart apple and sweet carrot cook down slowly with smoked paprika they make a savory jam for these fall-off-the-bone tender ribs.

Beef short ribs are commonly braised for hours. What is slightly unusual and great about this recipe is that the short ribs are slow-roasted until tender and then grilled to impart a smoky char. It may seem like a difficult recipe, but I swear it’s not, and the delicious result is so worth the time. The ribs need a day to marinate, so plan accordingly. After tasting this dish, you’ll never braise a short rib again! Use any leftover meat to make Short Rib and Fontina Cheese Panini with Tomato-Onion Chutney (page 120) or Pappardelle with Beef Sugo and Ricotta (page 111). This is a really rich dish; all it needs to round it out is a simple green salad. To make the spiced short ribs really sing, I prepare a version of Spanish romesco sauce. Bold, tangy, and definitely habit-forming, romesco looks ordinary enough but in one bite transforms the dish. When making the sauce, it’s important to use a food processor and not a blender so it retains a chunky texture. This recipe will make more than you need for the short ribs and is a terrific go-to sauce to keep around. Try it with grilled vegetables and seafood (it’s particularly awesome with shrimp), tossed with pasta, or as a sandwich spread.

The great bonus about making Slow-Roasted Boneless Short Ribs is that you’ll have leftover meat to spin into this melt-in-your-mouth sandwich, panini-style. It hits the spot when you’re in the mood for some serious comfort food. The Tomato-Onion Chutney is so freakin’ good, you’ll want to put it on everything. For starters, try it as a condiment with Whole Roasted Chicken (page 142).

Slow-Roasted Boneless Short Ribs give new life to the idea of leftovers. Here, they’re transformed into the perfect Sunday supper of ribbon pasta with succulent meat sauce. Once you prepare the short ribs, this dish takes relatively little time to make, yet your guests will be seduced by this sugo. The sauce will make more than you need, which you’ll thank me for later. Store the remaining sugo in a covered container in the fridge or freezer. There is nothing worse than gloppy, oversauced pasta. Proportion is important; the pasta should be lightly coated in sauce, not drowning.

A full slab of beef short ribs usually contains 3 to 4 bones and is typically 8 to 10 inches square. The thickness will vary depending on the butcher but ranges from 2 to 5 inches. There are several ways beef ribs are cut and presented to the consumer besides the full slab. The ribs can be individually cut with a size similar to a pork country-style rib, cross-cut across the bones about 1/2 inch thick, or cut into boneless steaks. Beef ribs are less common to my barbecue region than pork ribs. I always look forward to working with cuts of meat that aren’t on the Big Bob Gibson menu. This recipe is one I created while working for the Kingsford charcoal company in 2007. I love the intense beefy flavor of the seasoned juices that result from this preparation; the juices can be drizzled back over the beef ribs or used to flavor a side dish such as mashed potatoes.

Perennially popular at Craft are the short ribs braised in red wine. For our ’wichcraft sandwiches, though, we wanted something a bit different, so we chose to braise the short ribs in dark ale with horseradish. The light pickling of the vegetables is so quick there is no time for fermentation; the vegetables retain their crunch and acidity, which contrasts well with the richness of the meat.

These short ribs are everything you want braised meat to be. They are tender and juicy with a rich beefy flavor that is nicely balanced by the sweetness of the carrots. The root beer and birch bark draw on familiar aromatics and tastes but we use them in a slightly different manner. Come to think of it, these short ribs are not too far off from a traditional cola-glazed ham.

Sip this beefy, faintly sweet broth as is, or, to make it even heartier, simmer diced root vegetables and/or little pastas in it.

This recipe for braised beef short ribs has many fans—and rightly so. Since it’s even better the next day, it’s perfect for entertaining.

This hands-on French feast of vegetables and cuts of meat boiled in a savory broth is traditionally served in courses. It begins with the bone marrow on toast, then follows with the broth and the meats and vegetables. Feel free to serve it all at once, providing plenty of toasted bread and savory condiments for dipping.

Also known as Korean-style or cross-cut short ribs. We fell in love with this bone-in cut at Korean BBQ joints and are therefore partial to its Korean name (and flavor possibilities). Buy 2 pounds of cross-cut short ribs, each sliced lengthwise about 1/3" thick.

This is a Web-exclusive recipe for Epicurious from chef David Padberg at Park Kitchen in Portland, Oregon. It's perfect for serving to watch the Super Bowl or on any cold, wintery night.

At the restaurant, the burgers are served on house-made buns with celery root slaw. For both recipes, go to bonappetit.com.

When a butcher eats a salad, it tends to contain lots of meat and few vegetables. At Chez Navarre Jerome Navarre serves a version he learned from his father, a butcher.

Carbonnade is the quintessential Belgian comfort food; this recipe’s caramelized onions, brown sugar, and brown beer make the sweet stew addictive. Chef Palombino also recommends making this carbonnade with any muscular cut of beef that's good for stewing, such as skirt and hanger steaks.

Bison (a.k.a. buffalo) is available at some natural foods stores, specialty foods stores, and farmers' markets.

If you prefer, serve the short ribs for dinner with polenta, then use the leftovers to make a few sandwiches.