The anchor of the Sunday braise. Bone-in short rib cooked low and slow until it surrenders. Root vegetables finished in the braising liquid. Polenta made fresh or day-before — the rib only gets better by day two or three.
Active~45 min
Braise2 hrs + 30 min
Holds5 days · freezes 2 weeks
DifficultyIntermediate
Per Serving45P · 41C · 25F · 565 kcal
Servings
Base = 1 serving. Braise scales easily — minimum 2 portions for a useful batch.
Ingredients
Short Rib
Bone-in short rib
Beef stock
Red wine (optional deglaze)
Mirepoix (carrot, celery, onion)
Bay leaf + thyme
Neutral oil, for searing
Root Vegetables
Carrots, cut in batons
Parsnips, cut in batons
Small potatoes
Polenta
Polenta / cornmeal (dry)
Beef or chicken stock
Butter (unsalted)
Salt, white pepper
Method
1
Sear Short Rib
Pat short rib completely dry. Season aggressively on all sides — more than feels right. Get a Dutch oven over high heat until it's almost smoking. Add oil, then rib. Sear without touching 4–5 min per side until deeply browned — dark mahogany, not gray. Take your time here. The crust becomes the sauce. Remove and set aside.
4–5 min per sideDon't rush the sear. Under-seared short rib = pale, thin braising liquid. The fond in the pan is the flavor base.
2
Build the Braise
In the same Dutch oven, add mirepoix. Cook 6–8 min over medium until golden and softened, scraping up the fond. If using wine, add it now and reduce by half (2–3 min). Add beef stock to come about 2/3 up the height of the rib. Return rib, add bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a bare simmer. Cover and transfer to a 325°F oven.
2 hrs at 325°F
3
Finish Vegetables
After 2 hours, remove rib (it should be fork-tender). Strain the braising liquid, discarding the spent aromatics. Skim fat from the surface. Return the liquid to the Dutch oven. Add the root vegetables cut into even batons. Bring to a simmer, cover, and braise in the oven or on the stove another 25–30 min until just tender.
25–30 min
4
Polenta
Bring stock to a simmer with a pinch of salt. Whisk in polenta slowly in a thin, steady stream — if you dump it in, you get lumps. Reduce heat to low, stir frequently with a wooden spoon, 20–25 min until thick and creamy and it pulls away from the sides slightly. Finish with butter. Season aggressively. Polenta is only as good as the seasoning.
20–25 min constant stirring
5
Plate
Spoon polenta into center of plate. Lean short rib against it. Arrange root vegetables around. Spoon braising liquid generously over and around — this is the sauce, don't be stingy with it.
Batch & Storage
The Rib Gets BetterDay 2–3 the flavors deepen significantly. Don't be disappointed if day 1 seems underwhelming. Portion rib + vegetables + braising liquid together in containers. The liquid keeps the rib moist.
PolentaBest made fresh, but holds 2 days. Reheat with a splash of stock over low heat and whisk back to smooth. Don't microwave — it seizes. Can also be made the night before and refrigerated — firms up, but loosens back with heat.
FreezingRib and braising liquid freeze beautifully for up to 2 weeks. Polenta does not freeze well — make it fresh. Root vegetables are fine frozen but get softer on reheating.
ReheatRib + vegetables + braising liquid together in a 325°F oven for 12 min. Make polenta fresh or loosen refrigerated polenta with stock over medium-low.
