Short ribs braised in butter are the most unapologetically rich preparation in the MAHA kitchen. The technique is simple: brown the ribs, build a braise, and cook slowly for 3-4 hours until the collagen has converted to gelatin and the meat is pulling away from the bone. Butter added at the end — a generous amount — creates a sauce of exceptional depth and silkiness. This is not everyday cooking. It is celebration cooking, completely seed oil free.
Why Short Ribs
Beef short ribs are cut from the rib section — the ribs themselves contribute bone marrow and gelatin to the braise while the meat above them, heavily marbled with fat, becomes extraordinarily tender over the long cook. The ratio of connective tissue, fat, and muscle in short ribs is almost perfect for braising. Unlike chuck, which can become stringy if overcooked, short ribs become richer and more tender the longer they cook, up to a point. Four hours is the sweet spot.
English Cut vs Flanken
English cut short ribs are the classic choice for braising — individual ribs cut between the bones, 5-8cm thick, with a substantial layer of meat on top of each bone. Flanken cut ribs are sliced across the bones, thinner, and better suited to grilling or quick cooking. For this braise, English cut is what you want.
Serves 4 · Prep 20 min · Cook 3.5 hours
Ingredients
- 8 English-cut bone-in short ribs
- 3 tbsp tallow or ghee
- 2 onions, sliced
- 3 carrots, halved
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 400ml red wine
- 400ml beef stock
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 tbsp cold butter, to finish
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Season ribs aggressively with salt and pepper. Heat tallow in a large Dutch oven over high heat.
- Brown ribs in batches, 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply caramelised. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Cook onions and carrots in the same fat for 10 minutes.
- Add garlic and tomato paste. Cook 2 minutes.
- Pour in wine, scraping up all the fond. Reduce by half, about 5 minutes.
- Return ribs to the pot. Add stock, rosemary, and bay leaves. The liquid should come halfway up the ribs.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook in a 160°C oven for 3-3.5 hours until the meat is tender and pulling away from the bone.
- Remove ribs carefully. Strain the braising liquid and reduce in a saucepan until thickened.
- Off the heat, whisk in cold butter tablespoon by tablespoon. Taste for seasoning. Pour over ribs to serve.
The Reduction and Butter Mount
The braising liquid after 3 hours of slow cooking contains extraordinary flavour — bone gelatin, beef fat, wine, aromatics, and the fond from the initial browning. Straining it and reducing it to half its volume concentrates all of this. Mounting with cold butter at the end transforms it from a sauce to a glaze. Pour it over the ribs and watch it set slightly as it cools — that is the gelatin and butter setting, which tells you the sauce has body.
Can I make this ahead?
Short ribs are better the next day — the braising liquid sets overnight and can be defatted easily, then reheated gently with the ribs submerged. The flavour improves significantly with time.
What to serve with short ribs?
Butter mashed potatoes are the classic pairing — the richness of both dishes works because they share the same fat profile. Polenta cooked in butter or a root vegetable purée also work well.
Can I use boneless short ribs?
Yes, but reduce the cook time to 2.5 hours — without the bone contributing gelatin, the meat becomes tender faster. The sauce will be slightly less rich.
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