Braised Red Wine Short Ribs & Cannellinni Beans

Makes 4 servings

3-4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, skin removed and crushed
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 6-ounce tomato paste can
2 cups mixed mushrooms (shiitake and baby bella), sliced
2 cups red wine
1 cup beef or chicken broth
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Pinch crushed red pepper
Salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley
1/2 cup grated parmesiano reggiano cheese
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Line short ribs in a crockpot. Then add onion, garlic, carrots, tomato paste, mushrooms, red wine, broth, bay leaves, thyme and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.

2. Once the short ribs are cooked and easily fall off the bone, skim off any fat from the top of the crockpot. Then, with two forks, lightly shred the ribs. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Keep the ribs in the sauce, covered on low heat, until ready to eat.

3. Just before serving, heat cannellini beans over medium heat in a small saute pan with olive oil and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

4. To plate, begin with a spoonful of cannellini beans. Add a nice serving of braised short ribs (make sure you get the extra veggies in there, too!). Garnish with parmesan and parsley.

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At age twelve, Food Contributor Cara Greenstein  became the proud owner of a perfectly pastel yellow Kitchen Aid Mixmaster (which she splurged on at Williams Sonoma with babysitting bills and bat mitzvah gift-certificates). Her kitchen love affair only grew from that transaction, translating into Caramelized, a self-created, award-winning food and lifestyle brand with a purpose to share, celebrate and elevate everyday experiences.

In a world where award-winning short ribs are judged to be only found at a special-occasion restaurant, I’m here to prove the naysayers wrong. This red wine-braised beauty will manifest your most elegant meal at home with less than five minutes of preparation.

Upon chopping and arranging fresh herbs and vegetables in the slow cooker, the short ribs will be nestled in a palette of earthy and enriching ingredients for a full day.  Serve the slow-cooked short ribs over either stewed cannellini beans for a rich, low-carb foundation, or opt for a more traditional Italian nest of papparedelle pasta or parmesan risotto. 

And though we all are anxiously awaiting Spring’s arrival, this cozy meal’s sensibilities—especially when paired with a glass of cabernet and a simple kale salad—make me want to hold onto winter just a bit longer!

You can’t go wrong with this simple one-pot wonder, which yields flavors as if you worked in the kitchen all day long. We won’t tell your dinner date otherwise.