Dinner by "The Pioneer Woman", cooked by this country girl! :)

As I sit typing this, I can smell  Braised Short Ribs cooking in the oven. Oh. My. Goodness! My house smells so delicious it is making my mouth water. If these ribs taste anywhere close to how they smell cooking, I will know why Ree called this "Heaven on a Plate". As I was preparing it, well before it started braising  it in the oven, my hubby said, "I don't know what you are making, but I can't wait to eat it"!  He usually just asks "When's dinner"?

I came across this recipe recently while reading through The Pioneer Woman blog. If you have never visited her blog, do yourself a favor and check it out. Her photography is amazing, her recipes are simple yet delicious and I love reading about life on the ranch with Marlboro Man, as she calls her hubby.  I recently tried Grilled Rib Eye Steaks with Onion Blue Cheese sauce and Crashed Hot Potatoes. It was delicious. And, my first time eating blue cheese anything. :) Tonight I am trying the ribs and another first, Creamy Polenta with Goat Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese. I never knew polenta was cornmeal! I have led a very sheltered life. :D

This dinner was really easy to make. I used bacon instead of the Pancetta Ree calls for. And, only one cup of wine instead of 2. Other than that, I pretty much followed Ree's recipe. I will post the recipe below, but you can also check it out on her website. Her pictures are much better than mine! :)

Update...we just finished dinner. Normally there is some talk at the table, the usual how'd your day go, that kind of thing. Tonight? The only sounds tonight were the sounds of forks touching plates and mmmmm sounds and the sound of Patches, our dog, shifting her weight from side to side while waiting to see if anyone would notice she was patiently waiting under the table for a morsel or two. (Yes, my hubby is that kind of guy! :})
These ribs were so tender and so full of flavor. They almost melted in your mouth.  And, the polenta? Delicious! I loved it. Creamy, cheesy, a wonderful compliment to the ribs and steamed broccoli. What a fabulous dinner. You need to make this dish, and soon!

I am linking this recipe to Foodie Fans of the Pioneer Woman's round up for the 22nd of February. We are just a bunch of baker and cooks who love Ree and her wonderful blog.

Braised Short Ribs

from The Pioneer Woman Cooks blog

8 whole beef short ribs

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 pieces of Pancetta, Diced (I used thick-cut bacon)

2 Tbls. olive oil

1 whole medium onion, diced

3 whole carrots, diced

2 whole shallots, peeled and finely minced (I didn't use these)

2 cups red or white wine (I used one cup red)

2 cups beef or chicken broth (I ended up using 4 cups to almost cover ribs)

2 sprigs Thyme (I used dried thyme leaves as I had no fresh)

2 sprigs Rosemary

Salt and pepper ribs, then dredge in flour. Set aside.

In a large dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until completely crispy and all fat is rendered. Remove pancetta and set aside. Do not discard grease!

Add olive oil to pan with the pancetta grease, and raise heat to high. Brown ribs on all sides, about 45 seconds per side. Remove ribs and set aside. Turn heat to medium.

Add onions, carrots, and shallots to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape bottom of pan to release all the flavorful bits of glory. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.

Add broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add ribs to the liquid. They should be almost completely submerged. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs (whole) to liquid.

Put on the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 degrees for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. 

Ribs should be fork-tender and falling off the bone. Remove pan from oven and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes, lid on, before serving. (While this was sitting, I made the polenta with Parmesan cheese). At the last minute, skim fat off the top of the liquid. Serve 2 ribs on bed of creamy polenta, spooning a little juice over the top.