17 Sep Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs

INGREDIENTS:

5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, cut into 3-inch pieces (8 to 12)

Salt and pepper

1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges

3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

10 sprigs thyme

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups pomegranate juice

1 cup dry red wine, such as Merlot

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

This elegant and delicious recipe will enhance your Yom Tov table and impress all your guests. If you can’t get short ribs at the butcher feel free to substitute with bone in flanken.

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a large heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat 2 tablespoons oil over high. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. In batches, brown ribs on all sides. Transfer to a plate, pour off oil, and wipe loose bits out of pot.

2. Reduce heat to medium-high and add remaining 3 tablespoons oil to pot. Add onion, garlic, and thyme. Cook, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until onion is softened, 5 minutes. Add flour and stir to coat. Whisk in pomegranate juice and wine and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Return ribs to pot, cover, and transfer to oven.

3. Bake until ribs are easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 3 hours. With a slotted spoon, carefully transfer ribs to a large platter. Strain liquid into a fat separator, let sit briefly, and return to pot, discarding fat (or, skim off fat with a spoon). Bring to a boil over medium-high and cook until reduced to a sauce-like consistency, 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, season with salt and pepper, and pour over ribs. Top with pomegranate seeds.