short ribs worth dying for

In my last post, I gave you a preview of some recipes I promised to share with you in the new year.  I saved my favorite for last in that post, but I've since decided that it would be in your best interest to have the recipe immediately.  I won't be offended if you skim or even skip entirely the relative BS that follows in order to get cooking that much faster.  My words aren't nearly as good as the food they describe.

I feel like I can't just start this by telling you about the short ribs (I told you there was some BS on the way). There's more to the story than that, so I guess I'll start from the beginning.

You see, the short ribs were born from my investment in a new piece of cookware.  Yes, I said new.  As in shiny, unused, fresh-from-the-box, new.  Brand spankin', if you will.  For those of you wondering what the big deal is, I'll give you some insight.  I'm a Goodwill Girl.  A solid 90% of the money I spend, outside of the supermarket, goes to second hand stores. Clothes, books, movies, cookware... most of it comes from thrift stores. I should own stock in Value Village.

So, yes, buying something besides underwear that hasn't already been in someone else's hands is a pretty major event.  If it's kitchen related, I'm giddy. 

I went ahead and bought myself the sexy Dutch oven you see here.  On sale, of course.

Look at it, all shiny and red.  That's 15 pounds of enameled, Lodge Brand, cast iron, my friends.  I had a hard time carrying it around the Fred Meyer on my way from the cookware section to the checkstand.  The pain in my forearms was no match for the smile in my soul, though. 

But, enough about the Lodge.  On to the short ribs.

As much as I'd love to claim this recipe as my own, I have to fess up to the fact that I'm not its creator.  Just an adoring fan.  I found it online through the Bon Appetit website a few weeks before the Dutch oven came into my life, making it possible to cook a whole lotta meat on the stove top and then finish things off in the oven.

Don't let the 3 hour total prep and cooking time keep you from the magic that is this recipe.  Nearly all of it is hands-off oven time, meant to give the meat its fall-off-the-bone succulence.  So just spend 30 minutes prepping, toss your pot into the oven, and go get back to wrangling your kids or watching American Idol or whatever it is that needs doing.   

I wish I could acurately convey the euphoria that exploded through me when I touched a spoonful of the cooking liquid to my tastebuds.  Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod. I swear I nearly swooned.  And the first bite of ribs?  It melted, people, literally disintegrated into a pool of beefy, Cabernet-soaked, herb-flavored goodness in my mouth.   

The entire experience was perfection.  Bring it into your life.  You need it (no offense).  Click on the link below to get going.

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

recipe courtesy of Bon Appetit