Short Ribs & Potatoes with Creamy Mustard Sauce

So for the second installment of throwback Thursday, I picked these short ribs. My husband had mentioned them recently believing them to be PBE (pre blog era) and wanted them. However they were on the blog so I surprised him with them tonight. I was off to the monthly wine tasting, and since I don't dig meat on a bone, I wasn't too disappointed to be missing dinner. The boys adored them. This time, by throwing in the potatoes in with the meat, it made for an easy meal. Just toss a salad and you are done. Yes the braising takes a bit of time, but the only real work was the chopping the onion and browning the ribs.


 Short Ribs With Creamy Mustard Sauce

3 lb Beef Short Ribs
1/2    Onion Chopped fine
 1 c  Beef Broth, Plus More As Needed
1/2 c  Heavy Cream, Or More
 2 Tbsp Dijon or other good mustard
Salt And Pepper
Canola Oil
1 pound of red potatoes, quartered unless really small, then half them

Heat a large pan (not nonstick) over medium high heat.  Pat dry your  ribs and season them with salt and pepper.  Put a thin layer of oil on  the bottom of the pan.  Just enough to barely coat it.  Place the ribs  on the pan and don't move them for at least 3 minutes.  They should be  clinging to the bottom of the pan and getting really brown.  The  picture is of the browning process because I think it's important to  get right.  I let mine go for about 4 minutes, but since all stoves are  different, I say err on the side of caution .  Repeat this on every  surface you can.  Use a bulb baster when there is too much fat  accumulating in the bottom.  ( you can deposit this fat in to a bowl and reserve.*)
Once every side is really good and brown, remove to a plate. (they  will not be done)  When the ribs have all been moved to the plate, use  the baster to remove all but a couple of tablespoons of fat.  Sauté the  onion quickly until nice and soft.  ( you could also throw in some minced garlic here and stir for 30  seconds.)  Add the beef broth and scrape up the brown bits on the bottom  of the pan.  Return the ribs to the pan, reduce the heat to low and  cover.  I cook these for 2 hours.  A half hour before the meat is done, add the potatoes and cook until they are tender.  The meat needs to fall off the bone. If the potatoes need a little longer, it won't hurt the meat.  Here you have two choices: serve now or tomorrow. (tomorrow is  preferable if you want a lower fat sauce and meat that holds together more)  If tomorrow, let the meat  cool enough to handle.  When it is, remove the bones and any connective  tissue and place in the fridge.  Take the liquid in the pan and place  in the tallest, and most narrow  container you can to put it in the  fridge too. Then tomorrow, (or later that day, the meet just needs to  have cooled) make the sauce and heat the meat as directed next.  To  make the sauce: skim off a good portion of the fat on the surface of  the liquid.  (the chilled liquid will have a solid layer of fat you can  remove.  Save it!*  Warm the liquid in a large pan. Stir in the mustard.  (Warm the meat in the sauce now if it was cold) Add the cream.  When the mustard  and cream have mixed thoroughly with the pan liquid cook, uncovered on medium (or medium low depending on your stove) until the meat is warmed though and the sauce has thickened slightly.  The reason the next day is preferable is not only is it easier to remove  the fat, but the nature of this cut of meat is to fall apart after the  first cooking, but once you cool it and warm it, the meat will hold  together.


* this beef fat is really tasty and can be used to cook lots of things in.  Eggs the next day is what I usually do but the possibilities are endless.  It can be stored in the freezer until you need it.  Just break off a piece when you need it.