Cabernet Braised Texas Short Ribs with Maple Sweet Potato Puree & Pan Roasted Broccolini

    Jonathan Wicks
    Safina Mediterranean

    • 3 hours
    • Serves 4 to 5

    Chef Jonathan Wicks recommends satisfying your comfort food craving with his tender and flavorful wine-braised short ribs. The dish is complemented by a subtly sweet, maple sweet potato puree in addition to pan-roasted broccolini for a balanced meal.

    Wicks enjoys making the savory dish when he’s in the mood for Southern home cooking. Since childhood, one of his favorite meals has been his mom’s pot roast — this recipe is his elevated take on it.

    Safina Mediterranean (Photo by Alex Montoya)
    Photo by Alex Montoya

    Ingredients

    Cabernet Braised Texas Short Ribs

    • 5 short ribs
    • 3 Tbsp clarified butter
    • 3 carrots, medium dice
    • 3 onions, medium dice
    • 2 stalks celery, medium dice
    • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
    • 1 750 ml bottle Cabernet
    • 8 sprigs parsley
    • 8 sprigs thyme
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 head garlic (cut in half)
    • 1 qt veal or beef stock
    • kosher salt and pepper, as needed

    Maple Sweet Potato

    • 3 sweet potatoes
    • 8 Tbsp butter
    • 1/3 cup maple syrup
    • kosher salt and white pepper, as needed

    Pan Roasted Broccolini

    • 1 broccolini
    • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
    • 1 Tbsp olive oil
    • 1/2 cup water
    • kosher salt and pepper, as needed

    Directions

    Cabernet Braised Texas Short Ribs

    1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Season short ribs heavily with salt and pepper. Heat clarified butter in a large Dutch oven over high. Working in a couple of batches, or as needed, sear short ribs on all sides until golden brown. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan in order to achieve a correct sear. Transfer short ribs to a separate plate once seared (G.B.D. golden brown and delicious).
    2. Pour off all but a few tablespoons of the drippings from your Dutch oven. Add carrots, onions, and celery (mirepoix – carrot, onion, celery) and cook over medium high heat. Stir often until onions are caramelized but not burnt. Quickly add tomato paste and cook for an additional 3 minutes, careful not to burn the tomato paste. Add wine and any accumulated juices from the short ribs to deglaze the pan. During this time, you will want to scrape up the bits or caramelized beef and vegetables that have stuck to the bottom of the pan – this is the good stuff.
    3. Lower heat to medium and simmer until wine is reduced by half. Add herbs and garlic to the pot. Stir in stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with a lid or foil and move everything to the oven.
    4. Cook short ribs until they are nice and tender, about 2.5 hours. Transfer short ribs to a plate. Strain your cooking liquid and skim off as much fat as possible. If you have a fat separator, now is the time to use it, otherwise do your best. Add stock to a sauce pan and reduce until a sauce like consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Maple Sweet Potato

    1. Peel and cut potatoes into small pieces. Place in a large sauce pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once the pot comes to a boil, turn down to medium and cook potatoes until tender. This will take about 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes.
    2. Once cooked, strain the potatoes and return to the pot. Add your maple syrup and butter, and mash with a potato masher, or you can use a rice mill if you have one.
    3. Taste, season with salt and pepper, then taste again. Add more salt and pepper as needed.

    Pan Roasted Broccolini

    1. Heat a fry pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic. Stir garlic until fragrant but not burnt. Burnt garlic is not your friend and will ruin this broccolini.
    2. Add your broccolini, season with salt and pepper. Toss well until fully combined. Add water and cover to steam the vegetables for a few minutes. Take off lid and allow water to evaporate from the pan. Taste and season as needed.

    Note from the Chef: While the recipe calls for a bottle of Cabernet, it’s not just for the cooking. Buy a bottle of Cabernet you will drink. Cab is the perfect boozy pairing. Rule of Thumb: if you don’t drink it, don’t use it.

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    Safina Mediterranean

    Medical Center

    InterContinental Houston, Medical Center, 6750 Main St
    Houston, TX 77030  |  Map

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