There’s no easier way to please a hungry crowd than with a day-long braise. Substitute your favorite stout if you must, but we prefer Schlafly’s Coffee Stout, a unique brew of Schlafly stout and Kaldi’s coffee, for an unmatched richness in every bite.
INGREDIENTS
4 lbs. boneless short ribs, cut into 2- to 3-inch cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
All-purpose flour
High-quality olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 to 4 cups Schalfly Coffee Stout, plus additional if needed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 lb. pearl onions, peeled
1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
2 cups peas (frozen work fine)
8 Yukon gold potatoes
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
¾ cup milk, plus additional as needed
2 to 3 Tbsp. cream
PREPARATION
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
• Pat the short ribs dry, season generously with salt and pepper and coat with flour.
• Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat.
• Working in batches, brown the meat on all sides, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate.
• Reduce the heat and add the yellow onions, cooking until they start to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes until fragrant.
• Return the browned meat to the Dutch oven, and add the stout. (Add more beer if needed so the meat is just covered by the liquid.)
• Add the rosemary and thyme. Cover, place in the oven and bake for 2œ hours.
• Remove from the oven and place on the stove over low heat.
• Add the pearl onions, carrots and peas and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel and rinse the potatoes and cut into 2-inch cubes. Place in a large pot and fill with water until potatoes are submerged. Bring to a boil and let boil for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Drain and return to the pot.
• Add the butter and Ÿ cups of milk to the potatoes, adding more milk as needed for thinning.
• Mash the potatoes with a hand masher or, for smoother potatoes, use an immersion blender.
• Add the cream and salt and pepper to taste and mash to incorporate into potatoes. Set aside.
• Once the short ribs have finished simmering, shred the meat using a fork and butter knife. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and return to Dutch oven with braising liquid.
• Serve family-style with a loaf of crusty bread.
This article appears in Nov 1-30, 2011.