Yield: 6 servings.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 pounds bone-in short ribs, at least 1½ inches thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large heads garlic, halved crosswise
1 large onion, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup dry red wine
1 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 cups beef stock
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup parsley, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 275˚. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches, sear short ribs on all sides until evenly browned, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer browned short ribs to a large plate and continue browning remaining ribs.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of beef fat drippings. Add up to 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil if the pan seems too dry to prevent scorching. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic. Cook without stirring until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion, celery, and carrots, and season with salt and pepper.
While stirring vegetables, scrape browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until vegetables are softened but not yet browned, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to coat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato paste has started to caramelize a bit on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add red wine, soy sauce, brown sugar, and beef stock. Stir with wooden spoon and continue to scrape up any browned or caramelized bits. Let pot simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
Using tongs, place short ribs and any beef juice into the pot, bone side up. Meat should be submerged, so add more beef stock or water as needed. Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven.
Cook, undisturbed, until short ribs are tender and falling off the bone, 3½ to 4 hours.
Using tongs so that the bone doesn’t separate from the meat, carefully transfer ribs to a serving platter. Strain sauce through a colander placed over a mixing bowl. Discard cooked vegetables.
To the sauce, add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle short ribs with orange juice and sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving. Spoon off any fat from the top of the sauce and serve sauce in a gravy bowl.
Why does this Haywood County town have some of the cleanest water in the state? It’s the result of the community’s efforts to keep the forests in its watershed pristine.
The spectacular views in North Carolina’s High Country aren’t just inspiration for writers, painters, and sculptors. Those landscapes — the rugged gray face of Grandfather Mountain, the vibrant fall leaves, the deep green meadows — are brushstrokes on Earth’s own canvas.
The sprawling vineyards and wide-open skies that stretch for miles across seven North Carolina counties offer relaxing getaways — not to mention some of the state’s finest wines — for Sunday drivers aching to escape the rush of city life.
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