A Year-Round Guide to Franklin and Nantahala

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

Rosemary and Goat Cheese Strata

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

Braised Beef Short Ribs with Garlic-Soy Glaze

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.

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This story was published on Dec 18, 2018

Lynn Wells

Lynn Wells gained a fond respect and interest in cooking from her mother and Aunt Addie at the age of 8 in North Carolina. During college, Wells worked in a wide range of restaurants, from fine dining to family- owned. After graduating from UNC Greensboro with a degree in nutrition management and hospitality, Wells began a 21-year career in the nutrition department at Cone Health. In 2014, Wells started Thyme Well Spent Personal Chef Service, an in-home cooking experience for private clients, which continues today. Wells is also a food writer, food stylist, culinary consultant, and the recipe developer/writer for Our State.