Penne with Braised Beef

This recipe was inspired by a Fresh Direct sale on beef short ribs and a Giada at Home (a Food Network program) episode I recently saw. I love the cooked-all-day-long flavor of a bolognese sauce and thought this recipe would be reminiscent of a bolognese without all of the dairy and ingredients the latter requires.

I began by generously seasoning 3 pounds of ribs (about six pieces)on all sides with salt and pepper. Next I browned the beef short ribs (in batches)on medium/high heat in a large Dutch oven until I achieved a deep mahogany color (this is very important -- color equals flavor). This browning process takes some time but is worth the effort. It probably took about 25 minutes to brown six short ribs. After browning the meat, I removed the ribs from the Dutch oven and set them aside. I then added a finely diced onion, 3 large cloves of minced garlic, a tsp of red pepper flakes and the leaves from 3 or 4 sprigs of thyme to the same Dutch oven in which I had browned the meat. Using a wooden spoon I sauteed the onion mixture until the onions were translucent. Then I added a cup of red wine, rubbing the bottom of the pan to dissolve the brown bits from the meat. Next I added about 2 cups of chicken stock (beef or veal stock would be preferable if you have it on hand) and half of a can of San Marzano tomatoes. I added the ribs back to the Dutch oven and placed the lid on and let the meat simmer for about 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is falling off of the bone.

When the ribs were cooked, I once again removed them from the Dutch oven and set them aside while I prepared the sauce. The first step in making the sauce is to remove the fat from the braising liquid that the ribs were cooked in. I did this by placing paper towels on the surface of the liquid. The paper towels quickly absorb the oil that floats on top of the liquid and can just be discarded. Once I was satified that the braising liquid was no longer oily, I pureed it so that all of the onions, garlic, tomatoes and meat juices were blended into a smooth sauce. I added a touch of cream (about a tablespoon)--- because I found the sauce needed a bit of sweetness-- and a dash of red wine vinegar to wake things up a bit.

Next I used a fork to shred the rib meat (should look like pulled pork when you're done).

I then boiled about a pound of penne in heavily salted boiling water (should taste like sea water). After draining the al dente penne in a colander I added the pasta and the shredded rib meat to the Dutch oven with the sauce. I cooked the pasta, sauce and meat for a few minutes on medium heat so that all the components were well-blended. I finished with a handful of grated parmesan and chopped parsley. Comfort food!