Braised Alberta Beef Short Ribs

Onboard Rocky Mountaineer, guests will enjoy locally inspired cuisine. From Fraser River salmon to Okanagan wines, bring the flavours of Western Canada home with this recipe: Braised Alberta Beef Short Ribs!

Serves 6

Braised Short Ribs

• 1 bottle of Okanagan Valley Merlot
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 lb short ribs, trimmed
• Sea salt, to taste
• 1½ tsp black peppercorns, crushed
• 10 garlic cloves
• 8 shallots, large, trimmed and split
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 6 sprigs Italian parsley
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 8 cups beef or chicken stock, unsalted
• White pepper, ground, to taste
• 3 pcs pappadum

Pour the wine into a large saucepan set over medium heat. When the wine is heated, carefully set it aflame. Let the flames die out, then increase the heat so that the wine boils. Allow it to boil until it cooks down by half. Remove from the heat.

Centre a rack in the oven and preheat to 175°C / 350°F. Place the pappadum on the oven rack and bake until bubbles start to appear on the surface and the pappadum starts to brown (approximately 5 minutes). Immediately remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or large casserole dish big enough to hold 6 ribs. Season the ribs all over with salt and crushed pepper. When the oil is hot, slip the ribs into the pot and sear for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until well browned. Transfer the browned ribs to a plate.

Remove all but 1 tbsp of fat from the pot. Chop the carrots, celery and leek into 1 inch pieces. Lower the heat to medium, and toss in the vegetables and herbs. Brown the vegetables lightly for 5 to 7 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to blend. Deglaze with the reduced red wine and add browned ribs and stock to the pot. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot tightly and slide it into the oven to braise for about 2½ hours, or until the ribs are tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork. Every 30 minutes or so, lift the lid and skim and discard whatever fat may have bubbled up to the surface.

Carefully transfer the meat to a heated serving platter with a lip and keep warm. Boil the pan liquid until it thickens and reduces to approximately 4 cups. Season with salt and pepper and pass through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Discard the solids, and set aside the sauce.