slow-cooked beef [short ribs]

I know Thanksgiving has already come and gone, but I can't help myself.

Are you one of those people who always knows what to say when it’s your turn to voice what you’re thankful for at the Thanksgiving table? Well, I’m not. I’m usually unprepared and end up saying something predictable, like “my family” or “this meal.” Granted, I am very thankful for both of those things, but aren’t they a given?

This Thanksgiving is [was] going to be different. This year, I am [was] prepared. And I have a list. 

I’m thankful for meat. But not just any meat. Grass-fed, pasture-raised beef, pork, lamb and goat. All locally and humanely raised in Santa Barbara County.  Thank you Marcie.  Thank you Elizabeth.  Thank you John.

I’m thankful for raw milk, cream and butter. Unpasteurized and untainted with hormones or antibiotics. 100% pure digestible and nutrient dense dairy from grass-fed cows.  Thank you Mark.

I’m thankful for eggs from pastured chickens. Bright orange yolked power foods fueled by sun, grass, bugs and worms.  Thank you [can't give my source!].

I’m thankful for tender, leafy greens available year round in all shapes and sizes. Baby kale, red leaf lettuce, broccoli rabe, chard, spinach, mustard, arugula, chidori kale, frisee, radicchio.  Thank you Jacob, Shu, B.D., and Shawn.

Lastly, and most importantly, I’m thankful for the ranchers and farmers who work hard to provide these foods. Without them, my Thanksgiving table would not be nearly as bountiful.

Okay, enough with the mushy stuff - bring on the BEEF.


Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
serves 4-6

3 lbs beef short ribs*, cut into 2” pieces
2 tbsp beef fat or heat stable oil
2 small onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 head fennel, chopped
5 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon
2 cups beef broth or water
2 tbsp herbs de provence [mixed dried herbs]
celtic sea salt

In a large heavy pot, heat the fat over medium high heat. Sear the short ribs, browning for 1-2 minutes on each side. Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to do this in two batches. Transfer the browned meat to a plate.

In the remaining fat, cook the onions, carrots and fennel until caramelized, about 5 minutes.
Add the beef back in with enough wine to almost cover the contents of the pot, about 2/3 of the bottle. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and continue to cook until the wine is reduced by half, about 20-25 minutes. Enjoy the remaining wine as you finish cooking or with your meal.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Add the beef broth, garlic and herbs. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook for 2-3 hours or until meat falls easily from the bone.

Remove the beef from the pot and cook the sauce down to desired thickness. Add beef back in and stir to combine. Season with sea salt as needed. 
Serve over butternut squash, mashed potatoes, polenta or with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

*Grass-fed meats take longer to become tender from slow-cooking due to the lower fat content in the meat. Be patient - the extra 30 minutes will be well worth the wait.