Marinade

• 5 lbs short ribs
• 1 bottle dry red wine
• 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery rib, all sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 bay leaves
• tsp dried thyme
• tsp dried rosemary
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
  

Trim excess fat from short ribs. Tie a knot in the bottom of a medium kitchen trash bag (unscented!!) for reinforcement. place the bag in a large mixing bowl or pot and fill it with all of the marinade ingredients. Refrigerate overnight. Be prepared to reserve marinade liquid in the morning.

• 1 c. flour
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 carrot, 2 celery ribs, 1 onion, all sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 oz dried mushrooms (reconstitute in 1 cup water, and reserve mushroom water)
• 10 oz button mushrooms, whole
• 1 cup low-sodium beef stock
• 2 tsp bouquet garni
• 1 Tbl butter
• 2 Tbl buerre manie
• Healthy splash of Cognac

Strain marinade and reserve 2 cups liquid for braising. Pat beef dry. Season 1 cup flour with 1 Tbl salt and 1 Tbl pepper. Roll each rib in flour mixture. Shake off excess flour and set aside.

Cook bacon in large (at least 6 qt) enameled cast-iron pot. Remove the bacon and cook floured beef ribs in batches in the bacon fat. Remove all ribs to a plate. Do not wash pot. Saute veggies (excluding mushrooms) in same pot until softened, then add tomato paste and cook a couple minutes more. Deglaze pan with a little marinade, then add remaining marinade to pot with stock and mushroom liquid.

Crumble the bacon into braising liquid and arrange the ribs in the pot, bone-side up to ensure that the meat is submerged. Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to med-low and simmer 3 hours with the lid cracked just slightly.

Meanwhile, saute mushrooms in butter, then deglaze the pan with Cognac.

When ribs are tender, remove the meat to a deep serving dish and strain the braising liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a heavy saucepan. Once the liquid has reached a simmer, whisk in the buerre manie. Simmer until thickened, then add mushrooms to the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over meat in serving dish.

If you plan to refrigerate and reheat, return to room temp before heating to avoid separating.