Bloody Mary Braised Short Ribs with Pan-Fried Potato

By: Sarah Kelly

A traditional braising technique is to use tomato paste, vegetables, stock and wine. We will use these elements but substitute a bloody mary cocktail which has the tomato and alcohol already incorporated.

Be sure to purchase a pre-made canned cocktail that is full proof and made with vodka and not a malt liquor version. Unless you have a ton of spices at home and want to make your own bloody mary spice, it is best to purchase just a small premade mix- so you are not sitting on a bunch of random spices you may never use again.

Ingredients

SHORT RIBS

  • 1 pkg. (1.5 lbs.) Double R Ranch beef short ribs Buy Now
  • 1 can bloody mary cocktail
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced
  • 1 rib celery medium diced
  • ½ yellow onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon bloody mary spice blend
  • 1 tablespoon oil

POTATOES

  • 4 waxy yellow potatoes such as Yukon Golds
  • ½ cup SRF beef tallow or cooking oil
  • ¼ cup creme fraiche or sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons fine chopped chives
  • Kosher salt

SHORT RIBS

Heat a large sauté pan on the stove top on medium heat, add about a tablespoon of oil and heat until hot. Season the short ribs each side with the bloody mary dry spice and a bit of salt (not too much salt as the mix is already salty).
Sear the short ribs in the pan about 3 minutes per side. Take out and place in an oven safe dish.
In the same hot pan add the vegetables and sweat for about 3 minutes, deglaze with the canned bloody mary. Let simmer for about 2 minutes, add the beef stock and bring to a boil.
Pour the vegetables and hot liquid over the short ribs making sure the liquid covers the meat- add some more water or beef stock if needed- it should just barely cover the meat. Cover with foil. Cook in the oven at 325 for 2 to 2.5 hours until meat is tender but not quite falling off the bone.
Take meat out of pan and strain the liquid. Skin off any fat that rises to the top. Place strained sauce in a pan on the stove top and let sauce reduce by ½.
Place the short ribs in the pan with the sauce and let the sauce heat the ribs and cling to the meat. Braising the meat can be done the day before and you can heat the meat on the stove top in the sauce the second day.
Plate the ribs and potatoes, then serve.

POTATOES

Slice the waxy potatoes about ½ inch thick. Rinse sliced potatoes a few times under cold water, strain.
In a cast iron heat about ¼ cup beef tallow to medium high heat. Shallow fry the potatoes working in batches, about 3 minutes each side until crispy and you can pierce with a knife.
Place on a cookie tray with a paper towel to let drain off the fat- continue with shallow frying/searing potatoes, being sure to add more fat to the pan if needed and making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
Return all potatoes to the pan for serving, sprinkle with salt and top with creme fraiche and chives.