yabba dabba do it

hanna-barbera

I love bones.

Bones add flavor and are mineral-rich with chondroitin and glucosamine for joint health, plus the collagen benefits our skin.

The gelatin is a natural sauce thickener and they are just so primordially wonderful.

So let’s braise a batch of short ribs 

before the weather snows us in.

Fry some bacon, lift it out and fit the short ribs on edge into the very hot fat.

Nice.

Brown them on both sides in batches, then set them aside with the bacon.

While they are browning, prep shallots and carrot and celery.

You are going to need beef stock and red wine, too.

After the ribs are browned and crispy, soften the vegetables a little in the remaining fat.

Add some chopped tomato.

Now add stock and redwine to cover the vegetables, then... 

...prepare herbs and mushrooms. I’m using parsley, thyme, rosemary, garlic and bayleaf.

Return the ribs and bacon.

Pile everything on top.

Now bubble it until it cooks down, about an hour or so. 

Keep adding stock so everything is covered.

A braise like this improves in the fridge, so if you have the time put it in to chill overnight. 

This accomplishes two things.

First, the flavors marry. 

And second, the fat congeals 

on the top where you can take it off with a spoon.

Helps keep me and ol’ Fred (sorta) slim and healthy.

hanna-barbera

Now bubble it a second time until the meat falls off the bone.

That’s it. 

You know what to serve with it, right?

Yabba dabba doo it!

hanna-barbera