Mary DiSomma

Instructions

1. 01

   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the ribs on a paper towel and pat dry. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

2. 02

   Scoop the flour onto a large plate. Dredge the ribs through the flour so they are lightly coated. Discard any excess flour. Set ribs aside.

3. 03

   In a large Dutch oven, cook the pancetta or bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Do not discard the fat. You don’t need the pancetta or bacon, just the grease to flavor the sauce. I keep the pancetta or bacon for use in another recipe, like my lentil soup recipe or to top a spinach salad!

4. 04

   Add the olive oil to the bacon grease in the Dutch oven and heat until it shimmers. When hot, add the ribs and brown on all sides, about 1 minute per side. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your pan. Remove the ribs and set aside on a paper towel-lined pan.

5. 05

   Add the onions, carrots, shallots, and garlic to the Dutch oven. Cook for approximately 2 minutes, stirring often. The vegetables will continue to cook with the ribs in the Dutch oven so there is no need to cook them until tender.

6. 06

   Turn the heat to low and add the wine. The wine may ignite so have a pan lid available to place on top of the pan to extinguish the flames. Cook for 2 minutes, using a wooden spoon to scrape any bits of vegetables or ribs from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and let cook for another 2 minutes for a total cooking time of 4 minutes.

7. 07

   Add the 2 cups of broth, tomato paste, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Stir to combine.

8. 08

   Now it’s time to put the ribs in the braising liquid. Add the ribs and make sure they are submerged. Add some or all of the additional 1 cup of beef broth, if needed, to submerge the ribs. Add the fresh herb sprigs on top and pop the lid on top—it’s ready to go in the oven.

9. 09

   Place your Dutch oven on the middle rack of the preheated oven and cook for 2 hours. After 2 hours, reduce the heat to 325 degrees and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. The meat should be fork-tender, meaning it will fall off the bone when touched with a fork.

10. 10

    Remove the pot from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes with the lid on. The resting period allows the fat to rise to the top of the pot. Alternatively, you can make these tender gems a day ahead. Let cool to room temperature, then pop them in the refrigerator in the Dutch oven. The fat will solidify, making it super easy to remove.

11. 11

    When you are ready to serve, skim off the top liquid and remove the herb sprigs. If you made your ribs in advance, skim the fat off the top and then heat the ribs up on the stovetop in the Dutch oven until warmed through.

12. 12

    Garnish with the chopped Italian parsley. I love to serve these with my Colcannon mashed potatoes!