Spicy Braised Short Ribs with Polenta

  4.9 – 21 reviews  • Main Dish
For a hearty, warming dinner, it’s hard to beat braised short ribs in a spicy arrabbiata. The sauce’s chiles and tomatoes tenderize and flavor the meat, while red wine and mushrooms round out the dish. Creamy, cheesy polenta is the ideal accompaniment–sopping up the delicious juices and tempering some of the heat.
Level: Easy
Total: 3 hr 30 min
Active: 1 hr
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

  1. 3 tablespoons olive oil
  2. 6 beef short ribs (about 4 pounds)
  3. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  4. 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
  5. 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  6. 1 medium carrot, diced
  7. 1 medium onion, diced
  8. 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  9. 2 cups dry red wine
  10. One 24-ounce jar arrabbiata sauce
  11. Crushed red pepper, as desired, optional
  12. 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  13. 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
  14. 1 1/2 cups stone-ground cornmeal
  15. Kosher salt
  16. 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  17. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

  1. For the short ribs: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the short ribs generously with salt and pepper, then add them to the pot and brown on all sides until golden, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.  
  3. Add the mushrooms to the drippings in the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and all the water has cooked out, about 8 minutes. Add half the garlic and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are crisp and golden and the garlic is softened, about 3 minutes more. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl; set aside.  
  4. Reduce the heat to medium, add the carrot, onion, rosemary and remaining garlic to the pot and cook, stirring often and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, until the onions and carrots are softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Stir in the arrabbiata sauce and 2 cups water and return the short ribs to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours. 
  5. Remove the meat from the sauce and transfer to a plate. Set the sauce aside to let the braising liquid and fat separate, about 10 minutes, then skim off and discard the fat. Discard the rosemary sprig, stir in the reserved mushrooms and add salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer it spicier, add crushed red pepper as well. Return the short ribs to the sauce and keep warm over low heat. 
  6. For the polenta: Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. While whisking constantly, slowly pour the cornmeal into the hot liquid. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the cornmeal is creamy and no longer grainy, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and butter.  
  7. Divide the polenta among 6 shallow bowls and top each with a short rib and some sauce. Sprinkle with the parsley.  

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 of 6 servings
Calories 1327
Total Fat 100 g
Saturated Fat 42 g
Carbohydrates 46 g
Dietary Fiber 6 g
Sugar 10 g
Protein 48 g
Cholesterol 194 mg
Sodium 2100 mg

Reviews

Christine Tapia
Amazing flavor and easy to make.
Adam Rodriguez
Excellent! My husband said this dish is in the top 4 or 5 of any recipe I’ve ever cooked. And I cook A LOT!
April Kim
Absolutely delicious. Flavorful, hearty, and perfect for a cold weather dinner. My grocery store only had boneless short ribs, so I subbed those and used baby Bella mushrooms. I think this would be even better with the bone in ribs as called for in the recipe. Definitely making this again.
Katherine Mcfarland
What a great recipe! The flavor of the sauce was out of this world! The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender, and the polenta was so yummy! Will definitely make this again. Had a lot of sauce left over which I saved and intend to incorporate as a beef stew base for tomorrow. Thanks so much for a great recipe that became a great Sunday dinner!
Emma Smith
This dish was fantastic!!
Lauren Williams
So, so good!!! This is my new go-to for short ribs. Delicious!
Larry Schwartz
can you substitute another sauce for aribbatta sauce?
Edgar Elliott
This recipe caught my attention because it used Rao’s sauce. (Rao’s is one of my fave restaurants) This is a great, simple and delicious recipe. I have made it several times and is always a crowd pleaser. When people try this dish, they will never know how easy it is to make. Thank you!!!
John Fox
This is absolutely delicious! I never cooked short ribs before and it turned out perfect. Taste the broth before you add additional red pepper. The sauce was plenty spicy for my family.
Alicia Hughes
Fantastic Dish and Quick to put together.

 

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